Hollister golfer enjoys Champions Tour event
PEBBLE BEACH — Friday morning started off like any other for 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.
And that’s just about where the similarities ended.
Competing in the Wal-Mart First Tee Open at the Pebble Beach Golf Links on Friday, an official Champions Tour event that offers a unique setting in which junior players team up with professionals, Winn played in a nationally televised event last weekend, and was one of only 78 juniors 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.”
