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Brady Exber appears on GolfweekTV
PINEHURST, N.C. – Brady Exber is a well-known amateur golfer out West and especially in his home state of Nevada. He’s won the Nevada State Amateur twice, including this year, and the 2007 Nevada State Match Play Championship.
He’s a member of the Southern Nevada Golf Hall of Fame and serves as president of the Southern Nevada Golf Association.
Outside the state, Exber has played events such as the Southwestern Amateur (T-16 this year), the Pacific Coast Amateur (T-5 in 2007), and the Scratch Players Mid-Am (4th in ‘07).
Still, this side of the Mississippi River, he is pretty much an unknown. That’s because he hasn’t been able to get into, as he puts it, “the club” – that circle of who many consider the country’s top amateurs.
“When you play in the national tournaments, you have to feel you belong in this club,” Exber said. “Being 52 years old and being from the West, it’s sometimes difficult to feel your part of it.”
That should be changing, at least that’s the way Exber sees it, after his showing this week at the U.S. Amateur Championship at Pinehurst.
Exber shot 2-over 142 to easily qualify for match play and was him the oldest player among the 64-player bracket. Playing in his fourth U.S. Amateur and making match play for the first time, Exber went one better when he moved on to the Round of 32 after beating Josh Anderson in 20 holes.
Even though he lost in the second round, 4 and 3, to Georgia freshman Patrick Reed, Exber feels he proved something this week.
“I think I showed I can compete at this level,” said Exber, who last year tied for 41st at the U.S. Senior Open and earlier this summer played in the British Senior Open where he missed the cut. “I now feel I’m in the club.”
He certainly deserves membership, especially after the U.S. Am. Consider there were more than 7,000 entries into the championship and he was among the 32 still left standing. That’s not too shabby even for the top young guns, never mind a guy who has been around for over half a century.
“It’s been an absolutely dream week,” Exber said. “It’s just the greatest thing. It’s something I thought about in my working life, but never was able to take the time to get my game in shape. Thank goodness I got it just good enough in shape this time around. Now, I need to start realizing I can play at this level, even at 52.”
For years, he was in a partnership, Exber, Inc., which owned and operated a number of hotels in Las Vegas. With some 3,500 employees and in a 24/7 business, it was difficult to get time off.
A couple of years ago his group sold all its properties and liquidated everything, thus freeing him to do a lot of things, one of which was work on his golf game.
“I’m certainly enjoying the game more,” he said. “I get excited about playing. And, I think my game travels a lot better now, especially after playing in the U.S. Senior Open last year and the British Senior this year. But I’ve also realized it’s just golf, just a game.”
And, after his showing at Pinehurst, it’s a game he is now approaching with as much enthusiasm and excitement as a teenager.
Much of that is generated from the feeling of belonging.
“I’ll definitely try to play more next year,” Exber said. “This (U.S. Amateur) is a good springboard for that.”
Playing more shouldn’t be a problem as Exber should get his fair share of invitations to some of the nation’s top amateur tournaments. Now, a 52-year old from out West will be more in vogue.
Besides, as one of the game’s true gentlemen, Exber is a welcome addition to any tournament field. You won’t hear him bad mouthing anyone or anything. He treats the game and his fellow competitors with the utmost respect.
Yes, it’s taken him a while, and in many ways it’s been a long and winding road. But he has arrived, a smile on his face and still some bounce in his step.
To Brady Exber, I say, welcome to “the club.” It’s where you belong.
Posted: 8/21/2008
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