Steve DiMeglio

USA TODAY Sports

Streelman started on Dakotas Tour

Journey goes from caddie to %2410 million winner

153 starts came prior to PGA Tour victory

If you were to pull up a chair and listen to Kevin Streelman chat about his path to the PGA Tour and the subsequent highlights, you might raise your eyebrows and blurt out, "Seriously?"

To which Streelman would emphatically respond, "Seriously."

It might be a far-fetched tale but one true to its last putt.

A journey that started when he was driving cars into submission roaming the Dakotas Tour and caddying at exclusive Whisper Rock Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he is now a member.

He went from scratching out a living to earning nearly $10 million on the PGA Tour since the start of 2008.

And the non-descript man now has his picture on the ticket to get into this week's Valspar Championship, which starts Thursday. And he's appearing in commercials touting his Wilson Golf equipment, with the catch word being seriously – as in, yes, these clubs are seriously good.

Streelman was thinking about his self-made good fortune as he and his wife, Courtney, were flying across Florida in Ernie Els' private jet after playing in the Big Easy's golf outing.

Yes, seriously, a private jet.

"We sort of looked at each other and went, 'Are you kidding me?'" Streelman told USA TODAY Sports. "But we've worked really hard, tried to do things the right way and be around good people. We come from good parents, and now we just want to ride it as long as we can. We've been blessed."

It took a long time for Streelman to win on the PGA Tour – 153 starts. He broke through last year at age 34 with a blistering weekend on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Palm Harbor, Fla., to win the Valspar by two shots over Boo Weekley.

But Streelman doesn't expect to feel more nervous or be saddled with extra expectations now that's he's in a defensive mode for the first time.

"It's going to be an honor standing on that first tee as the defending champion," Streelman said. "It means a lot knowing what we've gone through to get here. It's been a crazy journey from leaving my parents house where we were sleeping in the basement and hitting the Dakotas Tour 13 years ago to seeing my name next to Luke Donald's and Jim Furyk's and Gary Woodland's and the other champions who won on a great golf course in a great event."

Streelman likes to use the word 'we' to make sure everyone knows he didn't arrive at this point alone, that Courtney was there with him. Now the two have another companion, one that trumps all the riches Streelman has earned or dreamed about – Sophie Marie was born the day after Christmas.

The couple's first child was born premature at 5 pounds, one ounce, and a difficult pregnancy led to complications as Sophie was hooked up to monitors and checked by nurses around the clock. But the little girl is now healthy and traveling with her parents. It took Streelman 34 years to get to Augusta National for the Masters while Sophie will get there in 3½ months, which makes daddy very happy.

"Sophie's awesome," Streelman said. "It makes going home a lot more fun. Not that I didn't have fun going home to Courtney, but to have both of them there now, is pretty special. It makes those bad days on the course so much better because family brings such proper perspective."

Family could bring more titles, too. Streelman thinks the addition to the family will help him as he continues his journey in golf.

"I'm more efficient when I'm away doing my work," he said. "There is less screwing around because I'll be more focused on what I'm trying to do that day and will make sure to stick to the plan.

" … And now I have two special women to play for."