Once hyped with Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, Aaron Baddeley hits 3M Open content in life, career

This was the last sports weekend in November 1999. The main topic in Minnesota was the Vikings, a mediocre 6-4, now quarterbacked by the eccentric Jeff George and preparing to play San Diego in a crucial game at the much-missed Metrodome.

All of which was well-and-good for football fanatics, but in free time back then, my preoccupation was observing golf.

And that weekend, it was monitoring the events taking place in Australia, where Aaron Baddeley, an 18-year-old amateur from the home country, was attempting to defeat Greg Norman, Colin Montgomerie, Nick Faldo — all those big names — to win the Holden Australian Open at the Royal Sydney Golf Club.

I was up in the middle of the night that weekend and witnessing the fanatical happiness of the Aussies, when Baddeley shocked the golf world, totaling 69 to Monty's 71 in the final pairing, keeping five-time Aussie Open champion Norman at bay, and winning by two shots at the finish — 274 to the Shark's 276.

"That was pretty cool, playing in the last round with Monty, then [ranked] No. 3 in the world,'' Baddeley said this week. "And holding off Greg Norman … one of my heroes.

"I was able to hit my shots, make putts when needed. And the support of the fans was tremendous.''

Including Mom and Dad, Ron and Jo-anne, who came onto the 18^th green for huge embraces after the handshakes were exchanged after the 72^nd hole.

A bit of pressure was placed on Baddeley's lean frame after that startling victory. Peter Thomson, the great Aussie from the generation before Norman, suggested Aaron had a better swing than did Tiger Woods.

Alan Shipnuck, a Sports Illustrated wordsmith of note, authored a huge Baddeley piece for the March 13, 2000, edition, after visiting the Baddeley family's 10-acre ranch-style place in Wonga Park outside Melbourne.

This included a quote from Gary Player, a champion of grandiose rhetoric, on Baddeley:

"The best young player I ever saw was Jack Nicklaus. I think this young man — and I don't say this lightly — has the ability Jack Nicklaus had at the same time.''

Baddeley played in the Masters that year as an invited amateur, missed the cut, and turned pro later in 2000. That was in time to actually collect a check for winning a second straight Holden Australian Open.

He played on the secondary Nationwide Tour in 2002, finished 10^th overall, and earned a PGA Tour card. His first tournament as an official Tour player was the 2003 Sony Open in Hawaii. Ernie Els beat him by making a 43-foot putt on the second playoff hole, with Baddeley collecting $486,000 for second place.

Quite a start.

And Baddeley has had his moments — four wins, a 54-hole lead in a U.S. Open, etc. — but he's 42 now, and he doesn't seem the type to be offended if referred to as a Tour "journeyman.''

He's at the 3M Open again this week. He made the cut in 2022 and a modest check for $18,855. He's played better this year, although four missed cuts in his past five tournaments have left him at 109 in the FedEx Cup standings.

Strong contention this week (and next) would be required for Baddeley to advance to the 70-player start of the playoffs.

"I've seen good things in my game,'' he said. "I like this course. I feel like I can play well here.''

Depends on the putter? "Putting always has been the strength of my game,'' Baddeley said. "I have to give myself the chances.''

There's another reason for Baddeley to be in Minnesota this week. It's a chance for his wife, Richelle, and their six kids ages 3 to 15 to visit the family of Richelle's "best friend,'' Lyric Butler, in Waseca.

Richelle and Lyric were roommates at Arizona State as freshmen starting in the fall of 1998.

"I wanted to get to a big city, and get out of the cold for a while, and that's why I went to Arizona State,'' Lyric said this week. "Just by chance, I was put together with Richelle, and we were inseparable for the rest of our time there.''

Baddeley had settled in Scottsdale, Ariz., as a Tour pro. "I was back in Waseca after ASU graduation, and Richelle told me she had started dating a pro golfer, and he was a very nice guy,'' Lyric said.

Lyric married Jon Butler, a "Blossom'' from nearby Blooming Prairie, and they have two sons. Richelle married the golfer, Baddeley, in 2005, and they have six kids — nearly running out of J's in the process, with Jewell, Jolee, Jeremiah, Josiah, Jaddex and Jedidiah.

Baddeley is well-known for his strong Christian beliefs. Among other things, he has credited those for maintaining his golf pursuit through the times when his game was non-competitive.

"Richelle is Wonder Woman — and Aaron, he's an outstanding golfer, but that's not the way I know him,'' Lyric said. "I know him as a great husband, a great father, a great friend.''

Baddeley's golf greatness was not fully realized, but you have the word from Lyric Butler from Waseca, Minn., on this:

"Aaron has to be the easiest guy to root for. He's a wonderful person.''