Ryder comprised of Nationwide talent
Graduates: Three-fourths of the U.S. team has played in the Utah golf tournament
By Jay Drew
The Salt Lake Tribune
SANDY - No disrespect to Utah Amateur champion Tony Finau,
who is scheduled to compete in the Junior Ryder Cup later this
month, but none of the 156 golfers in this week's Utah EnergySolutions
Champ-
ionship field will play in the real Ryder Cup in two weeks
in Ireland.
When the 2008 matches are held in the United States, however,
that's a possibility, given how Nationwide Tour graduates comprise
three-fourths of the U.S. team this year.
All nine of those graduates played in Utah at least once when
the tour made a stop here, and two - Brett Wetterich in 2004
and Zach Johnson in 2003 - are past champions.
"I've said it over and over. People don't realize the caliber of golfer
that play in this event," said tournament chairman Evan Byers. "This
tour really does identify the best players in the world and sends them on to
the PGA Tour."
One of those PGA Tour hopefuls who will play Willow Creek Country
Club beginning today is 2003 U.S. Amateur champion Nick Flanagan,
who enters the week No. 22 on the Nationwide Tour money list
with $159,164. The top 20 at the end of the season earn PGA
Tour privileges in 2007.
"I'm on the bubble, but I'm not too stressed about it," the Australian
said Tuesday. "To do it in my first year would be a great bonus, but it's
not a necessity. . . . I could stay out here [on the Nationwide Tour] a couple
of years if it makes me a better player when I make the big tour."
Despite being close, Flanagan will take the next three weeks
off and fly home to Brisbane. He says he needs a break after
playing in his eighth straight event this week. Including this
week's event, only eight tournaments remain on the 2006 schedule.
"I will come back fresher and more ready to make a run for it in the final
few events," he said.
Floridian Ben Bates can't afford that luxury. He is 187th on
the money list with just $8,519 and needs to turn his season
around in a hurry, his worst golf season in 22 years, he said,
if he hopes to advance.
"I've missed 10 cuts in a row," Bates said. "I'm on the other
end of the spectrum."
Based
on past years, the magic number to advance is around $202,000,
although it could be higher this year because purses have increased.
Some players believe it will take between $220,000 and $230,000.
The winner of the Utah event will pocket $81,000.
It is unlikely that will be a Utahn, although there are plenty
in the field.
West High junior Gipper Finau, Tony's brother, fired a 9-under-par
63 on Tuesday to win the qualifying tournament at Wingpointe
Golf Course and grab one of 14 available spots. Sandy's Todd
Tanner, Farmington's Joseph Summerhays and former Ute Ashdon
Woods also qualified.
Sandy's Steve Schneiter is a Nationwide Tour regular and will
play, along with Mark Owen, Henry White and Kury Reynolds,
in on Utah Section PGA exemptions. And the tournament used
some of its allotted exemptions to bring in Utah Open champ
Pete Stone and Tony Finau.
In keeping with the "Ryder Cup theme," Byers said,
the tournament also gave an exemption to Dave Stockton Jr.,
who was an assistant Ryder Cup captain to his father several
years ago.
drew@sltrib.com
At a Glance
Along for the Ryde
Brett Wetterich 2004 Champion
Zach Johnson 2003 Champion
Chad Campbell 2001 Missed cut
JJ Henry 2000 T-11
Vaughn Taylor 2000 T-6
Stewart Cink 1996 T-22
Jim Furyk 1993 T-12
Chris DiMarco 1991 T-8
David Toms 1990 T-31
Tiger Woods Never played
Phil Mickelson Never played
Scott Verplank Never played
