Roll Tide: Nick Saban phones Lee Hodges after dominating 3M Open win

NASHVILLE — Head Coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide speaks during 2023 SEC Media Days at Grand Hyatt Nashville on July 19, 2023. | Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images

Nick Saban, one of the greatest coaches in college football history, congratulated Lee Hodges after his first win on the PGA Tour.

The camaraderie among Alabama Crimson Tide players, coaches, alumni, and fans runs deep.

Football coach Nick Saban is well aware of that.

So too is Lee Hodges, a former graduate of Alabama. Hodges crushed the field this past weekend at the 3M Open, winning by seven strokes.

Hence why Saban reached out to Hodges to congratulate him on Sunday evening.

“Congratulations,” Saban said. “That’s fantastic. Had a great one, huh? I usually watch at night and I was rooting for you.”

It’s all family at Alabama

Coach Saban called Lee Hodges to congratulate him on his first victory @3MOpen. pic.twitter.com/ZsTHLAX58K

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 31, 2023

“There’s not many times you win by seven, so it was pretty fun,” Hodges responded.

His seven-shot win in Minnesota marked the first time Hodges won on the PGA Tour. It is also the largest margin of victory on the PGA Tour in more than three years. Rory McIlroy was the last to do it, winning by seven shots at the 2019 RBC Canadian Open.

With the win, Hodges received 500 FedEx Cup points. That vaulted him from 74th to 33rd in the FedEx Cup standings.

With only the Top 70 qualifying for the first playoff event in Memphis, Hodges now has a guaranteed spot in the PGA Tour’s postseason.

“I’m playing some really good golf,” Hodges said after his win. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to do some special things in the playoffs now. Anytime you win, you really set yourself up for some special stuff.”

Photo by Shane Bevel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

STILLWATER, Okla. — Lee Hodges of Alabama congratulates Viktor Hovland of Oklahoma State at the end of their match during the Division I Men’s Golf Team Match Play Championship held at the Karsten Creek Golf Club on May 30, 2018.

“My caddie was telling me on 18, I honestly didn’t even think about it, but we get to play Augusta next year,” Hodges continued. “That is something else. That was probably the coolest thing I heard all day. I’m just really thankful.”

Hodges had himself a pretty nice Sunday. He won his first PGA Tour event, earned a trip to The Masters, and received a congratulatory call from Coach Saban.

And once he is done competing in the FedEx Cup playoffs, Hodges can turn his attention to Crimson Tide football, which begins practicing this week.

Saban’s team opens up its 2023 season by hosting Middle Tennessee State on Sept. 2.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.