Had he been born a couple of generations earlier, in the black-and-white film era, his peers might have called him a card, a corker, a cut-up, or a character. The 2002 PGA Championship winner’s effortless wit and charisma made him a likable player for his professional playing career that lasted almost 15 years.
One of the most iconic images of the Texan from his playing days is the joyous little jig he danced after holing his final putt to win his only major championship at Hazeltine National – a sort of Energizer Bunny Goes the Mardi Gras kind of motion that endeared him instantly to fans and the media.
Beem’s easy charm and likeability make him a perfect fit for his current profession, providing commentary and analysis of live televised golf tournaments for Sky Sports. He’s one of many who made the effortless transition from playing to broadcasting, and the role seems to come quite naturally to the 55-year-old lifelong golfer.
Rich Beem’s unexpected triumph at the 2002 PGA Championship, where he outdueled Tiger Woods, remains one of the sport’s most memorable upsets.
Yet, Beem’s journey — from a car stereo salesman to a major champion, and later, a respected broadcaster and technology ambassador, paints a portrait of resilience, adaptability, and enduring passion for the game.
“Working for Sky Sports as an analyst and commentator, people ask me, ‘are they looking at leaderboards?’ You better,” he says. “That’s why you put in all the hard work, the practice, the hours, trying to hone our skills into this game. You want to see your name on top of that leaderboard. And yes, when I won the PGA, I knew exactly where Tiger Woods stood in relation, but I didn’t get wrapped up in his name. I was having too much fun looking at my name up there.”
As a PGA TOUR player, Beem always had a caddie providing him with yardages. But today, the new Shot Scope brand ambassador trusts the brand’s yardage devices for accurate distances and data on his game, to help him better understand his playing tendencies and maximize his chances to score lower in the little time he has to play.
“To play golf at the highest level, you have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable,” says Beem, who outdueled Tiger Woods to capture the 2002 PGA Championship. “It’s knowing your game, but also more or less knowing what your body is going to do. You have to be spot on and know exactly if you need to hit it 160 or 162 yards. I prided myself on being able to hit it the right distance a lot of times.
“These days, I can’t remember the last time I played without a Shot Scope watch or laser rangefinder. I can’t remember the last time I played, not knowing exactly how far I had to carry a bunker, how far it was over a bunker to a flag stick. And the more information you have, the easier it is to hit the correct shot.”
By partnering with Shot Scope, Beem has been a respected voice in explaining the value of using advanced tools like GPS watches, laser range finders, and shot tracking systems to help golfers improve their performance. He’s adamant that understanding your game through data is crucial.
“To play your best, day in and day out, you have to rely on the best tools in the game,” he says. “And even though I’m getting a little bit older and the numbers have come down a little bit, at least I’m able to track them on a daily basis, taking my Shot Scope out there and understanding my numbers and exactly how much shorter I’m hitting it. It is a huge help.”
Even though he’s played the game almost all of his life, he’s still learning about how to play the percentages to play and score his best.
“As a tour player, I was aggressive,” he explains. “There wasn’t a single flag stick that I didn’t look at as a sexy thing. I wanted to figure out how to birdie every single hole that I possibly could. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn’t. Today, I can take Shot Scope data and definitively know where I should be aiming and what club is the right one in a given situation. That’s extremely valuable for players of any skill level.”