Chasing Pars Golf Podcast

In this latest episode of Chasing Pa In rs Golf Podcast which is Proudly sponsored by Golf Tips Checker I was joined by 2x Sunshine Tour champion & 4x DP World Tour runner up as I give you the remarkable story of Justin Walters. In a really deep, honest, meaningful at times tough not to feel emotional chat Justin goes at length about how career struggles affected him, the heavy loss of both parents with remarkable bravery to recover from such adversity to being a main stay on the DP World Tour for over a decade!

Justin was born in South Africa but is Half South African & Half English by his own admission due to having an English mother. Justin would take a college placement in the States in 2001 while managing to get into the University of North Carolina State & was number 1 at a period of time at NC State playing every week against serious players including PGA Tour players Hunter Mahan, Bill Haas, Brandt Snedeker, D.J. Trahan & Ryan Moore. In 2002 due to having dual citizenship Justin would get the call up to team GB & Ireland for Palmer Cup where alongside Oliver Wilson & Stuart Manley would battle a very talented US side consisting of the best college talent (Haas, Mahan, Trahan, Nick Watney). 

Justin would turn pro in 2003 & although would struggle in his first few years he would win 2004 Parmalat Classic on Sunshine Tour & 2005 Statesville Open on Tarheel Tour (US). In 2011 he would pick up his 2nd Sunshine Tour title at Investec Royal Swazi Open in the Stableford format legit coming off a 3 weeks injury layoff after slicing the top of a finger. 2013 was the year that propelled Justin properly on Tour ending up a career high 64th on Race to Dubai standings, 2013 European Tour Graduate of the Year & a 2nd at Portugal Masters pipped by David Lynn & contended in the big Turkish Airlines Open event which included Justin Rose & Tiger nonetheless. We get a story of how Justin was just a baby away from the greatest and being mesmerized by his swing! 2019 was also a strong year with a 2nd back home at Dimension Data Pro- Am & T2nd again in Portugal. In 2020 after the COVID restart Justin would lead ISPS Handa UK Championship at The Belfry Brabazon Course from start to finish until making a few mistakes going for home when Rasmus Hojgaard with an amazing finish got into a playoff where Hojgaard would win & still to this day Justin's biggest regret. He loves the Belfry after also a T3rd in 2022 at Betfred British Masters. 

From promising college career to career struggles to near misses on the main tour to personal tragedies this is a must listen to episode. I fully appreciate Justin's full honesty! Wish him all the best for 2024.

In this next player episode of Chasing Pars Golf Podcast in association with Golf Tips Checker Craig was joined by 2023 Clutch Pro Tour/Mizuno Next Gen Order of Merit winner & now Challenge Tour card holder George Bloor who calls in a couple of days before he jets out to Dubai for 3 weeks in hot weather preparation for the start of the 2024 Challenge Tour season in South Africa.

A very hard working Golfer with Lazer focus that is always trying to get better & better George has made a name for himself on the Pro-Ams in Portugal & the UK mini tours winning 10 times in total and adores the country of Portugal having won 3 times in a short space of time on the Portugal Pro Tour.

George would turn pro at the end of 2018 & missed out on proper EuroPro Tour status and had limited starts in 2019 but a decent finish of T5th at The Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters would stand him in good stead in the same tournament where now fully fledged DP World Tour member & good pal Richard Mansell finished 2nd. Between late 2019-22 George would float about the mini tours and make occasional Challenge Tour starts on invites. In 2022 George would gain more start on the Challenge Tour via invites and would make the weekend a good few times with a highest finish of T34th. Fast forward to 2023 & George would fully commit to the Clutch Pro Tour playing the full 17 events having 7 Top 10's & finished 1st in the Order of Merit rankings to gain a Full Challenge Tour card for 2024.

George is from Buxton in Derbyshire which is the home of Buxton Water and played Golf competitively at 12 years old. Watch out for George Bloor in 2024 folks. A player with a great swing & a great attitude. I predict big things.

This show is sponsored by Golf Tips Checker the premium compiler of Golf Tops on every PGA Tour & DP World Tour event! Wishing you all the best!

In the 2nd episode of today Craig was joined by 3x PGA Tour title winner & 1x Korn Ferry Tour winner & long time PGA Tour pro Jim Herman who gives in his own words a brilliant analogy of his long 23 year pro career from the highs and the lows of a PGA Tour professional. 

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio Jim turned pro in 2000 is the winner of 2010 Moonah  Classic on the Nationwide Tour (KFT) in Australia beating Chris Kirk in a playoff, the winner of 2016 Shell Houston Open defeating 2016 Open Champion Henrik Stenson by 1 shot his 1st win as a PGA Tour player, he then followed that up with 2 more PGA Tour wins at 2019 Barbasol Championship in Kentucky at -26 & 2020 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield CC in North Carolina. 

Jim worked as a Assistant Club Pro at Trump National Bedminster and is friends with Donald Trump himself having played plenty of rounds with the former US President in the past. Jim is a loving family man and now resides in Pennsylvania after moving last year from Palm Beach, Florida.

This was a great interview with a 3x PGA Tour winner. I hope you all enjoy, subscribe and listen in. Thanks Jim

This show is brought to you in association with Golf Tips Checker.

We are back for the start of the Player Interviews again on Chasing Pars Golf Podcast in association with Golf Tips Checker. In this episode Craig is joined by current Challenge Tour/Sunshine Tour pro and a 2x winner of the Cape Town Open Zimbabwean Ben Follett-Smith!

We start off finding out what Ben likes to do in his down time off from the Tour life which includes Pints & Coffee. We find out what life was like back in Harare, Zimbabwe growing up while Ben picked up Golf because of his Dad at Age of 2/3. Ben would play sports growing up being a semi decent Cricketer & also played a little bit of Rugby and we have fun seeing who from tour would make it into a Rugby side (Quite a few South Africans). We find out about his growing up with Wildlife and a Pangolin is Ben's favourite animal! 

Ben Follett-Smith has 4 big wins in total as a Pro & is a 2x winner of Cape Town Open in 2019 on Sunshine Tour & last year in 2023 on the co-sanctioned Challenge Tour/Sunshine Tour. Also a winner of Big Easy Tour Challenge 9 - Kyalami in 2018 & Notts Hollinwell in 2020 on Clutch Pro Tour. Ben underwent a scholarship in 2013 at The State of Mississippi and was a part of the 2016 Eisenhower Trophy for Zimbabwe & also was a part of 2018 World Cup for Zimbabwe alongside Scott Vincent in Melbourne as a Pro. Ben chats about finally gaining some consistency on the Challenge Tour last year winning in Cape Town, having 6+ top 10s & making Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final at Alcanada where he finished T19th but narrowly missed out on a full DP World Tour card ultimately finishing 23rd overall in the Race to Mallorca standings although Ben takes a lot of positives from that going forward. 

I'd like to thank Ben for taking time to come on and chat I wish you all the best for 2024 Season in your quest to the DPWT.

Hello and Happy New Year from a new look Chasing Pars Golf Podcast where Craig & new co-host Craig Edwards go over what type of players we are looking at for Kapalua Plantation Course for this week's The Sentry as well as go over the LIV events of 2023/Majors of 2023/Make some predictions for Majors in 2024 & name a few DP World Tour players we ate looking out for in 2024.

Craig Edwards is an experienced Golf Bettor/Tipster with a host of experience in Golf Betting Articles & Golf Journalism and I'm looking forward to seeing what we have planned for the future!

This show is now brought to you by Golf Tips Checker which is the biggest compiler of Golf Tips on the Internet for PGA Tour & DP World Tour events. We are happy to be in alignment with Golf Tips Checker!