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Tryon
Trying to Have Fun
Ty
Tryon, who played a PGA Tour event at the age of 16, is returning
to Utah after having a good experience at the Champions Challenge
last summer at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. (Paul Fraughton/The
Salt Lake Tribune)
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BY KURT KRAGTHORPE
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
9/5/02
SANDY -- Ty Tryon knows how David Sutherland
came to town last September for his first golf tournament in seven
months and won the Utah Classic.
He is not promising anything, but he figures
a repeat of Sutherland's performance is not out of the question.
"Winning is maybe a little far-fetched," the
18-year-old Tryon said Wednesday, "but you never know what could
happen."
Tryon could finish just about anywhere in the
156-player field, considering today's round in the UTAH CLASSIC TOUR
event at Willow Creek Country Club marks his first competition in
five months. Yet the parallels to Sutherland's story are intriguing.
Having undergone shoulder surgery, Sutherland
targeted Willow Creek for his return because he had played well
in the old version of the Utah Open. With no pressure, knowing he
had a PGA Tour medical exemption for this season, Sutherland went
out and shot 63-64 in the first two rounds and held on for a one-stroke
victory.
A Florida resident, Tryon came to Utah this week
because he had a good experience in the Champions Challenge in Lehi
last summer. Having missed most of the season with mononucleosis
and other illnesses, he has a PGA Tour medical exemption for 2003
and wants to tune up in a few events in September and October. He
also has the backing of million-dollar endorsements with Callaway
Golf and Target/Mossimo, so he's freewheeling this week, just like
Sutherland.
One distinction: He's dealing with the pressure
of being Ty Tryon.
After making the cut in the 2001 Honda Classic
as a 16-year-old and shooting a final-round 66 to advance through
the PGA Qualifying Tournament, Tryon faced huge expectations when
the PGA Tour season started. He missed the cut in all four starts,
fueling the critics -- including some prominent tour veterans --
who said he should at least have finished high school before turning
pro.
The forced time off has allowed Tryon to start
fresh. "I've matured quite a bit," he said. "I'm going to go out
this time and just have fun and have play golf, and not worry about
people's expectations for me . . . just go out and play like I used
to play."
His health has resulted in what he calls "kind
of a crazy ride lately," but not playing in tournaments has allowed
him to overhaul his swing with renowned instructor David Leadbetter,
who's in town this week.
Tryon also accelerated his private schooling;
he needs only two credits to graduate from the performing arts academy
where members of *NSYNC were taught.
Last summer, at Johnny Miller's invitation, Tryon
played in a celebrity competition with Steve Young, Danny Ainge
and musician Kenny G during the Champions Challenge at Thanksgiving
Point. They can all play, but Tryon will face a much more formidable
field this week. Of the UTAH CLASSIC TOUR's top 25 money-winners, 24
are entered. Brian Claar, who's No. 50, turned down a spot in the
PGA Tour's Bell Canadian Open to play at Willow Creek and try to
move up the money list. UTAH CLASSIC AT WILLOW CREEK COUNTRY CLUB
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