How a tipsy Golf Galaxy employee just qualified for a PGA Tour event

Nick Bienz was unusually nervous, and so he did what many unusually nervous people do. He ordered a drink.

And then a second.

And then a third.

And then, only after the third beer was in his system, he learned that he had reason to be even more nervous. Which is how Bienz, a Golf Galaxy employee with a grand total of zero major pro starts, wound up striding out to a playoff for a spot in this week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic a little … tipsy.

Bienz’s good fortune begins with one of pro golf’s most ruthless traditions, the Monday qualifier. Most weeks during the Tour season, these one-day, win-and-in events are a lifeline for those on the fringes of the pro game. Show up, play 18 holes, and if you score well enough, you too can find yourself playing in a real PGA Tour field with a real chance at a payday — but do make sure you bring your game, because on many weeks even a score in the mid-60s isn’t enough to earn your way into the field.

Bienz, who is a registered pro golfer but has never competed higher than the state-open level, found himself in the Rocket Mortgage Monday qualifier field in much the same headspace. His day job at Golf Galaxy afforded him the freedom to compete in the Monday qualifier, but that would probably be all the time off he needed.

But then play began and things went haywire: Bienz fired a stunning 65, and suddenly found himself with the clubhouse lead. He returned inside the clubhouse at The Orchards Golf Club in Washington, Mich., and began the long wait for the rest of the field to clear, which is when he met up with Monday Q Info’s Ryan French and began to sip on a beer.

And then a second beer. And then a third.

By the time he reached the bottom of the glass, it became clear that a 65 wouldn’t be enough to get Bienz into the Rocket Mortgage Classic. A five-for-four playoff ensued, and Bienz trudged back onto the course a little wobbly.

“Remember how I said three beers would be a perfect amount?” He told French. “Well, I’m perfect.”

Eventually, after more than eight holes of Monday Madness, the qualifier came to an end with Bienz as one of the winners. The Golf Galaxy employee is one of 156 players in the field at this week’s PGA Tour event — and competing for a piece of more than $9 million (!) at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

James Colgan

Golf.com Editor

James Colgan is a news and features editor at GOLF, writing stories for the website and magazine. He manages the Hot Mic, GOLF’s media vertical, and utilizes his on-camera experience across the brand’s platforms. Prior to joining GOLF, James graduated from Syracuse University, during which time he was a caddie scholarship recipient (and astute looper) on Long Island, where he is from. He can be reached at james.colgan@golf.com.