[eweissenbach]

Here is someone to root for (From the Kansas City Star today)....


Former Missouri Western golfer Brice Garnett on cusp of PGA Tour

July 17

By TOM SMITH

The Kansas City Star


Brice Garnett enjoyed success playing golf in high school and college. Now, he is having a successful season as a professional. Garnett is one of 156 players scheduled to tee off in the Midwest Classic Presented by Cadillac, a Web.com Tour event that runs today through Sunday at the Nicklaus Golf Club at Lions-Gate in Overland Park.

Garnett helped Gallatin High School win three Missouri state team championships during his career, and he was a three-time NCAA Division II All-American at Missouri Western in St. Joseph.

Garnett has won a couple of events on lower tours since his college days, but one of his biggest achievements was qualifying for last year’s U.S. Open at Olympic in San Francisco. Garnett missed the cut, but he gained valuable experience.

“It’s one of my best experiences, golfwise,” Garnett said. “It was great to tee it up with the best players in the world.

“It gave me confidence and made me hungry to mix it up weekly with the best players in the world.”

Garnett has a chance to qualify for the PGA Tour if he continues to play well this year on the Web.com Tour. He ranks 18th in earnings with $127,087, and the top 25 at the end of the regular season get PGA Tour cards for next season.

Garnett gained most of his earnings with three top-10 finishes earlier in the year. He has struggled in recent weeks, but he hopes he has made the adjustments necessary to have a good week.

He will be motivated by getting to play in front of quite a few family members and friends.

Brice is the son of friends of mine and himself a friend. He comes from Gallatin, which is where I began my coaching career in 1968, a town of about 1,800 people. He grew up playing on a 3,100 yard 9 hole par 36 course, Daviess County Country Club where I have been a member since I retired in 2008. He played almost every day that was decent weather-wise from the time he was 9 or 10. The beauty of a small town course is that he could play any time without a tee time, and start on any hole, or skip holes to find an opening. We still have half a dozen kids who are out there almost every day, and one or two actually have the potential to go a long way - absolutely amazing for a town this size. Brice is a good young man, who has remained a bachelor, and lives at home with his parents when not on the road. He wants to give himself every chance to follow his dream so has not complicated his life. If he makes the PGA next year which looks likely, he would be someone for all of you to root for, I know I will!

[Irish Red]

I hope that Brice has a very successful future in golf. He seems to have his priorities in order and set career goals. Golf needs fine young men like Brice to keep the game alive.

[fred53]

Best of luck Brice...

[nitehawk]

I still love Tiger---and all the announcers love him

[Bonny]

Good luck to Brice. Hope he does well. I do love Tiger !!

[murray607]

I separate Tigers indisgressions and bad behaviour from his raw talent. When he plays badly everything it seems is taken into account, but when he plays good you can only but appreciate and hear of his great genius and playing ability.

[Birdie Dreamer]

No question Tiger is a great talent. But IMOP it is a lot more satisfying to see talent and class win any day. Congratulations Phil!

[nitehawk]

Phil- announcers

[TrudyM]

Love to root for the hard working guy trying to make his dream come true.

[rubicon]

The best to you Brice. Given the bad choices so many young people it appears his journey is a good one.

As for Tiger, et al. I believe most of us have finally learned that it is best if we don't look back. The past is the past