By Shane Bacon
I'm sure a few of you reading this are big soccer fans. This Friday you'll be at work, knocking out a few reports and spreadsheets while the World Cup kicks off. You'll most likely be antsy, ready to get out of the office so you can be home for the weekend and catch some of the better matches.
Imagine you just decided that on Friday you weren't going to work. Instead of calling in sick, you email your boss, "You know sir, I'd rather watch soccer than be at work. Have a good weekend!"
You, sir, are Nathan Green, a PGA Tour player who won the Canadian Open a year ago. Green finished tied for 41st at last week's Memorial and was set to qualify for the U.S. Open on Monday, along with a week at the St. Jude Classic. Green bagged on both, telling a reporter that he'd rather watch soccer than play golf. Seriously.
?I?m really not that interested in playing it,? Green said. ?I?d rather sit home on the couch and watch soccer than beat my head against a brick wall for four days.?
Ahh, the tough life of a millionaire professional golfer. You know, playing four rounds for a purse of $5.6 million probably wouldn't interest me either.
[Photos: See the hunks of the World Cup]
To be fair to Green, the beauty of professional golf is that you are your own independent contractor, and picking and choosing events is a courtesy you're allowed, but at least lie to us.
Green's comments landed two reactions, the first from a USGA official and the second from a professional caddie working the event.
"What?s so difficult about this? You play golf for a living, so play golf," he said.
And from a veteran PGA Tour caddie whose player was on hand, but in need of a blistering afternoon round to advance, there was this: "We talked about it this morning and couldn?t believe (the guys who didn?t show up). Let?s face it, it proves some of these guys make too much money."
Either way, don't expect too much of Green the next two weeks. He will be hanging out on his couch, hoping the Aussies can get out of Group D.
