5 Questions with Kevin Streelman

Kevin Streelman: I have been a student of Ben Hogan’s swing for quite some time now. My current coach Wayne Defrancesco has a tremendous understanding of the idiosyncricies of Hogans pivot movement and I work tediously on a daily basis to improve my own action. Hogan made great use of his space and creation of hip depth and rotation in a very athletic sequence. He spoke about the feeling of throwing a sidearm pitch or skipping a rock across a pond.

When you get down to it, that simple feeling is the basis of Ben Hogan’s swing. Practicing throwing a range ball in front of you down the range, feeling your hips deepen and open while your right elbow lags in front of your right hip. Practice this slowly and feel the athletic movement and sequencing that the best ball strikers all possess.

KS: That back nine at TPC Hartford is an afternoon I will never forget!

I made a really nice 10 foot birdie putt on 9 that had a double break to it. I read it perfectly and saw the ball go in with perfect speed. After poor approach shots on 10 and 11, I made two additional 8 foot putts just to save par. Then, starting at 12, the hole appeared to get bigger. I truly felt like I couldn’t miss.

I made a 12 footer, then 6, then 20, then 14, 40, 4, and 12 to finish. 10 one putts in a row, 7 birdies in a row, and a 28 to win my second PGA Tour event. It was a bit surreal. I didn’t realize I had made them all in a row until after I signed my card. I was trying to go as low as possible as quickly as possible because I knew the leaders were not coming back to me. It almost seemed as everything slowed down a bit. There was not much thinking, simply trusting and reacting.

It’s hard to describe but the hole starts to appear larger, and the game becomes easy. I truly think it’s 100% trust in your work, preparation, and abilities. There is no fear, worry, or concern. I felt free to both succeed and fail, and that’s when greatness can occur!

KS: Wilson Golf is the greatest organization I have ever been involved with. It truly is more of a family relationship than a business one. Being from the Chicagoland area had a tremendous impact on my decision to sign with Wilson Golf.

We share many of the same core values and I feel as if I’m a valuable member on the design side of their equipment. The new FG Tour V4 irons and wedges are by far the best clubs I have ever hit. I don’t think it’s an accident that I have had my 2 best years on Tour since I have signed with Wilson Golf. I plan to represent the brand proudly for many years to come.

KS: I have never been an individual to set out specific goals for an upcoming year. I strive diligently to improve on a daily basis. I want to improve as a husband, as a dad, as a son, a brother, in my faith, in my short game, my putting, and in my swing. Not particularly in that order.

I love waking up and having the opportunity to get better. I almost enjoy the process of improving and the work associated with it more than the competition. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love competing but the process of making myself better has gotten me from a broke, mini-tour golfer to a top 50 player in the world.

The Masters would be the one Major I would love to win over the others. Trust me, any of them would be nice, but putting on that green jacket would be the ultimate in professional golf.

KS: Ben Hogan- He’s the man, and I’d love to watch him swing in person.
Jack Nicklaus- He’s also the man, and I’d love to watch him compete in person.
Michael Jordan- Growing up in Chicago, He’s the man. Plus he can finance the wagers.
$100 nassau, auto 2 downs.