Larry Fitzgerald was turned down from this club until he was able to break 90

Larry Fitzgerald is known for his acumen on the football field and the decorated list of accomplishments he’s racked up, but he’s also quite the avid golfer. In fact, he’s a two-time winner, along with his partner Kevin Streelman, of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am — the premier event for celebrities to show off their games.

But Fitzgerald wasn’t always a competent golfer. In a recent interview with GOLF’s Subpar, Streelman shared the story of Fitzgerald’s attempt to get an invitation to join Scottsdale’s exclusive, invitation-only Whisper Rock Golf Club.

“He only picked the game up six, seven years ago,” Streelman said. “Soon after, his dream was to join Whisper Rock … Gregg (Tryhus, Whisper Rock Owner) said once you break 90, you can join Whisper Rock.”

So Fitzgerald did what any professional athlete would do when trying to achieve a goal — he got to work. And finally, at long last, Fitzgerald did what needed to be done to secure the coveted invite.

“I think he called him that afternoon,” Streelman said. “Shot his 89, called Gregg. Got in.”

And while the strides Fitzgerald has made on the links have paid dividends, he’s still prone to an errant shot or two. Streelman recalled a story from the first year he and Fitzgerald played together at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, when they finished runner-up. Despite a full week of golf behind them, Fitzgerald still had an itch to go out and play more, so the two headed to Spyglass Hill for another round.

“I’m like ‘Larry, let me take a look at your swing,” Streelman said. “And I caught one of the most magical moments in golf history.”

Words may not do this moment justice, so we’ll defer to the video below for context of what transpired next.

“I’ve never laughed so hard on the golf course,” Streelman said.

Check out this week’s full episode below as Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz talk Duke basketball, mini tours and more with the two-time PGA Tour winner.

Zephyr Melton

Golf.com Editor

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.

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