It’s not every day that a PGA Tour pro bares his soul. On Sunday, former journeyman pro Steve Wheatcroft took to social media to share his personal struggles with alcoholism and depression since his playing days came to an end.
Wheatcroft, who spent 14 seasons — seven each on the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour —between 2006 and 2019 and made 345 starts, walked away from tour life with full status on the Korn Ferry Tour. He was burned out and took a job as a financial advisor. Despite getting off to a fast start in his career, he recalls an early morning a few years later where he receives a text that a potential client has elected to postpone working with Wheatcroft for a year or two. In that moment of frustration and disappointment, he thought nothing of pouring himself a vodka with a splash of orange juice.
“That drink is where part of me died. That drink is where I gave up on life, That drink introduced me to a new best friend,” he wrote. “I lived drunk. Never sloppy, and you’d never have known. But I knew. I basically had a buzz for two years. I hated myself and I didn’t even know who I was. How do you hate someone you don’t even know?”
Wheatcroft titled his post “Until I couldn’t” and his aim is to help others. In his social media post promoting his personal story, he wrote, “The thing about hanging on by a thread is that it’s always just that close to snapping. I should’ve spent time building that thread up, but instead I assumed everything would work itself out. Until the day came that it didn’t….. No more silence.”
Wheatcroft asks for 5 minutes to read his story, and it is well worth your time. For his full story, click here.
Wheatcroft’s story touched a nerve with several Tour pros. Sean Micheel, the winner of the 2003 PGA Championship, replied: “Much of what you said resonates with all of us at some level. You’re exactly right, it’s impossible to leave ‘life’ outside the ropes. Thank you for the courage to open up.
Parker McLachlin wrote: “We all struggle with some type of demons. Glad you’re in a good place.”
“Not everyone is comfortable with sharing their weaknesses in public and that’s OK,” Billy Horschel wrote on X. “But Wheatie is hoping by doing so he is able to help more people while continuing on his path of sobriety. Congrats Wheatie.”
Not everyone is comfortable with sharing their weakness’s in public and that’s ok. But Wheatie is hoping by doing so he is able to help more people while continuing on his path of sobriety. Congrats Wheatie.
https://t.co/jUYSGZvBMd
— Billy Horschel (@BillyHo_Golf) September 3, 2024