While Elvis Merzlikins’ 7:14 a.m. wakeup on a gameday might seem early to some, the Blue Jackets goaltender raised his own eyebrows when told the morning routine of a professional golfer.
When PGA Tour player Joe Highsmith tees off at 7:50 a.m. on Thursday for the first day of the Memorial Tournament, he will have been up for more than three hours. That means an alarm that will go off just before 5 a.m.
“I had no idea,” Merzlikins said. “That's crazy. … I wanted to ask him what time he's going to bed.”
Routines on game days — or ‘rounds,’ in golf speak — was just one of the topics discussed at Wednesday's Tournament Tailgate event the day before the PGA Tour’s Memorial Tournament tees off in Dublin.
Golf fans and Blue Jackets fans alike gathered to hear from Merzlikins and Highsmith at Muirfield Village Golf Club in a panel led by CBJ on-air host Dave Maetzold. The three chatted about life in Columbus and what goes into being a professional athlete, from how to manage social media to their childhood idols.
While just six years apart in age, the 31-year-old Merzlikins imparted some wisdom on the younger Highsmith, who just recently earned his first PGA Tour win in his second year on the tour. Though golf and hockey — goaltending, in Merzlikins’ case — differ greatly, the two could bond over the grueling schedules of both an NHL player and PGA Tour golfer, as well as the training regimens and preparation for competition.
The two even admitted weirdest things they’d eaten during competition — while for Highsmith that included waiting in line at a concession stand during a tournament round, sour gummies and soda are a couple of the things that Merzlikins said keep him energized on game day.
While the conversation was engaging for fans — many of whom snagged photos with the CBJ goaltender after the panel — it was equally fun for Merzlikins, who was making the trip to Muirfield Village for the first time.
“I never had the chance,” Merzlikins said. “We have our soccer team, we have our hockey team, we have our great guys of the (Ohio State) football team, and we have an amazing tournament here.”
With two young kids, Merzlikins will forgo traveling and spend this offseason in Columbus. Golf, he says, is one of the things summer in Central Ohio has to offer; in the past, Merzlikins took a lesson with Chase Wilson, a former PGA Tour golfer and director of instruction in the Columbus area.
“It was awesome to see how they hit the ball,” Merzlikins said. “It's (a) completely different story, and it's awesome to see how accurate (and) powerful they are.”
Merzlikins praised the mental strength of golfers during the 30-minute panel, arguing that a round of golf is more stressful than the high pressure that comes from being an NHL goaltender.
"You just feel those eyes in the back of your head. They are watching," Merzlikins said.
Merzlikins’ panel partner, Highsmith, is one of just 72 players teeing off in Dublin this weekend. The tournament — founded by Central Ohio native, Ohio State University alum and 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus — annually brings the top golfers in the world to Ohio, including Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and more.
The tournament will bring people together from all walks of life, local and international fans alike. Wearing Memorial Tournament gear adorned with a CBJ logo, Merzlikins praised both the tournament and the city.
“I think having this tournament here is huge,” Merzlikins said. “I think a lot of people, I would say, underestimate Columbus. Columbus is a great city. … It's great that there (are) such things as these tournaments and festivals and everything during the summer.”
Though having two young children might make it difficult, getting out to watch the professionals this weekend is something Merzlikins is looking forward to after learning more about life on the golf course — and maybe learning a pointer or two along the way.
“There's a lot of work to do for being that type of golfer, you know?” Merzlikins said. “I'm always the guy who is losing the ball. There's been summers that I played with red and orange balls, so I can easily find them. But now that I got my game better and I'm not losing that many balls, I got professional. I'm playing with the white balls.”
