"I didn't care who was around me" - Former PGA Champion recalls lesson from Tiger Woods while marching to major victory

Rich Beem, the former PGA Championship winner, shared insights into his mindset during his 2002 PGA Championship triumph over Tiger Woods. Beem appeared on SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio, emphasizing the importance of focus and composure.

The 2002 PGA Championship held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, saw Rich Beem clinch his first and only major title. As the 73rd ranked golfer in the world, Beem's final round score of 68 brought his total to 278, leaving behind Woods by one stroke. Woods, who hit birdies on his last four holes, finished with a 67, missing out on the title.

"I think that, you know, people say that even Tiger said this afterwards, which I thought was brilliant. He says, sometimes it helps to be naive in a situation like that. And it's not, it's exactly right. I was very naive about everything that was going on, but what I do know is that I was playing so good that I didn't really care who was around me. You're going to have to play awfully good to beat me, because I knew that I was playing damn well, and I just kind of built a healthy lead," Beem said.

Beem kicked off the first round with an even-par 72, followed by a 66 in the second round to tie for the lead. He balanced his momentum with a third-round 72. In the final round, Beem hit birdies on the 3rd, 4th, and 7th holes.

While on the par-5 11th, he used a 5-wood, landing his second shot six feet from the pin and converted an eagle putt. Another birdie on the 16th sealed the triumph for him.

Rich Beem also opened up on his 2023 PGA Championship struggles recently.

That sucked! - Rich Beem opens up on 2024 PGA Championship struggles, injury, and his plans

Rich Beem recently addressed his challenging 2024 PGA Championship campaign and his decision to step away from the 2023 edition. Now a full-time golf commentator, Beem revealed that his performance at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, was a humbling experience. He said via Sky Sports:

"I missed Oak Hill in 2023 because I knew that I couldn't handle it, and I only played Valhalla last year because my family asked me to - my wife and kids wanted me to go there."

"I learned my lesson and got very humbled, finished dead last after 36 holes. That sucked! As a professional golfer, even though I'm a professional commentator now, that sucks. I toyed with the idea of playing this year for a little while, but I knew probably a couple of months ago that I probably wasn't going to be ready for it."

Currently, Beem is paving his way into broadcasting, as he has joined Sky Sports Golf. He's already looking ahead to 2027 when the PGA Championship heads to Frisco, Texas.