Flanagan gets first taste of USPGA Tour at Bay Hill
IN: News | US PGA | Bay Hill Invitational (2004) | General | by Bruce Young | 18 Mar 2004
When 19-year-old Australian amateur, Nick Flanagan, tees it up tonight at the Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando, he begins a journey that appears headed for success in professional golf.
For Flanagan, who unexpectedly won the US Amateur by beating 'golden boy' Casey Wittenberg in the final at Oakmont last August, this will be his first USPGA Tour event but will be a significant stepping stone in his run in to the US Masters in three weeks. As the reigning US Amateur Champion, Flanagan of course gains a start at Augusta.
After some rather ordinary form immediately following his US Amateur victory, perhaps a legacy of the significant demands placed on Flanagan at that time with everyone wanting a piece of him, he has played very well over recent months, his third place at the ANZ Championship reconfirming his potential.
At the Asia Pacific Teams Championship representing Australia, soon after his return from his US trip last September, Flanagan struggled, but with his equilibrium back and a well earned break, Flanagan played well at the NSW Open (18th), followed with a 35th placing at the MasterCard Masters which included a last round 68, then missed the cut at the Australian Open.
At the Heineken Classic he had the good fortune to be paired with Ernie Els and Adam Scott on day one and was witness at close quarters to what may well have been one of the best ever rounds in tournament golf when Els shot 60 at Royal Melbourne. He shot 67 on the same day and the confidence and self belief was building further. He would go on to finish 32nd but it was at his next event the ANZ Championship where he would produce something quite special.
An event co-sanctioned between the European and Australasian Tours, the ANZ Championship was played at the Horizons Resort layout, only about an hour's drive from his home. The modified stableford format seemed to suit the aggressive game that Flanagan possesses and in finishing tied for third behind Brian Davis and Paul Casey he announced that he was ready for the next step if and when he so chooses.
He tees off today with Arjun Atwal and Patrick Damron two players unlikely to daunt him by their playing records. Atwal, despite outstanding success in Asia in recent years, is the first Indian golfer to play the USPGA Tour and is therefore still finding his feet in his rookie year. Damron is the brother of USPGA Tour player, Robert and although a winner on the Canadian Tour last year, this will be just his third career start on the USPGA Tour. He is currently a rookie on the Nationwide Tour. Having played with both Els and Scott at Royal Melbourne and handled himself admirably in doing so, there is every reason to believe that Flanagan will be the most relaxed in this group.
Flanagan not only won the US Amateur last year but won the North West Amateur also although both victories were on bent greens. This week he gets to play on slick tournament prepared Tifeagle bermudagrass greens. Such is his experience now however, in a range of conditions, the adjustment should be the least of his worries as he prepares for Augusta.
His progress as a player in the months ahead will be watched with interest by all Australian golf fans keen to hang their hat on someone who could become the next best thing in Australian golf.
