Jason Kokrak’s Favorite Golf Gambling Story: “He’s Still Pretty Salty”

Jason Sobel

Updated:

Sep 23, 2021, 02:47 PM EDT

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Golf

Credit:

Adam Hagy, USA Today Sports. Pictured: Jason Kokrak

The Action Network spoke with several of today’s top professional golfers to find out their favorite personal golf betting stories.

Jason Kokrak

When: May, 2018
Where: TPC Sawgrass

Prior to last year’s Players Championship, Kokrak was invited to play in a nine-hole practice round match. After securing a partner and getting off to a rough start, he vividly remembers how the bet finished – and we’re guessing his opponents still remember, too.

“I gamble a little bit, but it’s mostly with certain people. I won’t name any names, but the most fun I’ve had was at TPC Sawgrass a couple of years ago.

“We had a few bucks on it – not enough to make you sweat, but enough that it was going to keep your head in the game.

“I actually had a hard time trying to find a partner to play against the two guys who wanted a match. I finally found a partner that morning. It was just a straight-up, nine-hole bet for a set amount of money.

“We teed off on No. 10, both sprayed it, and we were 1-down. Then we traded birdies for a couple of holes. We were 1-down going to 16. I hit a 5-iron to about 12 feet. This ‘gentleman’ – one of our opponents – was standing pretty close to me, breathing down my neck. I poured it right in the middle.

“Then we all par 17. On 18, two of us hit it just over the back fringe to a middle pin, so if you putt it just two feet by, it’s going 20 feet down the hill. The other two missed it short. They chipped up and made their pars.

“I was up next and I putted it and I mean, the greens were running 15 on the Stimpmeter. It took about five minutes for this ball to get down there, but I dropped it right in the cup.

“Our opponent was staring at me so bad. We actually haven’t had a match since. He’s still pretty salty about it.”

Golf Gambling Stories from Legends of the Game

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About the Author

Jason is a Senior Golf Writer for The Action Network. He has covered golf full-time since 2004, previously for ESPN and Golf Channel, winning more than a dozen accolades from the Golf Writers Association of America and four Sports Emmys.

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