| 20 Questions With Canada's Derek Gillespie |
Page 3 of 4  Smooth Swingin' Freddy Couples Has Always Been A Favourite Of Derek Gillespie On The PGA Tour DG: I think it’s always been Fred Couples. I don’t know why, but I first started watching golf in his heyday and he was all over TV. And obviously he has a great swing and attitude. He was winning for the most part as well – maybe the best player in the world, when I was just getting into the game. So yah, I’d still have to say Freddie -- he’s still at stud at 50. <.laugh> [Now, this was where Derek shared a great Freddie Couples story that had to be “off the record”, but it made me laugh out loud! And a promise is a promise.] GM-IG: Now, I’m sure you have more than one <wink>, but who is your favorite LPGA player? DG: Wow…that’s a good question. Picking Natalie Gulbis would be weird as she went to Arizona too and I know her a little bit. You know what… I’m probably going to pick Lorena Ochoa, just because she’s ‘that good’. Now, she is an Arizona grad as well, but she was so dominant in school and we heard so much about her winning every freaking week <laugh>. And then she carried that over into a professional level. She is the best player in the world – the Tiger Woods of women’s golf. GM-IG: Okay, so if you could choose, who would be in your “Fantasy Foursome”? DG: Hmm…I don’t think I’ve ever thought of that. [Gayle starts to choke on that statement ;)] Okay… I’m going to say, Tiger Woods, because I haven’t played with him. Next I’m going to say Jessica Alba, because she likes playing golf and she’s smoking hot! And finally, I’m going to say Wayne Gretzky, because he’s always been my idol. GM-IG: Great foursome and I’m sure Tiger and Wayne would appreciate you adding Jessica to the team <laugh>. Okay, one more bogey... What’s your pet peeve in golf? DG: Slow play! That drives me absolutely crazy. I’m a pretty quick player, not the quickest, but I just can’t stand playing with guys that are slow and deliberate – drives me crazy!  For Some Strange Reason Derek Felt Compelled To Hit On Blair O'Neil In Scottsdale One Evening. Apparently, However, It Didn't Quite Work Out - Image Courtesy Blair O'Neil Model-Golfer.com DG: I understood the show; I knew what it was all about. I particularly liked the one in Mesquite because I played against most of those guys on the Gateway Tours / Canadian Tour. It was probably one of the strongest fields on the show, with Brian Kontak winning there. They are really great players. When I was interviewed for the show, I got the hint that it was about ‘Canada’ - I wasn’t sure if it was going to be all Canadians or Canadian Tour players or what. So I just did the interview and I was as honest and I could be <chuckle>. And they called me back a few weeks later saying I’d made it to the semi-finals and I thought, “Hey, that’s pretty cool.” And then a week later I got a call to say I was on the show. But once I got there and saw it was coed and I knew only 1 person [Eugene Smith from the Canadian Tour], I thought that was wild. Oh yes…I knew Blair O’Neil, the model. This is a true story. She looked familiar and I said to her, “Blair, have we met?” And she said, “I don’t think so.” But I knew I’d met her before. You see, I was out to lunch with my roommate, Ricky Barnes, and Drew, in Scottsdale one time, and I actually went and hit on Blair and her mother. <laugh> So I said to Blair, “Remember you and your mom?” And she just lost her mind and we started laughing and said, “OMG, yes!” I still have her number in my telephone; it’s kind of funny. So I did know her a little bit, even though she didn’t call me back. |
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