How do you impress a NASCAR-loving, beer-drinking, pig-hunting extrovert American?
For laidback Australian golfer Steven Bowditch, the answer was simple when he arrived back home with best mate Boo Weekley.
He bought him a meat pie at a service station.
“First servo we got to I bought him one,” Bowditch laughed.
And it seems to have worked.
Weekley, 41, ranked it highly among his experiences of his maiden trip contesting the country’s Triple Crown of golf, culminating in this week’s Australian PGA on the Gold Coast.
“It’s been an adventure and I am getting to spend it with my best mate,” former American Ryder Cup player Weekley said.
“Just seeing different things, trying different foods.
“I have never tried a meat pie before in my life until I got over here and it was pretty good – I ate it all before I got to the golf course.”
Weekley may now have a taste for “yellow food groups” but he is still getting his head around a lot since taking up the invitation by Bowditch to visit Australia.
“I have seen a little bit of rugby league but I am not really sure what is going on,” said the world No.118 who last Christmas bought Bowditch a gun so they could hunt pigs together.
“I am just learning cricket so I am taking small steps.
“It (Australia) is a little different to what I thought.
“I thought we would be heading out to the bush. I ain’t seen that yet – I have seen a lot of water though while fishing.”
He may not have completely grasped local culture but Australian crowds have embraced Weekley.
He has been a crowd favourite since riding his driver like a horse “Happy Gilmore” style at the 2008 Ryder Cup.
And Weekley has rubbed off on Bowditch who emerged from a battle with severe depression to win his first PGA event at the Texas Open in March, claiming a $1.2 million cheque and a jump from world No.342 to 87th.
Bowditch will look to “square the ledger” in his friendly rivalry with Weekley at the Australian PGA starting on Thursday.
Weekley tied for 15th at the Australian Masters ahead of Bowditch (tied for 17th after sharing the first round lead) while both finished tied for 15th at the Australian Open.
He may be scratching his head over some aspects of his visit but Weekley said he knew what to expect from world No.3 and tournament favourite Adam Scott at the Australian PGA.
“He is still the same old Scott from the day I met him until now,” he said.
“One thing I learned about the Aussies is that every one of them is the same.
“There’s maybe a couple out there I don’t really care for, other than that they are good people.”
