Competing at the First Tee Open, Hollister’s Nathan Winn created
some lasting memories at Pebble Beach
PEBBLE BEACH
Friday morning started off like any other for golfer Nathan Winn. The San Benito High junior headed to the golf course to begin working on his chipping, then over to the driving range before starting his round.
But that’s just about where the similarities ended.
Competing Friday at Pebble Beach Golf Links in the Wal-Mart First Tee Open, an official Champions Tour event that offers a unique setting in which junior players team up with professionals, Winn played in a nationally televised tournament, and was one of only 78 junior golfers in the country to do so.
Paired with pro Don Pooley, who edged out Tom Watson in 2002 to claim the U.S. Senior Open, Winn couldn’t help but smile throughout his 36 holes of golf, which wrapped up Saturday at Monterey’s Del Monte Golf Course.
Although he missed the cut with Pooley by just six strokes – the two carding a 3-under 141 (70-71) – Winn’s once-in-a-lifetime weekend certainly will be remembered well, nonetheless.
“I was feeling good,” said Winn regarding Friday’s round at Pebble Beach.
The Hollister golfer was feeling so good, in fact, he birdied the first hole, which might not have been the best thing, he said. It may have set the bar too high.
“I piped it right down there,” he said. “It relieved a little too much pressure. I actually started to relax after that.
“I wish I would have started out more gradually – maybe par, par and then a birdie. Starting off with a birdie, it’s like where do I go from here? I’m afraid to make another one now.”
It wouldn’t be the only birdie Winn made, of course. He opened his round on Saturday at Del Monte with the same result. But needing to make up ground on the field Saturday afternoon after shooting a 2-under 70 at Pebble on Friday morning, Winn and Pooley were dealt with trampled greens at Del Monte that turned the smooth putting surface into one bumpy ride.
“The greens aren’t good here in the afternoon,” Pooley said. “This is not a good place to be in the afternoon. But we had good greens yesterday at Pebble in the morning. It’s a better break to get this course in the morning because the afternoon greens out here is like putting on waffles.
“But the kids are having a great time and they’re excited to be here. Nathan’s a great kid, great attitude, and we had a good time. Unfortunately, we didn’t make enough birdies.”
The First Tee, an organization that instills core values into young players through the game of golf, has operated the Open tournament since 2004. Acting as a Champions Tour event solely for the professional, the First Tee Open also pairs the pro with a junior player for a gross score, while also pairing two amateurs with the pro and junior player to make a competitive foursome.
The one-of-a-kind tournament, however, allows for some uncommon pressures between the pro and junior player. Pooley sometimes found himself trying to save par after his junior counterpart missed, and Winn experienced the same thing, sometimes needing a birdie after his professional partner rimmed out.
“When you have to save him, the pressure goes up,” said Winn, not wanting to upset Pooley. “I felt that [on Friday], and I kind of came through for him probably around three times and it felt really good.”
It happened again on the par-4 third hole at Del Monte on Saturday, too. After Pooley rimmed out his fourth shot, Winn sunk a five-footer to save par.
“Playing under pressure in a nationally televised event is really a step forward for me,” Winn said. “And then having the pro there … it really helps you out.”
As did teammate and friend Will Cross, who caddied for Winn during the tournament. Winn said Cross, also an SBHS junior, was a positive influence over the two days, questioning his decisions and keeping him relaxed.
“He did good,” Cross said. “I’ve played with him enough to know his game and how far he hits it.
“I was more just trying to calm him down and loosen him up a little bit.”
Winn was loose in the tee box, booming drives around 250 yards on average, hitting upwards of 275 yards. With two more years of high school left, Pooley said, Winn is in his formative years to develop his golf game.
“He’s got two more years of growth, and I made big strides in those two years of high school,” said Pooley, adding that he increased his drive by about 40 yards when he was a junior and senior in high school. “He’s gonna get a lot bigger, stronger, and it’s gonna make a big difference in his game.”
Winn, who qualified to the First Tee Open after a lengthy process that involved essays, interviews, a written test and, of course, a strong golf score, has one more year of eligibility to compete as a qualified competitor.
Traveling to Rogers, Ark., in late July, where the junior golfer did the majority of the qualifying process, Winn delivered a two-day score of 164 (76-88) to finish 35th out of some 88 golfers at the Shadow Valley Country Club, a strong score that only helped him advance to last weekend’s prestigious tournament.
“It takes a lot of work to get here,” Winn said. “It’s all worth it, and what the tournament itself stands for is worth it.
“But with not making the cut and all (this year), I’m hungry.”
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Junior Will Bishop and pro partner David Eger won the First Tee Open with a 199 (63-69-67), beating out Ericka Schneider and Jeff Sluman’s 200 (65-68-67) and Nicklaus Janss and Ben Crenshaw’s 201 (67-65-69).
Sluman, meanwhile, won the professional title at Pebble Beach for the second straight year. Carding a 206 (65-73-68), Sluman beat Gene Jones by two strokes. Don Pooley finished tied for 53rd with 5-over 221 (73-74-74).
