Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: This is the St. Louis podcast network.
Welcome to the CNC Golf Factory podcast on the St. Louis podcast Network with Kurt Rowey and Kurt Goss III.
Kurt Rowey is the executive director of the Metropolitan Amateur Golf association, whose expertise and passion for the sport have helped shape the local golf landscape in remarkable ways.
Kurt Goss III is the head PGA professional at the prestigious Country Club of St. Albans and the 2023 Gateway PGA Merchandiser of the year, a testament to his dedication and excellence in the industry.
Together as hosts and enthusiasts, we're here to bring you the latest news, expert analysis, and insider stories from the vibrant world of St. Louis Golf. Settle in and get ready to be inspired by the wealth of knowledge and camaraderie that defines our local golfing community.
Welcome to the CNC Golf Factory podcast, where every swing tells a story.
Welcome on in. It's a special edition of the CNC Golf Factory podcast right here on the St. Louis podcast Network. I'm Indy Hanselman, joined alongside Kurt Rowey and Kurt Goss III. Our very, very special guest is from St. Louis and competing in the US Open next week at Pinehurst number two in, shockingly, Pinehurst, North Carolina. We're gonna be talking to Chris Nagle here in just a little bit, but first, let's say hi to Curtin. Kurt. Hi, boys. What's going on?
[00:01:51] Speaker B: Hey, guys.
[00:01:52] Speaker C: Hi, Andy. Guys, how are we doing? Good.
[00:01:55] Speaker A: We're doing really well. Doing really well. So, the little US Open pre with local golfer Chris Nagel qualified out at the Ohio State University Golf club Scarlett course on Monday during the longest day of golf. They call it 36 holes, and he shot nine under and one and a playoff over Otto black out of Detroit, Michigan, to get in to the field of the US Open. Coming out of that group was also Justin Lauer, Seamus Power, a name you might know, Brendan Todd, he's named that. Some guys might know. An amateur named Gunner Broyne out of Sherwood, Minnesota. Brendan, Gunner, and Chris all finished at minus nine. What are you guys looking forward to this next week with the US Open?
[00:02:34] Speaker C: Well, it's always an exciting week. I mean, I. You know, with my. Kind of my USj background. I mean, it's especially after we've, you know, we conducted local qualifying, which chris made it out of. Little shout out to gunner. Brian Gunnar was always. He was one of our co medalists at westwood to the amateur.
[00:02:51] Speaker A: Gunner was out. He was out of the st. Louis qualifier this year.
[00:02:54] Speaker C: Yeah, he. He was four under. He's a key to University of kansas golfer. So let's not have our listeners hold that against them, but. Right, he's from minnesota but plays the University of kansas. So. So that was kind of cool too. We were watching. I had all kinds of, you know, you, final qualifying leaderboards going up on my screen. I had about nine tabs because every single one I was going through all of them and I could probably find one, one guy or two guys at every site that either, you know, came up here, played in the, in our metropolitan open championship or, you know, all the local guys we had will post away Devin Liberty, you know, obviously Chris and Gunner. So, you know, I was following all that on, on Monday to see, you know, see which of these guys got out. So, you know, it's, it's us open week. I think it's. I think it's one of the most exciting weeks of the year. It's, it's, it's one of the toughest tests of golf. And, you know, pioneers is, is the golf Mecca really. I mean, you know, especially there commitment to the US Opens over the next. I mean, I think they got them scheduled out to 2050 or something, you know, every, you know, so many years.
[00:03:59] Speaker A: So I think I thought I saw one scheduled like out to like 2084 where I'm going to be long, long gone.
[00:04:04] Speaker C: Yeah, I don't know if they're that far out, but I know they're out pretty, pretty far on, on these US opens. And pioneers has them. You know, they're, it's kind of, that's going to be one of their main, mainstays every shoot, every five to six years. I think they're, you know, going back to, to pioneers or something.
[00:04:20] Speaker A: So, goss, what's your favorite part about us open week?
[00:04:25] Speaker B: It's, you just have to be spot on your, your entire game for these players just has to be 100% spot on. We saw it what 2014 when Piners had in Martin Kimer one.
You could tell that it was literally like he hit his spots with his irons, you know, 75% of that four days. He had to hit like the hood of a car in spots, though. I mean, I don't know if you boys have played it, but it's that old school Donald Ross. I mean everything is bowl shape. It runs off into collection areas.
And again, we know that they're the most talented players in the world. We just saw with the ladies this past week at Lancaster. I think winning at four or five under, it was a true test, but.
[00:05:13] Speaker C: Yeah, thousand yards they play were playing 7000 yards. The ladies, yeah, the wind was open. I know one day the setup was right at 7000 yards. Yeah, that's incredible.
[00:05:25] Speaker B: But yeah, it's, it's fun and I know you're all good. I think that again, it's going to be iron play, in my opinion, at Pioneers number two, I don't know what the conditions like, firm or, you know, if it's dry right now down there, but, you know, it's going to be firm in general. But, uh, you know, I think somebody's just going to have to come out and, and kill it with iron play. Because if your iron play is spot on there, you can probably have some opportunities for birdie inside of 20ft. Because if you miss it more than 20ft away from the flag sticks, they're all running away from you anyways. So, um, it's fun. It's, it's leading into Father's Day. It's the heart of the summer. I just think it's, it's a great time of year. It's a great event. And guys, I don't know about you, but you know, when I, when I'm working a twelve hour day and I don't get a chance to see much golf, we might have golf in the shop, as you guys know, but doesn't mean we're watching it. I love coming home and watching live from the US Open, live from the Masters. Whether it is, I have to listen to Brando Chambly. That's a side note. But I like watching the recap and whatnot and the fact that you got 12 hours of coverage, so it's gonna be a blast. And, you know, let's see if Chris can pull some more magic. But I don't know if I have a favorite in it right now. I haven't really thought about. Well, Scotty Scheffler, that's kind of a given in any week right now.
[00:06:47] Speaker A: Pretty much. I was looking at the broadcast schedule and you're right, it's, there's, it's on from, I think, five in the morning till 08:00 at night on USA Network, NBC and Peacock. You can pretty, you can watch it anytime, anywhere. And luckily for you and all the listeners out there, Brandon Chamblee will be in the booth with, with Dan Hex in the 18th tower this year for the US Open. How the mighty have fallen over at NBC.
[00:07:16] Speaker B: Well, it'll be a great week and, you know, it's, it's a cool property.
Been fortunate to be there once and it's just an awesome place. We actually have a member guys that's leaving the club at the end of this month, and his wife are going to be moving to Pinehurst full time. And. Yeah, and it's so cool talking to him about. I'm like, what an awesome place. Like, you know, now ten golf courses. The cradle, the putting course Chris mentioned, or will be mentioning in this segment, pine needles, because of how we recorded it. Who cares? There's so much great golf down there. And then you're. You're only a couple hours from Charlotte, a couple hours from the ocean.
I'm looking forward to it. Getting psyched.
[00:08:00] Speaker C: Let me put the US Open in context a little bit. I'm looking at this. So Chris is one of 60 of the 68 to advance out of local and then out of final qualifying. That's 68 out of 9522 who filed an entry for the US Open. So for the listeners who don't understand the US Open and how they get to. How they get to that field of 156, that's how they done it. And he's one of 68, 68 out of nine. 9522, which is.
[00:08:31] Speaker A: It's virtually impossible.
[00:08:33] Speaker C: Yeah, it's less than one. It's basically less than 1%.
[00:08:35] Speaker A: Yeah, it's way less than he's.
[00:08:37] Speaker C: That he's made it. That he's made it to the.
[00:08:41] Speaker B: That is probably a harder feat for him than making the cut, you know?
Yeah, it. I mean, incredible. And, you know, I hope that he has the, you know, the rest of the season. I hope he gets the point where he doesn't have to do Monday qualifiers anymore because he's such a great player. But we also know that there's a lot of good players and it's a tough game, but what a. What a crazy stat. Less than 1%, you know, tell him to go buy a lottery ticket or two. Exactly. Yeah.
[00:09:14] Speaker A: Chris Nagel coming up next right here on the CNC Golf Factory podcast on the St. Louis podcast Network.
He recently qualified for his third US Open. Local St. Louis golfer, pro golfer Chris Nagel joins us on the CNC golf factory right here on the St. Louis podcast network. Chris, what's going on, man?
[00:09:34] Speaker D: Not much. Just came back home after a little whirlwind there.
Getting ready to go for next week.
[00:09:42] Speaker A: When are you going to head out to Pinehurst?
[00:09:45] Speaker D: I'm going to ago on Sunday afternoon.
[00:09:48] Speaker A: Awesome. We get to play Sunday. You have to wait till Monday to go play your practice round.
[00:09:52] Speaker D: I'm going to wait till Monday. Just Sunday travel day. Kind of do my kind of rituals, my gym work, my stretching. You know, I'm not a spring chick anymore, so after sitting on a plane, I got to stretch out.
[00:10:08] Speaker A: You're not going to load up the family trucks during head out there?
[00:10:10] Speaker D: No, that's too far of a drive.
[00:10:14] Speaker A: It is a long drive out there. Oh, wow. So I think the boys have lots of questions for you. Just want to get things going here.
[00:10:23] Speaker C: Yeah. Chris. Hey, thanks. Thanks again for. For jumping on with us tonight.
Now, now we can definitely call you a friend of the show. Your 2nd. 2nd go around here on the CNC golf factory. So, you know, right out of the gate. Absolutely. Congratulations, you know, on getting it done over there in Columbus, Ohio on Monday.
You know, you got through local qualifying here in St. Louis, which I'm going to touch on that a little bit to get started.
Did you tell us a little bit about just that day? Did you. Have you ever been in a. What? We have a nine. Nine for nine for one playoff that day. You ever been in a playoff like that?
[00:11:02] Speaker D: No, not that big.
I was actually trying to think about that. I think maybe the biggest one ever been was like a, like a six for one kind of, kind of deal or like a seven for three, but never, never nine for one.
[00:11:15] Speaker A: You're.
[00:11:16] Speaker D: The odds are so stacked against you there.
[00:11:20] Speaker C: Well, you got it done early that day. You got, you know, get. With the whole playoff ended up only going, you know, three holes. But that was exciting. Just the fact that you got through that and then obviously takes you into, you know, final stage where you've been. You've been through. I mean, how many final stage of qualifying have you been through in, you know, in your career for us open?
[00:11:45] Speaker D: You know, I should probably know that.
I would have to say I've probably been to six or seven sectionals now.
Successful in three.
Yeah. Just happy to get through it at Westwood. That. How good was that place? That place was pure.
[00:12:04] Speaker C: That's. That's about as good as I've ever seen Westwood, even considering we had an inch and a half of rain, you know, the night before. But that was. Yeah, west was as good as I've ever seen it this year. It was phenomenal. So.
[00:12:16] Speaker A: Especially with how early it was in the season as well, because you guys played that qualifier a week or two weeks early.
[00:12:22] Speaker C: Yeah, it was April 29.
They, you know, they're, they. They do a pretty heavy aggressive. You know, it's a what? It's a Bermuda golf course where they do a pretty heavy overseating now. And it was. It was just phenomenal. It was in great shape. So, so you survived the, you know, you survived the playoff there at Westwood. Get through on comes down to you. And will hocker, another who guy played his golf here in St. Louis.
So from that moment on, where you, you're just, you're preparing yourself for. For June 3, I guess, right. I mean, you had over a month, a month before, before the, you know, final stage of qualifying. What's, how's, how's. How do you spend a month, you know, preparing yourself for, you know, knowing what's, what's at stake?
[00:13:06] Speaker D: Yeah, there's a little bit of time in between those two. I played four corn ferry events between local and sections, and I was actually, I'll take that back. I was, I played three. I was coming from Dallas the night before to the local, and then I played Kansas City corn ferry, Knoxville corn Ferry and Raleigh corn ferry, and then went up to Columbus to the sectional. There.
[00:13:40] Speaker C: Was the. Now, this is your third final stage, qualifying. Have you done them all in Columbus or you've gone. I know. Well, the one you qualified for was in Texas the first one years ago.
[00:13:54] Speaker D: Yeah. I was down at a shadow, shadowhawk in Texas. Great place, great golf course. I, it's not on the rotation anymore.
And then I've done Memphis when that was the spot.
That's probably been five or six years now that has not been a sectional. And then. Yeah, I like going back to Columbus. They mix the courses up there.
So I kind of played them all kind of now, but they, they run a larger than normal site because of the memorial. But this year was the week before, so it was a smaller site.
[00:14:28] Speaker C: Right.
[00:14:29] Speaker A: I was with friend of the show, Mike Surrey, the head pro out at Oakbrook golf course last night, chitchatting a little bit before league. And he was. And I was telling him that we were, that we were going to talk to you tonight. And he goes, oh, yeah, I played, the last time I played in the sectional qualifier, I played with Chris, and he was telling me a story about how you were telling him that if you didn't qualify, that. That this was it. And I think that was back in 2018 or so. Is that right?
[00:14:52] Speaker D: Yeah, 2018.
Yeah, I got, I got through to Shinnecock in, in a wild playoff there as well.
[00:14:59] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:15:00] Speaker D: I was dabbling in different things, seeing if I wanted to keep playing, seeing what else was available. But I kind of got on a little hot streak there, and we're still playing.
[00:15:13] Speaker A: He told me that he quit playing in those, when, when, after he would win a qualifier, you know, go get to the local qualifier go. The section will have them battle Tony fee now, shooting the 63 to get out of it.
[00:15:22] Speaker C: So, yeah, going back to in 2018, not only you get through. So you had to get. You had a playoff as well there to get into the. To the open.
[00:15:34] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:15:35] Speaker C: And then wasn't do. You had a crazy inning just to that round, if I remember right. Didn't you. You made eagle, or was that. Was that the one where you made eagle or something in the last couple holes? You were getting. You were getting down to the wire.
[00:15:48] Speaker D: Yeah, we were coming down to. I had, like. I think I have five. I played my last five in six under par.
[00:15:56] Speaker C: Right.
[00:15:57] Speaker D: Eagle eagled the last to get into the playoff and then birdied the first playoff. So it was just kind of like a. Just a fast finish.
I played good all day, and then I just. I. You know, in those qualifiers, you're going up against guys that are in good form and someone's going to play awesome. So I was playing solid, and I did a really fast finish to get in that playoff back in 2018.
[00:16:22] Speaker B: Chris, that.
[00:16:24] Speaker D: That's a.
[00:16:24] Speaker B: That's a heck of a way of finish. We have some guys in men's league, I think, tonight that finished that way, but they were getting one or two pops per hole to get their net eagles. But so I recall, I think it was just two years ago on the back range of St. Albans, you were hitting some balls, and I was probably picking dandelions, let's be honest.
But you were preparing for.
Was it two years ago? Was the last us open for you? 2022.
[00:16:51] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:16:52] Speaker B: Yeah. So you were. You were preparing for that, and. And you kind of said that, you know, let's see if I can have one more run at it. And you get in, you make the cut, and then I think you rifle off, what, four out of five PGA Tour Monday qualifiers. I think it was, um, to kind of put your name around the, uh, not just around St. Louis, obviously, but more around the United States. You became kind of that the, you know, I'd like to say Patrick Reed about 15 years ago, twelve years ago, whatever, when he was Monday qualifier. And so do you have that, uh. I feel like you have that run now. Again, you've had a good couple corn ferry tour events the past couple weeks. You. You have, obviously, Monday. Um. Is this the breakthrough that we all been waiting for?
[00:17:39] Speaker D: I sure hope so.
[00:17:41] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:17:41] Speaker D: Game is games rounding into good form, so I would love to have another run. I feel like this game, you kind of go on runs because it's so difficult I mean, you can't own it. It comes and goes just as fast as anything. So when, if you can get on a run, you got to just, you got to go for it because you don't know how long it's going to last.
[00:18:04] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:18:05] Speaker A: Speaking of those kinds of runs, something that I like when we, when we talk to professional golfers on the show, I like to kind of relate back to the amateur golfer, and I like to break my game down into four different areas, driving, iron play, chipping and putting. And the reason that I'm an amateur and a twelve or 13 handicap is because none of them always work at the exact same time. Do professional golfers have the same problems? I'm sure that you do, but maybe just not to the extent of the amateur, you can recover better from them, correct?
[00:18:36] Speaker D: Yes. I feel like professionals, you just manage it better.
It's never for anybody except for, you know, select hand few. They're the best in the world, you know?
Yeah. You just, you know, you're driving it good, you're missing putts or your iron plays good and you're not making putts. That's what normally happens, but you just kind of manage it a little bit better. And we're doing it day in and day out where the average golf amateur is playing once, twice a week. So you kind of can figure out, you know, how to get it around.
[00:19:14] Speaker A: Yeah, that's good insight because, you know, that's a lot of amateurs that I, that I talked to. They, we always talk about the same thing about just nothing ever really coming together. So it's good insight from, from a guy who does it day in and day out.
[00:19:26] Speaker B: So, Chris, with a couple good finishes this past month on the corn ferry tour, we were speaking briefly last night. It sounds like you're, obviously, we got us open in just a week.
Check mark there. It sounds like you pretty much have your path for the rest of the season on the corn ferry tour. If you could let the listeners know, kind of where things stand for the rest of 2024 for you.
[00:19:52] Speaker D: Yeah. So I started the year with conditional status from last year's points list, so I wasn't guaranteed any starts this year. And I was able to get into a couple of South America events and played solid down there. So they shuffle guys around every four events. And so I was able to shuffle in front of some guys that didn't play as well. And then the last three weeks, I think I had 20th, 40 something, and a 13th or tied 14th finished last week. So I have enough points that they will kind of shuffle me through the rest of the year without having to, you know, be too concerned on what events I'm going to get into and what I won't.
So I can kind of set a schedule that's. I took this week off because I didn't want to play seven in a row. Just, I can do it physically, but mentally, this game wears you down. So I thought it was a good idea to just, you know, take a breather for a few days, and I'm going to play us open next week, and, and then the two corn ferry events after that, and then they have a week break in the set, in the schedule. So I feel. I feel like I can play three in a row and be pretty fresh. But, yeah, I'm looking forward to the rest of the cornfair year because I can kind of set my schedule, play where I want to play, and be ready to go.
[00:21:14] Speaker B: That's great.
Chris. I want to kind of still talk about, obviously, you on the road chasing your PGA Tour card, and we all, fingers crossed, are pulling for you. I've just become just the biggest fan over the past seven, eight years getting to know you, and I just love how you're always in good spirits and it's hard not to root for you. So, with all that being said, can you kind of give a deep dive, briefly how challenging it can be? Not the golf portion, but being on the road, different cities, different hotels. I know that you have a loving wife, three boys. We know that you love to fire up that green egg, and you always got some good looking meat products on there, there. And I always see it when I'm hungry. And how do you manage that part? Because I know it can get lonely. We know what happened about a week and a half ago to a PJ tour player. It's a challenge, and I think some people just think that it's a cakewalk and it's not. You're working on the game religiously. But more importantly, what's it like to balance being away from four loved ones so many weeks in a row?
[00:22:26] Speaker D: Yeah, it's. It's tough.
It's a. It's a great question.
I have a great kind of small group of guys that I play with, like practice rounds and eat dinner with and travel with one of them, Adam Long, he's now put on tour for a while, so I haven't really been around him and in Bogota this year, so it was good to see him again. But Bo Hogue is another friend of mine and been traveling with him over the last couple years, so he just, you just gotta hang tight with your, with your group, and, you know, that's your kind of your family on the road. And, yeah, being gone is tough on the little boys. I try to get home, I'll try to come home Sunday nights and fly out on Tuesday mornings so that I can touch base with the, with the family and, you know, still be as involved as I watch a couple Facetime baseball games and, you know, basketball games over the, over the early part of the year. So, yeah, it's, it's tough, but I guess with anything that you're trying to chase, you got to have a little bit of sacrifice, and the people around you have to support you. And I definitely have the support, and I'm trying to give them my all because they're sacrificing, you know, time, time away from me, and I'm sacrificing time away from them. So I only, you know, it's only fair that I give it my all to, you know, break through.
[00:24:05] Speaker B: That's awesome. And I know you have a great support system that they're rooting for you, and hopefully they, you know, uh, will they be down at Pinehurst with you next week?
[00:24:16] Speaker D: Yes, they're coming down, uh, on Tuesday.
[00:24:20] Speaker B: That's awesome. What an experience, uh, to see dad, husband, uh, out there, uh, inside the ropes at number two. And, uh, you know, we, uh, we all have a good feeling that you're going to make another cut. So, um, you know, that's fun. And I'm glad you have a good support team around you during your time away, because, again, you're chasing a dream trying to put food in the green egg, and you just got to be away traveling all the time.
We all have support systems, and the golf takes us away, but it's very rewarding. So that's awesome.
[00:24:53] Speaker C: It's not only food and the green egg. I mean, sometimes, you know, you get, you get, you get eight and ten ribeyes on that thing sometimes, Chris. I mean, that's not, you know, not everybody's doing that. That's, that's a little crazy sometimes.
[00:25:03] Speaker D: So, yeah, we have, we have a lot of family in town, and we get a lot of help with our boys, and so it's, it's only fair that I, you know, feed the, feed the army.
[00:25:18] Speaker C: So, Chris, you're heading, you're heading to piners. Have you been to piners before?
[00:25:21] Speaker D: I have not.
I've been to that area. I played an e golf event when that tour was going at.
[00:25:28] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:25:29] Speaker D: Pine needles. Yep. But I've never been to Pinehurst resort or any of the golf courses there, and that was probably 1012 years ago, so I don't really remember much of it, but I just remember there's a ton of golf, and, yeah, I can't wait to get there.
[00:25:48] Speaker C: Well, you're. You've played. This is going to be your third US Open. So, you know, that part you. You shouldn't be surprised what to expect. You've. You know, you play Shinnecock. You played the country club. You know, pioneers. Number two is obviously known for its. It's already hard, but it's even going to be, you know, harder with the US Open setup. So what's your. Do you have a different mentality going into this US Open than you did two years ago or even 2018?
You know, just knowing. Knowing what, you know, what lies ahead and what a challenge and. And a test of golf, the. The US Open is.
[00:26:21] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:26:21] Speaker D: I mean, I'm. I'm definitely looking forward to the challenge.
Yeah. Like you said, it's. You're gonna play, you know, some of the hardest setups you can ever imagine in golf.
But, yeah, I mean, I feel like I've practiced and I've played, and I've earned my spot here. So I've got a couple under my belt, and I would. I'd love to. I know I've played decent in the last couple. I'd love to just, you know, improve on that and kind of test my skills against what the USGA has for us.
[00:26:59] Speaker B: Hey, Chris, real quick. I have been fortunate enough to be. To been to Pinehurst before. About five years ago. Ironically, I did drive with two fellow PGA professionals from the area, Marvin from Sunset Country Club and Jeffrey from Belle Reeve. We drove all throughout the night, showered at the first destination in Pinehurst. We played the dormy club. It was a bad idea. So kudos to getting a flight, and I know that the player lounge for you at a tour event at the US Open, I'm sure is all catered and done, but I will tell you that Pinehurst at the Carolina Hotel has, like, one of the best breakfast buffets, like, in the world, and there's a gentleman playing a piano. I don't know if that will be set up for you guys next week, but if you have a chance, go in there, and it's one of the greatest hours of your life. Just don't eat too much. You got a long walk each day.
[00:27:58] Speaker D: It's funny you say that, because the breakfast has been mentioned several times by several different people. So I'm kind of looking forward to this.
[00:28:06] Speaker B: See?
[00:28:06] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:28:07] Speaker A: Are you there?
[00:28:08] Speaker C: Are you staying at the Carolina?
[00:28:09] Speaker A: Yeah, I was gonna ask you that too. Sorry.
[00:28:12] Speaker D: We, we were fortunate enough to. We got a, we rented a house for the week because we got a bunch of family coming in. So we're not too far. About a mile and a half. But I'll, I'll sneak over there for breakfast.
[00:28:25] Speaker B: You think Riggs from St. Charles? You know riggs from Marshall sports. Him, his brother, I think, own a house right on number two. They bought a couple years ago. You think they would've been gracious enough to take care of the St. Louis boy?
[00:28:37] Speaker D: Oh, man, I bet they're having some parties there this week or next week.
[00:28:40] Speaker B: Oh, no, they don't party. Just having a bunch of trulies all day.
[00:28:45] Speaker A: And then another youtuber, Mister short game, he did a little behind the scenes tour. He snuck, he was there as a guest at the Carolina, but then he snuck in to the members pro shop and the members restaurant and the members locker room, which I believe was the locker room that you guys get to use at the facility as well. And they were incredible. It was absolutely incredible. And so I like that kind of stuff because they have, it's like Augusta national. They have a special logo for the members only stuff. You got to make sure you go rate that thing too.
[00:29:16] Speaker B: So Chris, real quick, I think the three of us would like to know and all of our listeners, I don't think last time we got to dive into it, but could you give us a little more of your backstory again where you grew up and how you got started playing the game of golf and when it really took off and where you saw it progress and you knew you had something special for our listeners, please.
[00:29:40] Speaker D: Yeah. So I originally from Southern California. My dad worked for Monsanto when they were headquartered here in St. Louis. So that's how we ended up moving from Southern California to St. Louis. And I hadn't played any golf in California. Like, it wasn't a thing. My dad played occasionally and it was there if I wanted to, but I had just had no interest. I was a, you know, baseball kid in soccer and other, other sports. So we moved to St. Louis when I was 6th grade and still played baseball. And then I got to high school and realized that I wasn't going to play much more baseball in about two innings every game. So I figured I would do something different and had some friends that played golf. And we went play golf on spring break, and it was kind of fun. And I got some instruction from my dad and, you know, kind of.
Kind of got decent at it fairly quick. Wasn't stand out in high school or anything, but enjoyed playing and got to senior year, and I was, you know, a little bit better and playing in some of the amateur stuff and shooting some decent scores. So I tried to play in college and ended up settling at Missouri Baptist University for my last few years and had a pretty good nai career, I guess you want to call it, and was able to get. And was able to become my nai all american and win us some. A few events my senior year. And I really didn't want to get a job, so.
So I I tried to play professionally, like, the hooters tour was going then, and some of the e golf, and I had a little success. Not much, but enough to kind of keep going. And I guess just never giving up. I ever. I always gave myself a chance, and it's just kind of worked out.
So I feel like maybe I could have, you know, accomplished a little bit more as I've gone along, but I guess I'm more proud of myself of just never giving up and still being able to play the game and playing it at the highest level at 40 years old that I ever have. So that's kind of where I'm at.
[00:32:07] Speaker B: That's awesome. Just. That's. That's good words for everyone out there. Just never give up. I mean, it's. It's very cool a story for a guy that really doesn't pick up the game until, you know, 14, 1516 years old, and, you know, here we are. That's awesome. Love it.
[00:32:26] Speaker D: Yeah, I'm excited. I'm excited for the future. I feel like I got a little. A lot of good golf ahead of me, even though I'm, you know, not 23, like these young kids coming out of college that bomb it and, you know, can shoot these super low scores. I feel like I got some good golf.
[00:32:44] Speaker B: Well. Well, you do bomb it and you can shoot super low scores. That's. That's why you're. You're still doing this each and every week, so don't count yourself out yet. You hit it plenty far.
[00:32:56] Speaker D: That's right.
[00:32:59] Speaker A: Was one of the first professional tournaments that you won. They really kind of helped you keep going and what. And what, you know, talk. Tell the listeners about that.
[00:33:07] Speaker D: Uh, yeah, so I. My first, like, kind of professional was e golf tour. Um, it was in Hilton head Island on, uh, place called Chachese Creek, and Oldfield. We played two courses that week, two really good golf courses. It was cold and it was February, and so it would, the weather was not ideal, and so it was just like I've been playing in, at home, you know, because I didn't go anywhere that winter. I stayed here and played in all the terrible weather we get throughout the winter and went down there and I was like, oh, I'm used to this, and I played really well and I won like 25 grand. I thought I was rich and, you know, that just, that just kind of springboarded me and kept me going.
And I really didn't have to. I was fortunate enough. I really didn't have to go and try to find, like, sponsors. I kind of, you know, every dollar I made, I just kind of used that to keep playing on. And so, yeah, that was my first kind of professional win, and I got, that kept me going for a while.
[00:34:19] Speaker A: Before you started qualifying for us opens, did you have much previous success in USGA, other events like the amateur and junior amateur, things like that?
[00:34:28] Speaker D: I qualified for the USA amateur at Marion.
I want to say that was probably like 2006 or seven sounds about right. But no, I didn't even make match play. I probably shot like 1012 over, maybe even higher. But I had not had any success in USJ events. That was the only one I played. And even, like, in the local stuff, I wasn't, you know, like, I wasn't winning any of it. I could finish probably in the top five to 15, but, yeah, I hadn't had much success, but I just kept kind of going. And we're still going, you know, I.
[00:35:09] Speaker C: Know you've got a great support, not only and your family, we talked about that, but at Meadowbrook Country Club, that's your home club. And I know they support you, you know, quite a bit. So I think it's. I'd like to give them a little shout out and give you an opportunity to, you know, give them a shout out. You know, that's been your home for a while. And, you know, I talked to other, you know, people over Meadowbrook and they're there. They follow you and, and all that. And that's such a big support system to you as well, and get, you know, that's your, that's your home when you're here in St. Louis, your home home track to practice and play at.
[00:35:42] Speaker D: Yeah, Meadowbrook's been unbelievable. My, is probably an understatement.
They've, you know, given me kind of, I guess, more. More support than I deserve. But I am welcoming it, and, yeah, I have, I got, I got nothing but respect for everybody there.
They, they've been behind me for, I don't know, 20 years now. So, yeah, there, it's, it's kind of hard to put into words there. It's. It's home for sure. I love going out there. It's, it's kind of hard to go out there and practice because, you know, I spend 4 hours out there practicing, but two of it's talking to all the members because they want to know what's going on and catching up. And so it's, it's kind of hard, but it's, I kind of, I wouldn't have it any other way, I guess.
And the facility is awesome. They've, they made some really good improvements a couple years ago already. Good golf course.
This, the staff, I mean, the, the pro shop staff and general manager. And it's just a, I mean, I can't say enough good things about it. It's just a great spot to be. I'm very fortunate, very grateful to be there.
[00:36:58] Speaker A: Chris, for those that want to follow you, there is a Chris Nagel tracker Twitter account, I think it's called at Chris Nagel tracker.
Maybe one of the members out of Meadowbrook that's put that together. Somebody has. But anyway, it's really cool. And they can follow, pretty much follow you shop by shot throughout the rest of the season and didn't know if you knew all about that one or not.
[00:37:17] Speaker D: Yeah, I know about it. I don't think I can reveal the gentleman's identity quite yet.
[00:37:23] Speaker A: Secret.
[00:37:24] Speaker C: Yeah, I have met him.
I have met him. Unfortunately, I can't think of his name right now, so his secret is still safe. But I have met the guy, so.
[00:37:36] Speaker D: Yeah, he's a great guy.
His name's Tommy. Tommy Bohner.
[00:37:42] Speaker B: That's right.
[00:37:42] Speaker D: Just to have a baby. Um, but, yeah, he's, he runs that. I'm not on Twitter, so I don't see it. I see occasional chat someone sends me, but it's pretty cool of him to take time out of his day to do that.
[00:37:55] Speaker A: It's one of the.
[00:37:56] Speaker C: Pretty cool.
[00:37:57] Speaker A: It's one of the good parts of Twitter, let's put it that way.
[00:38:01] Speaker D: Yeah. For sure.
[00:38:03] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:38:04] Speaker A: All right. No hedging questions.
So here's what I got for you. All right. Your favorite tv show, the Big Bang Theory. Great show. Best concert you've been to, probably.
[00:38:19] Speaker D: Dave Matthews is pretty cool.
[00:38:21] Speaker A: Pretty good show, too. I've been to those, but I've been to four of those go to post round meal Chipotle.
Best sport you play besides golf?
[00:38:32] Speaker D: It's fishing. A sport. Yeah, I like to fish. Love to.
[00:38:37] Speaker A: What's your favorite local restaurant? Paul Mano's favorite local golf course?
[00:38:44] Speaker D: Um, Lewis and Clark at St. Albans.
[00:38:50] Speaker A: It's a good course. Favorite national golf course.
[00:38:55] Speaker D: Olympic club.
[00:38:59] Speaker A: And finally, your go to post round drink.
[00:39:05] Speaker D: Mmm.
Well, if I was to drink, it would probably be a.
Some sort of spicy lemonade and tequila.
[00:39:16] Speaker A: There you go. But since you don't drink. What is it? Diet Coke. You diet Coke guy?
[00:39:21] Speaker D: No.
[00:39:25] Speaker A: How about a fresco.
[00:39:28] Speaker D: Man?
I'm pretty boring. I just drink water every. Every day.
[00:39:33] Speaker A: Hey, you know what? You got it. There's only one way that you can walk, you know, four rounds of Pinehurst, and that's by just pounding water, right? Not pounding Diet Cokes out there with daily.
[00:39:41] Speaker D: Yeah, that's. That's a. I can't do that. I know my limits.
[00:39:46] Speaker B: I'm about ready to get a Diet coke in a few minutes. I don't know what you guys are talking about.
[00:39:51] Speaker A: Diet Coke. It's really good for you guys.
[00:39:54] Speaker D: We have it on the real deal.
[00:39:57] Speaker B: No, no. That's how I maintain my weight, Chris. You've seen me.
If I didn't. If I didn't drink Diet Coke, my 38 waste could be a 42.
[00:40:06] Speaker A: I wish I was a 42.
[00:40:11] Speaker B: I'm 42 in age. How about that?
[00:40:13] Speaker A: There you go.
Chris. Anything else you want to add to our little conversation here?
[00:40:20] Speaker D: Well, I'm just grateful you guys asked me to be on this. Always fun talking to you guys.
[00:40:27] Speaker A: I was going to ask you to.
Has any other large media conglomerates as big as the CC golf Factory podcast reached out to you?
[00:40:36] Speaker D: No, it's.
I know that the first couple us opens, I played in, it was like, people wanted to talk to me, and this time, no one want to talk me. And it's kind of.
It's kind of nice, honestly.
I bet I like kind of staying low key. This is nice. I like talking to you guys. You guys are fun, but, yeah, no one's really reached out, which, you know, secretly, I'm just fine with.
[00:41:00] Speaker A: I would. So, will, we appreciate you spending so much time with us this evening. The best of luck at Pinehurst. Have a blast. Soak it all in. And, you know, I know you made all these corn ferry plans, man. I want you to win this damn thing.
[00:41:14] Speaker D: I mean, somebody's got to win it.
[00:41:15] Speaker A: That's right, Scotty Shelby, you can't win everything.
[00:41:19] Speaker D: Yeah, golf ball doesn't. Who's hitting it, so.
[00:41:22] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:41:23] Speaker B: Chris, we are all super proud of you. Seriously, not a better dude to root for. So go out there, enjoy it. Enjoy your time with your family, and, you know, just make another cut and then just climb up that leaderboard, and we're going to see you on the PGA Tour full time before you know it, man. Proud of you.
[00:41:44] Speaker D: Yes. Thank you. I'm looking forward to the week. Just. I'm going to stay patient and put 1ft in front of the other and enjoy it.
[00:41:51] Speaker A: He's playing in the 124th US Open at Pinehurst next week. Been talking to Chris Nagel. Chris, thanks so much for joining us on the CNC Golf Factory podcast.
[00:42:00] Speaker D: Good to be with you.
[00:42:01] Speaker A: All content on the St. Louis podcast network is 100% human created.
