ORLANDO — With a heat wind whipping by the PNC Championship this week, listening in on gamers’ conversations is a problem. However as followers at Ritz-Carlton Golf Membership lean in over the ropes, hoping to listen to a morsel of one thing — something — from the golf legends within the subject, one voice cuts by the gusts: Lee Trevino’s. 

If most individuals hover at an working quantity of 6 out of 10, Trevino cruises at a 9. You’ll be able to hear him from the inexperienced when he’s teeing off on a par 3. You’ll be able to hear him from the following fairway over, barking at Charlie Woods. That is a part of the cope with the Merry Mex or Supermex, whichever of his nicknames you favor. When Trevino is on a golf course, Trevino is on, interval. He’s flamboyant, energetic, endlessly entertaining and…someway additionally spry. The definition of 84 years younger. 

Golf’s best showman arrived on the tenth tee throughout Friday’s pro-am by docking his cart inches from the tee field markers, hopping out and telling 100 or so spectators, Don’t fear, it’s okay — Arnold Palmer used to park between the markers. Trevino’s parking job was much more respectable. 

When Trevino striped a drive, he posed in silence, watching it, holding for impact, then saying, “Individuals take holidays which are shorter than that!”

Stroll with Trevino and also you’ll study the person has a line for…the whole lot.

“Can we get an image?” is met with “I don’t have any!” He has performed in 1000’s of pro-ams like this one. However like several nice entertainer, you are feeling like what he’s saying is to you is the primary time he’s stated it. Strolling off the tenth inexperienced, Trevino had his staff in stitches with, “I can’t wait to rise up within the morning to listen to what I’ve to say.” That’s one among his go-tos.

“He’s a strolling joke machine,” stated James Saulez, one of many amateurs enjoying alongside. “You simply crank him and he goes.”

Saulez wasn’t flawed. Trevino is sort of a wind-up toy, spinning round from cart to inexperienced to tee. There isn’t sufficient house on this web site to incorporate each quip, however simply know if his traces are adequate to get Tiger, Rory and Jack howling, they’ll be adequate for you. Fortunately for the pro-am individuals, who pay good cash for these tee instances, comedy is simply half of the Trevino Present. The opposite half is a enjoying lesson from a {golfing} wizard. 

On Friday, Trevino performed from tee bins forward of the amateurs in his group, which, for contemporary professionals can be an apparent signal to their newbie companions to thoughts their very own enterprise. However there Trevino was, backing off his companions for a fast tip on almost each gap.

“Are you killing the fly or catching the fly?” he stated to a gaggle standing by the eleventh tee. “Golf is about catching the fly.”

He had our consideration. 

He meant in case your golf ball was a fly on a desk, you wouldn’t wish to kill it, as many amateurs are inclined to do. Quite, you’d attempt to sweep your hand (or golf membership) and catch the fly. Trevino put his first pupil by a radical swing train, holding up all the group, slowing down the tempo of play. The payoff? A smashed tee ball that cut up the green. Trevino bat-flipped his driver to the aspect, saying, “Gimme 5, goddammit. Higher but gimme a hug.” How might you not run into these outstretched arms? 

Trevino is the oldest participant within the subject this week by 18 years, and he’s not shy about his age. The one different competitor enjoying from his tees is Annika Sorenstam’s 12-year-old son, Will McGee. From 5,500 yards, Trevino figures he and his son Daniel can contend if he putts nicely. That a lot was clear Friday afternoon. The par-3 seventeenth gap measured simply 109 yards for the elder Trevino. Nothing greater than a niche wedge, pitching wedge at most, his caddie thought. Trevino thought in any other case, electing for a back-of-his-stance, abbreviated 9-iron— the sort of shot solely a golfer’s golfer would think about. The ball flew low and drew barely into the crosswind, bounding wanting the inexperienced however then rolling on to it, stopping about 30 ft from the pin. The very best of the group by far.

“Yeah, that’s a trick shot,” Trevino stated after the had applause died down. As soon as once more, he was speaking to his caddie however loudly sufficient for anybody inside 50 ft to listen to.

“I advised my son Daniel after I was working with him one time, chipping. I stated, ‘Hear, I would like you to go by the 7-Eleven and get a field of cereal. Get a field of cereal referred to as Trix.’ I stated, ‘I would like you to empty the field and rely ’em. No matter quantity you provide you with, that’s what number of tips I bought. With regards to hitting that ball, that’s what number of tips I bought.’”

For newcomers to the Trevino Expertise, it could take some time to tire of this present. Trevino isn’t in entrance of cameras or journalists typically, however each time he’s it feels there’s a narrative to inform. Of late, he’s been on a little bit of podcast tour, sharing hours of tales with No Laying Up and GOLF’s Subpar. Even after indexing all that banter, although, someway the in-person Trevino by no means feels drained. Spectators reached over the ropes to inform the amateurs how fortunate they had been, with one suggesting, “You need to need to pay double to play with him.”

After Trevino’s spherical, I chased him right down to ask what he will get out of it, understanding that the pro-am train is usually a one-way road of giving far more than receiving.

“I take pleasure in being round individuals, and after I’m round individuals I wish to entertain them,” he stated.

“You’re actually good at it,” I stated. 

“Yeah, that’s why I get the massive bucks after I do the dinners,” he stated with a chuckle. 

With that, he was off to lunch.