For the top players in the world, the PGA Tour Champions serves as a continuation.
For former 蜜柚直播 Wildcats golfers Robert Gamez and David Berganio Jr., it鈥檚 more like a resurrection.
The two ex-Cats recently turned 50, making them eligible for golf鈥檚 senior circuit. They aren鈥檛 in their golden years yet, but they now have a golden ticket: a chance to revive professional careers that flatlined for one reason or another.
After a brilliant rookie season, Gamez got hurt in a car accident, made a comeback, then needed heart surgery. All the while, he fought his short game.
Berganio battled back issues for the bulk of his post-UA career before finding salvation at a San Diego exercise studio.
They鈥檙e about to return to familiar turf. Gamez and Berganio received sponsor exemptions to play in the Cologuard Classic at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort. The fifth iteration of the tournament begins Friday.
People are also reading…
Gamez won the very first professional tournament of his career at Omni 蜜柚直播 National. Berganio last played there in 2006, when he finished 69th in what was then known as the Chrysler Classic of 蜜柚直播.
Gamez was the National College Player of the Year at 蜜柚直播 in 1989, twice earned All-America honors and shares the school record for low score (a 62 at the 鈥89 NCAA Championship). Berganio was a three-time All-American and a key player on the Wildcats鈥 1992 national-championship squad. He had a better college career than teammate Jim Furyk, who has won 17 times on the PGA Tour.
Gamez and Berganio will bring fond memories to Omni 蜜柚直播 National. They鈥檒l see old friends. They鈥檒l probably hear a 鈥淯 of A鈥 chant at some point.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited,鈥 said Berganio, who鈥檚 about to make his Champions Tour debut.
鈥淚 just can鈥檛 wait,鈥 Gamez said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a lot of fun.鈥
After all they鈥檝e endured, even a little fun sounds pretty good.
Ups and downs
On Jan. 14, 1990, Gamez completed a four-shot victory over Mark Calcavecchia and Jay Haas at the Northern Telecom 蜜柚直播 Open.
Two months later, Gamez won what was then known as the Nestle Invitational in spectacular fashion. Trailing Greg Norman and playing partner Larry Mize by a shot, Gamez holed a 7-iron over the water for eagle on the par-4 18th hole at Bay Hill. A plaque sits in the fairway to commemorate the spot from which the shot was struck.
Gamez would be named PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. He couldn鈥檛 have asked for a better beginning to his pro career. But with the benefit of hindsight and perspective, maybe it wasn鈥檛 the best way to start.
鈥淚t might have hurt me a little bit,鈥 Gamez said Thursday after his opening round at the PGA Tour鈥檚 Puerto Rico Open, where he missed the cut. 鈥淚t came easy. I stopped working as hard as I was. Maybe I was enjoying things a little too much.
鈥淭hat being said, I wouldn鈥檛 change it for anything. I learned a lot.鈥
Gamez had at least one top-three finish in six of the next seven seasons. He won at least $200,000 each year.
But at the 1998 Kemper Open, Gamez got in a car wreck. His liver and spleen were bruised. He suffered injuries to his neck, back and right hand. He spent six days in the hospital.
Gamez returned to the tour about five weeks later 鈥 a mistake, in retrospect. His game wasn鈥檛 the same. Gamez said it took him 鈥渁 couple years to start hitting it well again.鈥
A string of missed cuts followed. Gamez lost his tour card.
He regained it in 2002 by finishing in the top 125. In 鈥03, Gamez earned a career-best $1.5 million. In 鈥05, he won the Valero Texas Open, setting a PGA Tour record for the longest gap between victories 鈥 15 years and 6 months.
鈥淚鈥檝e always been kind of a streaky player,鈥 Gamez said. 鈥淚 can get it going for weeks or months at a time. Then I鈥檒l struggle. Then I鈥檒l come back and get it going again.鈥
Gamez鈥檚 game took a downturn in 2006, when he finished outside the top 150. He鈥檚 had only four top-10 finishes since 鈥 and none since 2011. Putting has been a persistent problem.
But at least he鈥檚 active and upright. Gamez had another major health scare in 2014, when he underwent a quadruple bypass. His wife, Denise, helped nurse him back to health.
Gamez has fully recovered, but he says the heart surgery robbed him of 15-20 yards off the tee. He has difficulty syncing his chest and arms with his lower body. He overcompensates by swinging too fast. It gets him out of whack.
Although he misses being able to bomb it off the tee 鈥 and being able to smoke cigars 鈥 Gamez鈥檚 health is good. He has made seven starts on the Champions Tour, with a best finish of 36th. He鈥檚 hopeful the Cologuard Classic, at his old stomping grounds, will bring out his best.
鈥淥verall, I feel really good,鈥 Gamez said. 鈥淚鈥檓 alive, I鈥檓 above ground and I have a second chance at a career on the Champions Tour.鈥
鈥楤ack鈥 from the brink
The term “major medical extension” crops up five times between 2003 and ’08 in Berganio’s profile on . Chronic back pain torpedoed a once-promising career.
Berganio recalled a conversation with the tour physical therapist when he walked away from competitive golf after making 15 starts in 鈥09.
鈥淒avid, I can鈥檛 do any more for you,鈥 the therapist said. 鈥淚 work on you in the morning, at noontime, in the evening before you leave. It doesn鈥檛 seem to be helping.鈥
A frustrated Berganio left the tour.
鈥淚 had bulging disk after bulging disk after bulging disk,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 never really had a golf career. It was always the injury. I鈥檇 get out for a couple months, then I would have to take time off.鈥
The Southern California resident took up biking and attended spin classes. He had enough money from sponsorship deals and tournament winnings to get by.
Berganio鈥檚 nearest misses came in the 2001 Greater Hartford Open, when he finished tied for third, two shots behind Phil Mickelson; and in the 鈥02 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, when he lost a playoff to 鈥 Mickelson. 鈥淚 just happened to bark up the wrong tree,鈥 Berganio said.
In 2015, while at a golf club in New Jersey, a friend of a friend asked Berganio how his back was feeling. 鈥淣ot very good,鈥 Berganio replied.
The man, whom Berganio never had met before, gave him the number of Anthony Carey, an athletic trainer who founded Function First in San Diego. Berganio went to see Carey. The first session lasted two hours and cost $450.
鈥淚t was the best money I ever spent,鈥 Berganio said.
After an hour-long consultation, Carey advised Berganio that he didn鈥檛 have a back problem.
鈥淵ou have a hip problem,鈥 Carey told him. 鈥淭he nerves in your hips are causing your back to get tight. When we鈥檙e done doing these exercises to break the nerves down in your hips, you won鈥檛 have any back pain and you won鈥檛 have any more tightness.鈥
After an hour of stretching exercises 鈥 Function First鈥檚 website touts its 鈥渘on-invasive corrective exercise programs designed to address chronic pain and musculoskeletal limitations without drugs or manipulation鈥 鈥 Berganio鈥檚 pain was gone. He returned for two more sessions. He left armed with a set of simple exercises that have given him a new lease on golf.
鈥淚 was just in awe with the whole ordeal,鈥 Berganio said. 鈥淚鈥檓 able to play golf when I thought I wasn鈥檛 ever going to be able to play golf.鈥
Berganio has modest goals for his comeback. He played in seven professional events last year — four on the PGA Tour and three on the Tour — and didn’t make it to the weekend in any of them.
鈥淲hen I was healthy, I was a pretty good golfer,鈥 Berganio said. 鈥淲ith this injury, I never really knew or fulfilled my full potential.
鈥淚 just want to play another five to eight years competitively. That鈥檚 about it.鈥
Berganio never had a grand plan for his career. He grew up in Pacoima, which he dubbed 鈥渢he worst city in L.A. County.鈥 He would cut class in second and third grade, prompting his great-grandfather to send him to Catholic school. A priest introduced Berganio to golf. He instantly fell in love with the sport and won several major amateur events.
鈥淲hen I was an amateur, I never thought about being a pro,鈥 Berganio said. 鈥淲hen you come from where I came from, there鈥檚 not a lot of dreams that really come true, you know?鈥
Now he has another chance to chase one.
