BARRINGTON - Pro golfer Brad Faxon stretches out on his couch and puts his feet up. He's unshaven, hair tussled and he wears a Ryder Cup jersey left over from his last appearance in the prestigious event, pitting the best U.S. pros against Europe's best. On the table in front of him, TV remote controls vie for space with a Bernstein Bears book, a Wiggles CD and assorted children's toys. It's about 10 a.m., the temperature outside struggling to crack 5 degrees.
Faxon lives a life almost inconceivable to the average weekend duffer. Now in his 20th year on the PGA Tour, his career has been an unquestioned success. He's won seven times in the U.S. and once internationally, and last year had his best money year ever, earning $2.8 million and finishing 11th on the tour's money list. Yet, 2004 will be perhaps his biggest campaign yet. Two months ago, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while working out in his basement gym. He expects to be back on the course next month for the AT&T National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach in California, and he'll see what happens from there. Despite the injury, he's optimistic about his future and content with his life. And — with a wife and four daughters, age 1 to 15 — he hastens to add that he's not much different from everybody else.
Do anything fun recently? "We went to the Patriots (vs. Titans game on Saturday, Jan. 10). It was so cold it was unbelievable. We got there and did the three hours of tail-gating in the parking lot beforehand. We barbecued, had a heater. We took the back seat out of the Suburban and had a little TV we hooked up."
What'd you eat? Laughs. "It was an Atkins Diet special. We had bacon, Italian sausage and steak tips, no buns. And beer. If you kept your beer in the cooler, it actually stayed warmer than if you kept it outside in your hand. It was so cold, but we had a blast. People kept popping in.
Were you recognized? "It's hard to get recognized when you look like a dork, all bundled up. I had an ugly hat on. I'm going again (to the AFC Championship game vs. the Indianapolis Colts, held Sunday at Gillette Stadium).
Anything else fun recently? "I just got back from Florida, played golf with Greg Norman."
On last year's success: "It wasn't my best year; I didn't win. But I felt like my quality of play was a little better. I felt like I was more consistent."
On making the Ryder Cup, which will be held in September: "It's a huge, huge goal. Huge. Playing good is so important this year; I've got to make Top-10s to make the team. You can't make it without top-10s."
(Fellow pro) Billy Andrade threw out a first pitch at Fenway Park this past season, and he did a Luis Tiant impression when he threw it. What would you do? Laughs. "That's Billy. I wouldn't do that. I would put my head down, walk away fast and just try to hit the plate."
How is he? "I just saw him at the Cam Neely (number retirement) thing in Boston. He had a buzz cut. He looked really weird" (laughs, explaining the cut came at his son's request).
On the guys on tour: "I think everyone thinks golfers are these ... square sort of people. But there's a lot of variety, just like people in any business. Most of the guys are good guys. But you always have that common thread, that we're all professionals. I think the guys (who are young and coming up in the ranks) have respect for the older guys out there."
On Tiger Woods' influence on tour: "I just keep thanking Tiger for coming along. He's done so much for golf."
Any downsides to the influence? "I think people think you have to look perfect, have to have a perfect swing or look like Tiger Woods to be good. But the media wants to give you that perception, that everything Tiger Woods does is perfect. He's not; he hits it far, but he's not the longest hitter, and not the straightest. I keep telling people, if I wanted to take one thing from him, it would be his heart. He never seems to hit" a bad shot when it counts.
Any chances he'll play the CVS Charity Classic? "Oh, I don't think so. He's not really into that kind of stuff. If he did come it would be hard trying to set things up."
Who's on tap for this coming year? "We really want Greg Norman to come this year. He's a top draw. I shmoozed him (while playing in Florida) and he kept nodding. We'll see. I think as long as we get one or two big names, people will love it."
On the tourney's success: "We (and tournament co-founder Billy Andrade) keep pinching ourselves it's been so successful. We have more players, people here love it. And for (sponsor) CVS it's a home run. The best thing of all though is millions of dollars is being raised for charity."
In the stereo: "Cold Play, Train. I just like a lot of stuff, a lot of music. I caught Springsteen (in August) at Gillette Stadium. That was awesome."
On being home for a few months: "People say, 'Oh, it must be great to be a pro golfer and come home and relax when you're not on tour.' But it's not like that. It doesn't ever seem like I'm not busy."
On being a pro, living a life so many people dream of: "I don't go around expecting things because I play pro golf. I think I'm more grounded; I appreciate it. There's a lot of people who walk around thinking that because they can hit the ball a long way they're better. I'm not like that."
What he's reading: " 'The Greatest Game Ever,' about Francis Ouimet, who won the Open at Brookline in 1913, and about Harry Vardon. It's basically about the introduction of professional golf from the pros in Scotland to the United States. It's an awesome book so far."
Any other favorites? "I grew up on Tolkein. I love it. The 'Lord of the Rings' (movie trilogy) was awesome."
On watching movies with the kids: " 'Shrek' was great." And Shrek 2? "I'll go see that even without my kids. 'Monsters Inc.' is a great movie, too." Look around (points to children's movie DVDs piled in a basket atop the coffee table). "We've got them all ... 'Nemo,' you name it."
On listening to children's music, a common occurrence for him these days: "Oh God, I'm so sick of the Wiggles."
— Ted Hayes