10 things you should know about Wesley Bryan
Facts, friends, dining preferences and some other things you should know about Chapin’s Wesley Bryan, who won the RBC Heritage two weeks ago for his first PGA Tour tournament title.
1. Just the facts
A look at his 2017 stats: Wins: 1; Money won: $1,990,194; FedEx Cup rank: 14th; Top 10 finishes: 4; Scoring average: 70.571.
2. Pair of Dutch Fork alums
As the PGA Tour and the rest of the world discovered when Dustin Johnson and Bryan were Nos. 1 and 2 on the leader board at the Genesis Open in L.A. earlier this year, they both went to Dutch Fork High School. Johnson won, and Bryan tied for fourth.
3. Run for the border
After his first win on the Web.com tour in 2016 – with brother George serving as his caddie – they headed for a victory meal at Taco Bell. “There’s no better way to celebrate,” Wesley said. “You can get absolutely sick in under $15.” Naturally, Wesley and his wife celebrated the Heritage at Taco Bell.
4. ‘Hometown’ course
His Heritage win qualifies Bryan, who now lives Augusta, for the 2018 Masters. “I get to sleep in my own bed and tee it up,” Bryan said of Augusta National. “Call it my home golf course for the next 51 weeks.” If he wins the Masters, his Champions Dinner menu will include a Crunchwrap Supreme.
5. Gamecock golfer
Wesley played for the Gamecocks from 2008-12. He was All-SEC twice and earned PING All-Southeast Region honors twice. He had two wins and ranks 10th all-time in program history with a 73.23 career scoring average.
6. College sweethearts
Wesley and Elizabeth began dating at USC. They were married right after graduation. “We knew all along that he wanted to pursue golf and I wanted to go into medicine, and that’s what we did,” said Elizabeth, who is a physician’s assistant in Augusta.
7. End of a 49-year drought
Wesley became the first S.C. native or resident to win the Heritage. The 27-year-old PGA Tour rookie was playing in the tournament for the first time. He had been a spectator, including in 2004 when his father, teaching pro George Bryan III, played.
8. Rock bottom
After shooting 100 – and signing for a 101 – in a college tournament his junior year at USC, Wesley did not give up. “I’ve always been one of those guys when things aren’t going the direction I want them to, you have two options, you can either work like crazy or you can just crawl in a hole and hide.”
9. Trick shots
Long before he started winning tournaments, Wesley and George were well known for their trick-shot videos, which are on YouTube and many other websites. They have a website (bryanbrosgolf.com) and a series on golfdigest.com.
10. Celebrity/Entrepreneur
Bryan is friends with former USC and Tennessee Titans kicker Ryan Succop and has hung out on Richard Branson’s private beach with Chevy Chase and Greg Norman. He shot a video at Whistling Straits with Rory McIlroy. He signed sponsorship deals with Lexus, GoPro, Callaway, Stance Socks and Southern Tide.
Compiled by Rick Millians
This story was originally published April 29, 2017 at 11:44 PM with the headline "10 things you should know about Wesley Bryan."