The story of Fat Perez , Virginia golfer turned internet sensation
✘ by CHRIS LANG
Nick Stubbe , aka Fat Perez , at his home club , Keswick , in November .
PAUL PIERCE JR . icknames don ’ t normally materialize out of thin air . They ’ re often earned . Take the case of Nick Stubbe , for example .
Stubbe was playing a match at Hermitage Country Club some years ago and had built a substantial lead over his opponent . After Stubbe drained a long putt to add to his lead , one of his buddies chirped , “ the hair , the way you ’ re hitting it , it looks like Pat Perez out here .”
His opponent , unamused , dryly barked , “ Yeah , more like Fat Perez .”
“ I didn ’ t like the nickname at the beginning , obviously ,” Stubbe said in November over lunch at Keswick Golf Club , where he is a member . “ I don ’ t know who would .”
Stubbe certainly has a level of semblance to Perez , the professional golfer who now plies his trade for upstart LIV Golf . Curly dark hair spills out of the back of his hat onto his neck , and their faces are similar as well . What Stubbe didn ’ t know then was that the “ Fat Perez ” nickname would end up leading to a life-changing experience .
Fast forward to 2020 and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic . Stubbe , who lives in Richmond , was working in public accounting and commercial real estate investment funds . With a busy schedule , golf was relegated to a weekend activity . During that time , a friend told Stubbe to check out the Instagram feed of burgeoning comedian Robby Berger , who had become a social media star through “ Bob Does Sports .”
J ANUARY / F EBRUARY 2023 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 21