Former K-State Golf Teammates Share Special PGA Qualifying Moment
Jan 10, 2020 | Men's Golf
HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. - It all happened at once. A few moments earlier, Roland Massimino rolled in a birdie putt that got him to 3-under and secured him a tie for eighth at the PGA TOUR Latinoamerica's Qualifying Tournament at Mission Inn Resort and Club. That putt was enough to give him an exemption for the first half of the PGA TOUR Latinoamerica season. While still in the scoring area, Massimino saw his former roommate and Kansas State teammate coming in to sign his scorecard. Jeremy Gandon finished at 10-under and was headed for a playoff with Finland's Toni Hakula to determine who would win medalist honors at the tournament and earn an exemption for the entire 2020 PGA TOUR Latinamerica season.
"Hey, we're having a playoff for the first spot. Do you want to caddie for me?" Gandon asked Massimino, the grandson of National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame member Rollie Massimino, the long-time head coach at Villanova University.
Massimino was unsure if he could caddie, so he asked rules official John Slater, who gave him the go-ahead, and the next thing Massimino knew, he and Gandon were in a cart headed to the 18th tee for the overtime session.
The playoff ended quickly as Hakula hit his drive into the water on the par-4, leading to a double bogey-6. Once Gandon's tee ball was on dry land, it made the two Wildcats' fairway stroll a bit more leisurely.
"That was a cool experience to be able to do that with him," Massimino said. "I wasn't nervous. I was pretty pumped that I had just made birdie on nine (his closing hole) to make it inside the cutline," Massimino explained of the putt that got him to 3-under for the tournament. "As his caddie, I told Jeremy I want 50 percent of all his earnings he makes on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica this season."
Gandon and Massimino arrived at the Manahattan, Kan., campus at the same time, Massimino from Lumberville, Pa., and Gandon from Charpey, France. They were both golfers, and they eventually moved in together in an off-campus apartment for the final two years of college. They played golf, and they studied together, both business majors.
"We pretty much lived the same life for the last two years," Massimino added.
"I was excited for Roland to get inside the (cut)line. I saw him on the course during the round, and he looked a little down. I was a bit worried about him.
"It was cool to share the experience and have a good laugh on the fairway in the playoff," Gandon continued of the sudden player-caddie relationship. "It's unfortunate that Toni hit it in the water, but it was also a relief for the playoff."
Ironically, in the third round, the three players on the fairway during the playoff played together, with Massimino, Gandon and Hakula partners a day earlier. Gandon and Hakula both shot 69s that day, while Massimino had a 74. In the end, though, all three got what they were looking for: a Tour on which to play—in this case PGA TOUR Latinoamerica.
Already, Gandon and Massimino have decided they will be traveling together, staring at the season-opener in Mazatlan, Mexico, as they both make their way around Latin America for the first time.
And they'll always have the memory of this week as the starting point of their PGA TOUR Latinoamerica careers. They can even look back and think about the a very serious discussion they had as Massimino walked with his buddy's golf bag on his shoulder.
"We were talking about what we're going to do after this, where we were going to eat. I live in Jupiter (Florida), so we have to drive there tonight. We'll probably have a couple of beers to celebrate, and we're going to find some fast food.
"That sounds good to me," Massimino added, this time the "caddie" telling his player what they would do.
"Hey, we're having a playoff for the first spot. Do you want to caddie for me?" Gandon asked Massimino, the grandson of National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame member Rollie Massimino, the long-time head coach at Villanova University.
Massimino was unsure if he could caddie, so he asked rules official John Slater, who gave him the go-ahead, and the next thing Massimino knew, he and Gandon were in a cart headed to the 18th tee for the overtime session.
The playoff ended quickly as Hakula hit his drive into the water on the par-4, leading to a double bogey-6. Once Gandon's tee ball was on dry land, it made the two Wildcats' fairway stroll a bit more leisurely.
"That was a cool experience to be able to do that with him," Massimino said. "I wasn't nervous. I was pretty pumped that I had just made birdie on nine (his closing hole) to make it inside the cutline," Massimino explained of the putt that got him to 3-under for the tournament. "As his caddie, I told Jeremy I want 50 percent of all his earnings he makes on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica this season."
Gandon and Massimino arrived at the Manahattan, Kan., campus at the same time, Massimino from Lumberville, Pa., and Gandon from Charpey, France. They were both golfers, and they eventually moved in together in an off-campus apartment for the final two years of college. They played golf, and they studied together, both business majors.
"We pretty much lived the same life for the last two years," Massimino added.
"I was excited for Roland to get inside the (cut)line. I saw him on the course during the round, and he looked a little down. I was a bit worried about him.
"It was cool to share the experience and have a good laugh on the fairway in the playoff," Gandon continued of the sudden player-caddie relationship. "It's unfortunate that Toni hit it in the water, but it was also a relief for the playoff."
Ironically, in the third round, the three players on the fairway during the playoff played together, with Massimino, Gandon and Hakula partners a day earlier. Gandon and Hakula both shot 69s that day, while Massimino had a 74. In the end, though, all three got what they were looking for: a Tour on which to play—in this case PGA TOUR Latinoamerica.
Already, Gandon and Massimino have decided they will be traveling together, staring at the season-opener in Mazatlan, Mexico, as they both make their way around Latin America for the first time.
And they'll always have the memory of this week as the starting point of their PGA TOUR Latinoamerica careers. They can even look back and think about the a very serious discussion they had as Massimino walked with his buddy's golf bag on his shoulder.
"We were talking about what we're going to do after this, where we were going to eat. I live in Jupiter (Florida), so we have to drive there tonight. We'll probably have a couple of beers to celebrate, and we're going to find some fast food.
"That sounds good to me," Massimino added, this time the "caddie" telling his player what they would do.
Players Mentioned
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