Paul Tesori is the caddie for professional golfer Webb Simpson. Paul was on the bag when Webb won the 2012 U.S. Open and 2018 THE PLAYERS Championship. In addition to Webb Simpson, Paul has caddied for some of the best golfers in the world including former #1 player Vijay Singh. In total, he has more than 20 wins as a PGA caddie.
We caught up with Paul between THE PLAYERS and the Open Championship (to be held at Carnoustie, Scotland). The memories of the record-setting performance at THE PLAYERS was still fresh in his mind (especially since it is played at TPC Sawgrass, which is Paul’s home course). Webb led THE PLAYERS Championship from start to finish. Along the way, he equaled the course record with his 2nd-round 63, and also the 36-hole and 54-hole PLAYERS scoring records. With the win, Webb became just the 9th player to have won THE PLAYERS and a U.S. Open. The victory also made Webb World Golf Hall of Fame eligible in the future.
Paul is a Florida native and attended the University of Florida. He grew up loving sports and played golf and baseball. He was such a good golfer that he even played 21 events on the PGA Tour himself. Paul and his wife Michelle run the Tesori Family Foundation, which was founded in 2009. The foundation helps supports various charities throughout the country with focuses ranging from childhood homelessness to battered women’s shelters, from children battling disease like cancer to animal rescue charities like the Jacksonville Humane Society.
In today’s episode, we discuss:
- Webb’s runaway win at the 2018 Players Championship
- Why mental toughness is important in golf and life
- What he says to a golfer during a round
- Caddie-Golfer relationships, especially after breakups
“When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know; but when you listen you may learn something new.” (Dalai Lama)
Best-selling author of Leadership Interrupted: daily inspiration to become the leader you were meant to be, and iAthlete: Impacting Student-Athletes of a Digital Generation, Kevin DeShazo is the founder of Fieldhouse Media. He is a sought after speaker, having presented on over 80 campuses as well is a regular presenter at conferences and conventions, including NACDA, CoSIDA, the NCAA Convention and the Collegiate Athletics Leadership Symposium. He has also been quoted on ESPN.com, The New York Times, USA Today, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sports Business Journal and a variety of other national and local media outlets. Kevin is also the founder of Culture Wins Championships, helping leaders in the sports industry build a championship culture with their team. Kevin was also honored as an Innovator of the Year for FieldTrack, our web-based platform that monitors social media activity of student-athletes and coaches. Oklahoma City is home for Kevin along with his wife Megan and their three boys, Gabe, Noah and Asher.
