Ricky Barnes was once the young golfing stud with the world as his oyster.
After winning a showdown with Hunter Mahan in the 2002 U.S. Amateur final at Oakland Hills, Barnes went on to impress soon after. The Stockton native took low amateur honors (T21) in his maiden Masters in 2003. But it is also remembered that the University of Arizona alum beat defending Masters champ Tiger Woods, while playing in the same group, by seven shots in the opening round.
Now that is how you hold your own with the very best, in their prime no less.
“That time in Tiger’s career was when I used to say that's when he was Tiger ‘freaking’ Woods, you know?” Barnes said. “And my average score when I played with him, I think like four rounds as an amateur, two as a pro, my stroke average is below like 68.”
Now that’s a rarity coming from any player who teed it up during the Tiger era.
“I shot 62 on Saturday with Tiger and Dustin Johnson at Memorial in 2010,” Barnes recalls. “And that was probably one of the most memorable rounds, and he was number one by a mile.”
“Friends would be like,’ Rick, did you like playing with Tiger?’ I said, ‘Well, it feels like game seven, even on a Thursday, you know?’ Playing with the crowds and the movement and the noise and the atmosphere,” Barnes said. “So all told, I loved it.”
Two of Barnes’ caddies with him the longest were older brother Andy and Ray Farnell.
Farnell knew his guy was at his best in the biggest tournaments.
“Ricky loved the juice, he just loved the thrill of playing with the big stars,” Farnell recalls. “The bigger events helped him focus more and get more dialed.”
Barnes also enjoyed the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where he often found himself in great celebrity company.
Tom Brady, Ray Romano, and Alice Cooper are just some of the marquee names Barnes was grouped with over the years, “but the first year I played with Bill Belichick, you know, the way he processed stuff was interesting,” Barnes said. “If he asked a question and I answered it, he really didn't ask much more. Like, ‘Ricky, how far do you think this is playing?’ Even though it might be 150, and we'd give him a yardage.
“I gotta see a lot of family and friends in and around the area at the AT&T. It was definitely a special spot.”
Barnes watches today’s young stars on TV at his home in the Phoenix area as they make a name for themselves on the tour.
“They all seem to have a lot of speed and they’re not afraid to get out right away and go low,” Barnes said. “The sad part is most of them take way too long to play their shots.”
Today, Barnes works for Forum Investment Group as the Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships. He last played a season on the PGA Tour in 2023, making 16 starts.
“I think now it's a chance where you actually use the relationships I met from pro-ams on Tour. A few maybe just as mentors, and I have changed from only relying on the guy in the mirror to having a team,” Barnes said.
Both Farnell and Barnes’ older brother Andy were amazed by Barnes’ keen interest in others from past pro-ams. Barnes has been very intentional in staying in touch with all of his host families from his amateur years as well. He even got together with his host family from his U.S. Amateur championship-winning week at Oakland Hills in early September.
As far as his newer trade, Barnes says it’s a fulfilling pursuit because of his lifelong passion for authentic relationships.
“It's actually very satisfying when you go to the side of the business that I'm on now—growing in relationships,” Barnes said. “You’re still in the time management mode of family work, and socially, right?
“But now having kind of a team behind you, I've actually really enjoyed it. It's a good switch for me. I’m kind of eating what I'm cooking, knowing that I invested in this company first. And it was kind of a bet on myself as well. So I was talking to a couple of people now, you know, buddies and some investors, and there's no better way to go in with people than betting on ourselves.”
Barnes first bet on himself during junior and amateur events throughout Northern California back in the mid-90s and would go on to win five times in college (co-Ben Hogan Award winner).
So how often is Barnes able to revisit his Central Valley roots these days?
“My wife Suzanne’s from Linden, so I would say we try to get back to at least one holiday a year. My mom is still there and we love to visit her,” Barnes said.
Having his three kids busy with sports, Barnes says it’s hard to get away from their respective team events, but he does call Lake Tahoe his happy place.
Looking back on his career, one of the happiest moments came when he set the U.S. Open 36-hole scoring record at 8-under par in 2009. Though a final-round 76 left Barnes tied for second to Lucas Glover, that week still resonates.
“I don't usually like to use the word bittersweet, because that's probably my favorite memory in my career, right?” Barnes said. “Like I was right in the thick of it. We had the two top guys in the game of golf at the time, you know, Tiger and Phil were in the hunt. And I was right there, so that’s a good memory to have a chance that week.”
Barnes’ day job, which he’s been working at the last four years, allows him time to pick up his kids after school. Of course, the former tour regular will still follow events from time to time, and he’s quick to laugh at himself now, seemingly years removed from the grind.
“I like to call myself an Uber driver of my kids in the afternoon for pickup. So while purses are going up on tour, I’m now just driving Uber,” Barnes laughed.