Tryon and six others earn spot at Woodmont
Recent stories of teen golf phenoms Ryo Ishikawa of Japan and Jordan Spieth of Texas are often accompanied by a cautionary footnote — Ty Tryon.
Early this decade, Tryon was Ishikawa. He turned pro at 16, earned his PGA Tour card at 17 and signed a multimillion-dollar endorsement deal. Just one problem: He flamed out as fast as he arrived, failing to stick on the PGA and Nationwide Tours, washed up before he was old enough to drown his sorrows legally.
But slowly Tryon is starting to regain his lost game and his shattered psyche. On Monday at Woodmont Country Club, Tryon qualified for the U.S. Open.
Shooting a 64-74 – 138 at sectional qualifying, Tryon was one of seven players in a field of 78 to earn a slot in the Open, June 17-20, at Pebble Beach.
“That’s the best thing I’ve done in golf,” said Tryon, 26. “I’ve never played in a major.”
In the morning round, Tryon made nine birdies and one bogey. Twice Tryon hit shots deep into the woods and pitched out but made spectacular recovery shots to within five feet and saved par.
In the afternoon, when the wind freshened, Tryon lost control of his irons. He made a double-bogey 7 at No. 5. But he recovered with an even-par back nine, getting up and down from off the green five times to save par. He best came at No. 16, where he hit a delicate flop shot to a tight pin, then rolled in a 15-footer.
After failing on the PGA Tour in 2003 and the Nationwide in 2004, Tryon has played mini-tours. Last year, he quit competitive golf and worked as a teacher in Orlando, Fla., for David Leadbetter.
Tryon has few regrets about his unsuccessful early run at pro golf.
“When I was young, I enjoyed a lot of other things in life. I was a thrill-seeker in many other areas,” said Tryon, who is a husband and father of a 3-year-old. “I was shy about being a good golfer. Subconsciously, I didn’t really desire all the notoriety.”
Others qualifying at Woodmont were Nationwide Tour players Jason Gore (136), Kent Jones (136), Arjun Atwal (138), Craig Barlow (138), Daniel Summerhays (138), and Steven Wheatcroft (139) who emerged in a four-man playoff.
