Day: June 21, 2017

Quick look at the Travelers ChampionshipQuick look at the Travelers Championship

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Robert Garrigus on the dance floorRobert Garrigus on the dance floor

Robert Garrigus is a huge fan of the Chicago Cubs, who ended a 108-year world championship drought last fall. He feels a special kinship with recently retired catcher David Ross, too. Not because of that home run he hit that helped clinch the title in Game 7 of the World Series, though. Actually, Garrigus likes Ross because he can relate to what the baseball player went through as he competed on the most recent season of “Dancing With The Stars.â€� He didn’t win a mirror ball trophy either — Ross ended up a surprising second to former NFL running back Rashad Jennings. But Garrigus was impressed with Ross’ effort because he knows what it takes.  “(He was) kicking butt,â€� Garrigus said. “… I admire him for that.â€� Garrigus, you see, took ballroom dancing lessons with his wife Ami several years ago. Dances like the waltz and the salsa and the cha cha  became second nature to the couple. “It was my wife’s idea for sure, but I was like, you know what, that’s not a horrible idea,â€� Garrigus said. “I was willing to do it just because I thought it would be a lot of fun just to be with her and focus on something other than golf and the crazy life that we have.  “It was definitely a lot of fun.â€� Garrigus admits to feeling self-conscious at first. But then he realized that everyone else on the dance floor was busy doing his or her own thing, rather than watching him. “It’s a very enjoyable thing to do,â€� said Garrigus, who won the 2010 Children’s Miracle Network Classic. And as it turned out, learning the intricate steps at the dance studio isn’t that different than the thought process Garrigus goes through when he’s trying to hit a draw or a fade. “It was almost like golf shots, like you’re focusing on technique and executing and stuff,â€� Garrigus explained. Garrigus and his wife Ami, who have two sons, actually enjoyed dancing so much they thought about competing. But the competitions at their studio were usually held on weeks when he was playing on the PGA TOUR. When he was home, though, Garrigus and his wife went out to dance as often as twice a week.  They got to be pretty smooth, too. “It’s just funny how you can work around the room when there’s a bunch of people in there,â€� he said. Garrigus said the couple took nearly 30 lessons. Even though they’ve quit going to the classes, the two still like to put on their dancing shoes – Robert’s are brown and white, like “old-school 50s shoes,â€� he says – and hit the floor. One of their favorite spots is an outdoor music venue in Providence, Rhode Island. It’s a must-stop for Garrigus when he advances to the second round of the FedExCup Playoffs. “And sometimes if we’re in Vegas, there’s places where you can go and dance,â€� he said. “Not like it’s crazy dancing with the kids but you can go out and hang with people your age at a piano bar and dance. “We’ve started not to worry about what everybody is thinking. Just go out and have fun. I guess that’s what it’s all about.â€� And his favorite dance? There are elements of the waltz that he enjoys but the salsa wins out over all the dances Garrigus and his wife learned. “It was kind of upbeat and kind of gave us a little bit of a workout, too,â€� he explained. “Salsa was our favorite, for sure.” While he leaves the “flash and the hipsâ€� to the instructors, Garrigus is up for any challenge. And he once showed off his salsa skills to settle a bet on the range. “He was like, you know how to salsa?  He’s like, show me,â€� Garrigus said with a smile. “I was like, I’ll do it myself right here.â€� Suffice it to say, Garrigus won the bet. And ballroom dancing has definitely won him over, too. “We ended up getting pretty good and enjoying it, having a lot of fun with it,â€� Garrigus said. Can “Dancing With The Starsâ€� be next on the horizon? 

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