The Primary Cut…Happy 2008

Eleventh installment of The Primary Cut – weekly insights from the world of golf player management and other golf-related industry and player news.

School’s Out Forever?

Golf World’s Ryan Herrington reports that not surprisingly, 21-year-old South Korean native and UNLV junior Seung-Su Han decided to stay an amateur and play for the Rebels, at least through next spring. Han made headlines last month when he became the first to test a USGA, NCAA and PGA Tour rule (initially passed by the USGA and adopted by the Tour in 2001, and approved by the NCAA a few years ago) permitting collegians to maintain their amateur status while attempting to qualify for professional status (either on the PGA or the Nationwide Tour) in the final round of qualifying school (Q School). But Han struggled at Orange County National last month, finishing T149 and earning only a conditional Nationwide card. Thus under the new rule, Han had 10 days to accept his conditional Nationwide status and turn pro, or to return to Las Vegas for the second half of his junior season in the spring.

According to Golfweek’s Rex Hoggard, “the rule was intended to stem the flow of junior players attempting the leap from high school to Tour school. [And] although the edict was noble in theory, in practice it seems peppered with unintended consequences.” For example, Hoggard states, “as Han negotiated his way through 12 rounds of qualifying to reach the final stage, the exercise became less a learning experience and more a pursuit. During that quest, Han missed two college tournaments, in which the Rebels [uncharacteristically] finished 10th out of 15 teams and 12th out of 16. He also missed nearly a month of classes.” Han’s case can be contrasted with that of Sandra Gal, the University of Florida senior who in December finished T14 in Q School and thus earned her 2008 LPGA Tour. Han ignored Gators’ coach Jules Briles-Hinton’s pleas to stay in school and instead turned professional on the spot. The German-native will thus begin 2008 as a member of the LPGA, and the Gators will be forced to start the spring 2008 campaign without their [former] No. 1 player.

While some coaches bemoan the rule and fear its consequences, those like UNLV head coach Dwaine Knight, who gave Han his full-support, seem more pragmatic. Knight had a star player named Adam Scott leave UNLV years ago after only two seasons. But no one now would argue that Scott (now ranked 7th in the world) made the wrong decision. “We are moving toward the edge of where the NBA and NFL are right now, to where players can test the waters, and it’s a dilemma,” Knight said. “The game is changing; life is changing. Things are much more accelerated now.”

So is testing out the Q School waters while still in high school or college what the future holds for the most talented amateur golfers? The answer likely is yes, assuming the $4,500 Q School entry fee isn’t an obstacle (it usually isn’t). The top female junior golfer Vicky Hurst recently announced, for instance, that she will forego college and turn professional next year, which Herrington notes makes it six straight AJGA girls’ players of the year that have skipped college for pro golf.

Meanwhile on the men’s side, despite their insistence to the contrary, no one would be surprised to see Florida’s Billy Horschel or USC’s Jamie Lovemark to try their hands at Q School while they still had college golf to fall back on. Other players, like UCLA’s freshman phenom Phillip Francis, remain adamant that nothing would ever lure them away from four years of collegiate golf. This past July, for example, when 16-year old Hawaiian prodigy Tadd Fujikawa turned pro, Phillip’s father John scoffed. “I would personally be embarrassed for my son to do that,” he said.

———-

Top College Golf Programs

Sticking to the subject of college golf, Golf.com’s Rick Lipsey ranked the nation’s top programs for collegiate golf, and not surprisingly Oklahoma St. took the honors for best men’s program. Historically, the most successful programs in terms of PGA career earnings also include Florida and Arizona St.

———-

Make That Money

The complete 2008 Nationwide Tour schedule was released Dec. 19 and, according to Tour president Bill Calfee, the ‘08 schedule will feature two events with $1 million purses: The Nationwide Tour Players Cup, July 10-13 at the Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport, W.Va., and the season-ending Tour Championship Nov. 3-9 at TPC Craig Ranch near Dallas. And unlike most Nationwide Tour events, there will be no open qualifying or sponsor invitations into the Players Cup. Instead, the 144-player field will be drawn from the Tour’s current money list.

———-

Sterling Sports Signs Perkins

Columbus, OH-based Sterling Sports Management recently signed Travis Perkins to an exclusive representation agreement. Perkins is a 30-year-old, Ohio native who had been trying to qualify for the PGA Tour since he left college at Florida Southern in 1999. This past month Perkins tied for ninth at Q School, playing well enough the first five days that he was able to give himself a nice cushion on the final day. “He’s been at it almost nine years. He’s really put his time in,” said Doug Gordin, a Delaware native and Perkins’ former college coach. “I think this is a good time for him to go out there. He’s got experience now; he knows what to expect. I think he should do real well.”

———-

Elder Renews With Adams Golf

Back when Tiger Woods was still attending Stanford, there was another “can’t miss” player making headlines at the University of Texas named Brad Elder. Hampered mainly by injuries, Elder has drifted around various tours since his collegiate days, but he will make his return to the PGA Tour after finishing 17th on the 2007 Nationwide Tour Money List. And his primary sponsor, Adams Golf (Elder wears their hat, carries a staff bag, and will play the company’s hybrids and woods in ’08) recently announced through Chip Brewer, its president and CEO, that it extended Elder’s contract. “I’m looking forward to playing again on the PGA Tour in ’08, and I’m excited about my continued partnership with Adams Golf,” said Elder. “Living only a few miles away from the Adams Golf headquarters affords me the opportunity to work closely with their staff and use their facilities for both testing and working on equipment. The success they’ve had over the past few years on tour is due in large part to the outstanding team of engineers as well as the guys in the tour department who I work with day to day. I completely trust the quality and performance of the equipment they provide me.”

Elder’s comments should resonate with agents who are shopping their client’s services and brand image around various equipment companies. Equipment contracts entail more than just what clubs your client will be playing, or what logo will be prominently displayed on his shirt and/or bag. They are also the foundation of a relationship, whereby agents and their clients are in constant contact with equipment representatives and engineers for said company. So before settling on an equipment company, make sure you and your client are dealing with people whom you both can work with (and also whose testing centers might just be down the road from where your client lives!)

———-

On Tap This Week

The 2008 PGA Tour season kicks off this week with the $5.5 million Mercedes-Benz Championship, played January 3-6 at The Plantation Course, Kapalua Resort in Maui, Hawaii. The winner of the smaller-field event (35 Tour players who won last season qualified, of which several—including Tiger and Phil—opted out) will pocket $1.1 million and a 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL550 (inset). Watch for strong play from Jim Furyk and Zach Johnson, both of whom struck the ball well at Tiger’s event a few weeks ago, as well as Hunter Mahan, who is one of Tour’s best drivers of the golf ball. For a dark horse pick, however, keep an eye on George McNeill.