The Return of Troy Merritt (and Golf)
Sometimes blood would just come flying out my fingertips
This week’s Moonlighter is twice as nice. Troy Merritt returns to the podcast to update our listeners on his career and his recovery from a pretty crazy injury. Since his visit in 2017, Merritt has added a PGA tour win to his resume and subtracted a rib from his skeleton.
When he came to the podcast in season 2, Merritt had won the 2015 Quicken Loans National, finishing just ahead of Rickie Fowler, and was establishing himself as a top 100 player. Merritt rode the Moonlight bump to a second PGA win in 2018 at the Barbosal Championship in Kentucky. That win was made more difficult by pain and pressure in his left arm that made even swinging a club painful. Days after winning the Barbasol Merritt had surgery to remove a blood clot that stretched from his chest to his elbow. Six days after surgery Merritt was teeing off at the 2018 PGA Championship. The discovery of the blood clot and surgery led to the diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome and the removal of a rib in January in 2019.
Merritt is fully recovered and competing on the Tour as it comes back from COVID related cancellations. His last finish was tying for 24th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March and he most recently competed at the Charles Schwab Challenge last week.
This week we are sending out dreams of spring and early tee times on the weekend. Tim sits down with Nate McCoy to talk all things golf and life after you start carrying your own bag. The former Cyclone and pro golfer shares his perspective on the game, his career, and his decision to make a career in golf without the clubs in his hands.