NHL referee trading whistle for golf clubs, will play in U.S. Open

Garrett Rank had already fulfilled his hockey dream in 2016 when he became a full-time NHL referee.
But for Rank, there's another passion: golf. The Elmira, Ontario, native has been successful there, too, winning the Canadian Men's Mid-Amateur Championship in 2014, 2015 and 2016. And last week, Rank realized his golf dream when he qualified for the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, from June 14-17.

Rank will tee off from the No. 10 hole, with Mackenzie Hughes and Aaron Baddeley, in the first round at 7:18 a.m. ET on Thursday.
Rank, 31, shot 71-71 to tie for first place at the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying at Ansley Golf Club (Settindown Creek Course) in Atlanta on Monday. He said it took him a while to realize what he had achieved.
"I wasn't really sleeping well," he said Thursday. "Last night I finally relaxed a little bit. What a huge honor and a special event. I'm super excited."
Stephen Walkom, NHL senior vice president and director of officiating supervision, said Rank's achievements "are a testament to his athleticism and professionalism."
"He has two unique skill sets: He's a world-class golfer and a world-class referee in the NHL," Walkom said. "I mean, most people are lucky to have one of those, and Garrett's blessed to have both. He's just a committed individual. And maybe the good thing is, by him being a referee, maybe he doesn't feel as much pressure. He goes out and enjoys the game of golf. And wherever it takes him, it takes him."
Rank refereed his first game, the Minnesota Wild against the Buffalo Sabres, on Jan. 15, 2015. According to the NHL Officials Association, he has refereed 187 NHL games.

He has been balancing hockey and golf since childhood, and continues to do so.
"I'm happy playing once a month or once every couple of weeks, just to have the golf bug in my brain," Rank said. "It's kind of nice for me because, growing up, I always had that break and fresh start. So I don't mind putting the clubs away or not playing a ton of golf for three or four months and then getting back after it."
Fellow NHL referee Dan O'Rourke, who was Rank's caddy at the qualifier, is impressed with how Rank handles the mental side of each game.
"They are similar in respect that, with a golfer and the caddy, you're kind of a small team, but at the end of the day you're the guy hitting the shots," O'Rourke said. "Same with refereeing. You're out there with a team but at the end of the day you have to live and die by your decisions. For him to be able to sort of pick up in the offseason and get as sharp as he was when I saw him play is just amazing."
If Rank can sneak in golf game or two while on the road for NHL work, he'll do it. He doesn't travel with his own clubs during the NHL season, so he'll get a rental set or borrow clubs from another player's bag.
Patrick Christovich, Rank's partner in several U.S. Amateur Four-Ball championships, got together with Rank for an impromptu round in Tampa, Florida, in December.
"He played with my golf clubs out of my bag and beat me and everyone else in the group," Christovich said. "That's just Garrett being Garrett. He's an athlete, always thinking about his golf swing and how to get better. It seems that's the way he is with his job, too: He wants to excel, sets goals for himself to make the [NHL] playoffs at his age and advance his career every year.
"I'm just proud of him. He's worked so hard when he does get a golf club in his hand. When the [NHL] season's over, he focuses on golf. This is something he's talked about for as long as I've known him. It's awesome."
Rank and Christovich reached the quarterfinals at the Four-Ball Championship at Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta, Florida, in May. In hindsight, that tournament could end up being great preparation for the U.S. Open.
"They really test your game," Rank said. "They set up the course really tough. The greens are super-fast and the rough is long. Sometimes, the shot 30 feet away was better than 10 feet [away] on the wrong side of the pin. So, it was a good primer and definitely a bit of a confidence builder, too."

Rank has balanced his two passions well. The NHL dream was realized two years ago. Now he's looking to do the same with golf.
"It was such a cool moment and a weight off my shoulders that you realize you're going to play in the U.S. Open and all the sacrifices and work you put in to get to that level of amateur golf," he said. "This was kind of a sweet reward for that."