Clubhouse Chatter
One of golf’s
most colorful
personalities on
the course during
his heyday, Peter
Jacobsen is now
analyzing the game
on the airwaves.
Jake’s Take
From crowd pleaser to golf commentator,
Peter Jacobsen continues to show off his own
inimitable style Interviewed by SCOTT MICHAUX
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I LOVE GOLF HISTORY. I actually have
a signed flag with the five players who have
won the career grand slam—Sarazen, Hogan,
Nicklaus, Player and Woods. To think five
players in the history of golf have won the
career slam—just five players—and there’s a
chance that we could add two more this year.
It’s a great time for the game of golf. Wouldn’t
it be special to see Rory McIlroy and Phil
Mickelson complete the career grand slam
by July? Obviously McIlroy (25) is at the
start of his career and arguably Mickelson
(44) could be nearing the end of his. So it
wouldn’t surprise me to see Rory win Augusta
and complete the career grand slam. I kind of
expect it at this moment. And Chambers Bay
is a good (U.S. Open) golf course for Phil ...
because it’s wide open. There isn’t a tree out
there—well, very few trees. It’s a true links
course on a unique piece of property. You’re
going to need to have a lot of imagination off
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the tee and around the greens when you play
at Chambers Bay. I think Mickelson is going
to be a favorite there with Tiger Woods,
McIlroy, Jason Day and Rickie Fowler. Those
are the guys that combine the strength off the
tee, creativity with their approaches and the
artistry around the greens.
I WAS LUCKY. When I came out on tour
in 1977, the grands of the game were still
playing. Byron Nelson wasn’t playing but
was still involved. I played a lot with Jack
Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and
Gary Player. Played a little bit with Sam
Snead. They were all characters, but they
all had such a great reverence for the game
and for the gentlemanly aspect of the game
of golf. That’s the one thing that golf has
done so well and passed the baton from
generation to generation. In this game, you
can see Arnold tee it up with Rickie Fowler
in a specialty event or exhibition. And you
can see Rickie learning from Arnold and see
Arnold learning from Rickie. It’s like no other
w w w. v s g a . o r g
1/22/15 12:35 PM
GOLF CHANNEL
THERE’S JUST SO MUCH YOUNG
TALENT around the world—Rory McIlroy,
Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth,
Hideki Matsuyama. I’m impressed with the
talent and so struck by the young men that
they are. Doing television, I’m out on the tour
and interact with these guys all the time. They
conduct themselves very professionally and
are enjoyable to be around. I’m very enthused
about what we’re going to see this year and
in the next four or five years.
CHRIS CONDON/GETTY IMAGES
P
eter Jacobsen is one of golf’s most
popular characters. The lifelong
Oregonian has won seven times in
a span of 23 years on the PGA Tour
and twice more on the Champions Tour.
He’s probably as well known, however, for
his humorous impressions of peers, being
the lead singer for the former tour band Jake
Trout and The Flounders and winning the
fictional U.S. Open in the movie “Tin Cup.”
Now a commentator for NBC/Golf
Channel, Jacobsen shared some thoughts
about the 2015 golf season and some of its
most anticipated newsmakers.