Special Golf Section 2.18.21

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

TIME TO SCRAMBLE LECOM Suncoast Classic champ Andrew Novak is ready to defend his title. PAGE 4

SPECIAL GOLF PREVIEW

TWICE THE TALENT

Lakewood Ranch area goes back-to-back, hosting the Korn Ferry and PGA tours.

MAJOR DREAM

Two PGA Tour Majors have been played in Florida. Would The Concession be worthy?

PAGE 3

KEY HOLES

The GMs at Lakewood National and The Concession talk about make-orbreak holes.

PAGES 8-9

LOCAL LONG SHOTS

Area golfers Stephen Stallings Jr. and Sean Kelly try to shock the LECOM Suncoast field.

PAGE 10

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Holes 18 and 10 at The Concession at sunset.

MAJOR

AMBITION Could The Concession host a PGA Tour Major event?

RYAN KOHN SPORTS REPORTER

W

hen it comes to majors, the PGA Tour seldom comes to Florida.

Only twice has a Florida golf course hosted a major — the 1971 PGA Championship at BallenIsles Country Club (then the PGA National Golf Club) in Palm Beach Gardens and the 1987 PGA Championship at PGA National Resort and Spa, also in Palm Beach Gardens.

Could The Concession Golf Club in East County host the third?

At first blush, it sounds unlikely. The private club, which opened in 2006, is getting ready to host its first PGA Tour event when the World Golf Championships at The Concession comes to town Feb. 25-28.

To The Concession General Manager Brian Weimann, hosting a major is no dream at all — it’s a realistic goal.

“This was built as a championship-caliber golf course from the beginning,” Weimann said of the Jack Nicklaus-designed course.

“The WGC isn’t a major, but it’s fairly close. We are able to host events of this caliber. The course is why we could do this on short

FUTURE PGA CHAMPIONSHIPS The one shot Florida courses have at hosting one of golf’s major events would be the PGA Championship, which has been moved to May on the schedule.

The Masters is held at the Augusta National (Ga.) Golf Club annually while the British Open obviously is not held in the U.S. The U.S. Open is held each year in June, which takes Florida out of the equation.

Here is where the PGA Championship will be played through 2026.

2021 — Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Ocean Course), S.C. 2022 — Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa, Okla.

2023 — Oak Hill Country Club, Pittsford, N.Y. 2024 — Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, Ky. 2025 — Quail Hollow Country Club, Charlotte, N.C. 2026 — The Olympic Club (Lake Course), San Francisco

Ryan Kohn

Ty Votaw, the PGA Tour’s executive vice president-international, says the ingredients for hosting a major tournament could potentially come together for The Concession Golf Club if the World Golf Championships event goes well.

notice. It is always ready, always in championship shape.”

Weimann said that by hosting the WGC, the club can get feedback from PGA Tour officials on how to be a host. This year’s event will be atypical with limited numbers of club members and invited guests in attendance, but Weimann said the club can handle a full-sized crowd. He noted the 2015 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships, which The Concession hosted, as proof that the club can handle large-scale events. It was the first time the men’s and women’s events were held in the same location.

Hosting a major isn’t a new goal for the club, Weimann said.

It’s something The Concession always wanted.

“We are excited for the course to showcase itself,” Weimann said.

Ty Votaw, the tour’s executive vice president-international, said it is possible The Concession’s goal becomes a reality. Votaw said there are different factors that go into hosting each of the U.S. majors that change locations — the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open. Those include course difficulty and logistical factors, such as sponsorship opportunities, parking availability, and the number of fans the course can accommodate.

Is it possible that The Concession can check all of the boxes?

The Concession Golf Club Owner Bruce Cassidy said he isn’t looking for an annual event and would rather host a big event on occasion. Votaw said if the players competing at the World Golf Championships like the course and talk about it after the event, and it looks good on TV, that would help its chances.

“That will make decisionmakers take notice,” Votaw said.

Votaw said the club coming through and helping the tour move the WGC out of Mexico (the current event was scheduled for Mexico City but had to be moved due to the pandemic) is already a success story because of how fast everything came together and the cooperative way in which it happened.

Courtesy photo

MAJOR WINDFALL Ty Votaw, PGA Tour’s executive vice president-international, said there is no formal application or bidding process when a club is interested in hosting a major tournament. It is not akin to a World Cup or the Olympics in that regard.

Instead, Votaw said, it comes down to relationships. The more prominent people who champion a course, the better, and things build from there. Hosting an important nonmajor, such as the World Golf Championships, and hosting it well, can go a long way in establishing a rapport with the PGA Tour.

“When you have a person like Bruce Cassidy (The Concession Golf Club owner), and you a have the membership that The Concession does, the process is more streamlined,” Votaw said. “It’s not about an application process. It’s asking: ‘What are the options? Where can we go? What’s each golf course’s condition this time of year?’”

Votaw said The Concession’s willingness to host an event with such a short amount of preparation time earns the respect of the PGA Tour. With those things in mind, and with prominent figures in the golf community including 1993 PGA Championship winner Paul Azinger championing the course, it’s not a stretch to think The Concession will be considered a viable option in the future.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021

“I was hitting the ball so bad [that] I had to get up and down every hole.

Otherwise, I would have been shooting 80. My short game improved because of it.”

— Andrew Novak

File photo

Andrew Novak says the momentum from his 2020 LECOM Suncoast Classic win was halted by the Korn Ferry Tour’s COVID-19 pause. He is back to defend his title.

Rare title defense Pandemic hinders Andrew Novak from earning PGA Tour status.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS REPORTER

I

t isn’t often that the winner of a Korn Ferry Tour event gets a chance to repeat.

Usually, event winners are propelled so high in the money winnings that they qualify for the next season’s PGA Tour.

AL#13373

There’s nothing usual, though, about how the past 12 months have gone.

The Korn Ferry Tour paused its 2020 season last March at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The season resumed in June on a modified schedule, but everything was different. There were no fans at the

events, and the tour decided to have the 2020 season combine with the 2021 season in terms of awarding PGA Tour cards.

So instead of playing for multimillion dollar purses each week, 2020 LECOM Suncoast Classic winner Andrew Novak has to negotiate another season of the Korn Ferry Tour. He

comes into the tour’s first event of 2020, the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic on Feb. 18-21 at Lakewood National Golf Club, in 28th place on the money list ($160,302).

If the pandemic hadn’t hit, Novak might have been higher, but he will take it after what happened at last year’s LECOM Suncoast Classic. Defending champ sounds pretty good, even if it’s not on the PGA Tour.

“I wouldn’t miss this one for the world,” Novak said.

Novak, 25, beat John Chin by one stroke (23 under par) last year at Lakewood National. He sank a long birdie on the 18th hole to seal the victory.

He said he had his best week ever driving the ball, and his play off the tee opened up the rest of his game. Unfortunately, Novak said, he couldn’t continue that roll when the Korn Ferry Tour canceled events. By the time the tour restarted, the magic was gone.

“I cracked my driver coming out of quarantine,” Novak said. “Usually, I’m good about adjusting to those things. A few swings, and I can get the feel of a

new club. But for whatever reason, I was never able to replicate the feel I had before.”

Novak said he stopped hitting as many fairways. The result?

Four made cuts out of 16 events after the pause. His best finish was tied for 23rd at the Albertsons Boise Open in October (14 under par). It was a low feeling, Novak said, being unable to take advantage of his Suncoast Classic win, especially after feeling like he could birdie every hole just a few months prior.

A new, albeit combined, season has arrived, and Novak said his struggles down the stretch in 2020 might have a silver lining.

“I was hitting the ball so bad [that] I had to get up and down every hole. Otherwise, I would have been shooting 80,” Novak said. “My short game improved because of it. I gained confidence in my putting. Pair that with good ball striking, and that’s something.”

Novak said he feels good about the state of his game entering the 2021 Suncoast Classic. He will be taking the same approach to the course as he did last year, even though his driving hasn’t been quite the same. He knows the fairways are wide, but he needs to place his drives correctly to score low.

Another win would likely send him to compete against the world’s best.

“This is my fourth year on this tour,” Novak said. “I’m approaching it the same. I’m in a better [points] position than some guys. I just need to go out and earn a [PGA Tour] card.”

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Major champ loves The Concession “My favorite memory is probably still that first impression of it, which is how out in the wilderness it felt.”

Paul Azinger says it is about time the world is introduced to the Lakewood Ranch-area course.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS REPORTER

— Paul Azinger

P

aul Azinger has hundreds of memories of The Concession Golf Club — and only some of them involve actual golf.

“My favorite memory is probably still that first impression of it, which is how out in the wilderness it felt,” Azinger said. “I’ve seen hogs back there, there’s been panthers back there, there’s been rattlesnakes. When I was younger, I would even pick up those little rattlesnakes. I have video of it somewhere.”

Azinger, the 1993 PGA Championship winner and now an NBC broadcaster, owns a home in west Bradenton but has been an honorary member of The Concession since it opened in 2006. He even helped club Owner Bruce Cassidy fill the ponds with wildlife.

He loves the course, and he can’t wait to watch others try to tackle it during the World Golf Championships at The Concession, coming to the club Feb. 25-29.

The event will bring 72 of the world’s best golfers to the area.

Azinger is expecting some of them to struggle.

“I think there will be a big gap between the winners and the guys who play poorly,” Azinger said.

“It’s the kind of golf course that

Ryan Kohn

Paul Azinger, who won the 1993 PGA Championship, will be on the NBC broadcast of the World Golf Championships at The Concession. Azinger is an honorary member of the club and owns a home in west Bradenton.

will eat your lunch. … I’m probably close to 600 over par since I joined, not exaggerating.”

Why is it so difficult? Azinger, who will be on the tournament’s broadcast, said he has analyzed the course from the average carry distance of Bryson DeChambeau, Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson, and he sees a different course with different strategies each time. Hitting the ball the farthest is not always the best strategy.

Instead, golfers will want to pick their shots carefully.

Azinger said that to him, the No. 14 hole, a par 3, is the course’s most difficult — and also his favorite. It’s not the hole that will

get the most attention from viewers, he said. There is no water or other unique feature. It’s just a straight-up challenge.

“Anything pin-high at the front pin rolls down,” he said. “Or they’ll hit a bunker. It’s awesome.

Some guys are going to rethink the way they chip and pitch after they get done with it.”

Azinger also said the course will translate well to TV. Azinger said there is a nice contrast between the course’s white sand and its green grass and that there are nice edges in the bunkers. Azinger said he anticipates lot of flyover shots from NBC’s aerial cameras as well. Azinger said Emmy-win-

ning NBC producer Tommy Roy set up a “speed shot” on the No. 17 hole, which will allow viewers to see a side view of each shot.

“I think it’s going to look spectacular,” Azinger said.

More than anything else, Azinger said he’s happy the Sarasota-Bradenton area will be getting its due. It has been a long time coming, he said.

“In the ’70s when I was cutting my teeth, there were some good courses around here, but the greens were never tour quality,” Azinger said.

It wasn’t until Cassidy built The Concession that there was a course in the Bradenton-Sarasota area whose greens were, as Azinger said, “killer.” It set the standard for the area, he said, and now more and more courses in the area are following suit. Whenever he’s asked about the area’s growth, he said, he gets a big smile on his face. He was here before University Parkway was a road; now he’s seen it become a real destination.

The WGC is the cherry on top.

“I can’t believe the best players on the planet are coming here,” Azinger said.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021

WHOLE 9 YARDS Here are key spots on the Lakewood National course that could decide the victor.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

H

ere is a look at the key holes for the pros at Lakewood National. The information was provided by Lakewood National General

Manager Todd Van Meer.

FRONT NINE HOLE #2 491-YARD PAR 4

The golfers must bomb a drive accurately because the second shot is going to be headed into an elevated green. The pros will be very aggressive off the tee to have the shortest shot possible into the table top green. But if they miss the drive to the left, they can end up in the bunker. A miss to the right can leave them with a very tight lie for the second shot.

HOLE #3 253-YARD PAR 3

The sheer length of this hole makes it a very tough par, so any

of the pros who can land on the putting surface will get a leg up on the field. Anything to the left can catch a nasty bunker and to the right leaves a tight chip into the elevated green. Those going through the green are in big trouble as it is out of bounds behind the green.

HOLE #4 298-YARD PAR 4

Risk-reward is the key on No. 4 because the pros all will have the ability to drive the hole.

The green surface, though, is brutal, and from the middle of the green to the back is a huge downward slope. Those shots screaming low into the hole can blow through the back and lead

to big numbers. Those who hook the ball left on No. 4 go out of bounds. Golfers might be better off hitting a position drive around 100 yards short of the green and hitting an easy pitch to the hole.

BACK NINE HOLE #11 362-YARD PAR 4

A classic risk-reward hole.

The pros can definitely drive the green, but there is water all the way down the left side. A definite birdie hole with a good drive. Those who don’t want to take the chance will layup and have a short iron. For spectators, it’s a great location because you can watch action on four different holes in one location.

will be water down the right side that will be well within the pros’ drives if they go a bit wide.

Driving accuracy will be a must for par, and big numbers could come into play.

HOLE #17 215-YARD PAR 3

Although the pros won’t have any trouble hitting the huge green, if they aren’t accurate from 215 yards, they will leave themselves with very difficult two-putts. There actually is a three-club difference depending on whether the pin is on the front or the back of the green.

The green is so big that a miss to the wrong side might actually leave you a putt where you can’t see the hole.

HOLE #16 515-YARD PAR 4

In the first two years of the tourney, this was a par 5. As a par 4, it becomes one of the most difficult holes on the course. There

IF YOU GO

LECOM SUNCOAST CLASSIC Tour: Korn Ferry Tour When: 7 a.m. Feb. 18 and 19; 8 a.m. Feb. 20 and 21 Where: Lakewood National Golf Club, 17605 Lakewood National Parkway, Lakewood Ranch Defending champ: Andrew Novak How many players: 144 Purse: $600,000 Winner’s share: $106,000 Tickets: $20 per round for adults; children 17 and under, active duty military, veterans and first responders all receive free admission Information: LECOMSuncoastClassic. com Televised coverage: None

2020 LECOM SUNCOAST CLASSIC TOP FIVE FINISHERS Here’s a look at the top five finishers from the 2020 LECOM Suncoast Classic.

1

ANDREW NOVAK (23 UNDER PAR) Novak, 25, saw the momentum from his LECOM Suncoast Classic win last February halted when the Korn Ferry Tour decided not to hold any tournaments from mid-March until June because of the COVID-19 pandemic. From June through December, Novak played in 16 Korn Ferry Tour events. He missed the cut in 12 of them. In the other four, Novak finished no higher than 23rd, at the Albertsons Boise Open in August (14 under par).

2

JOHN CHIN (22 UNDER PAR) Chin, 33, played 15 Korn Ferry Tour events after the pandemic break. He made the cut in 10 of them, including an eighth-place finish at the Utah Championship in June (17 under par) and a 16th-place finish at the Wichita Open in September (11 under par).

Chin will start the 2021 season in 25th place on the money list ($164,922) and in 20th place on the points list (804).

3

TAYLOR MONTGOMERY (21 UNDER PAR) Montgomery, 26, played in 13 Korn Ferry Tour events after the LECOM Suncoast Classic. He made the cut in seven of them and capitalized on his opportunities.

He finished tied for second at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship in August (10 under par) and tied for 10th at the Savannah Golf Championship in October (17 under par). Montgomery is 23rd on both the points list (790) and 23rd on the money list ($174,457).

4

DAVID KOCHER (20 UNDER PAR) Kocher, 24, played in 17 events after the LECOM Suncoast Classic. Before the pause, he was able to play in the El Bosque Mexico Championship, which he won (12 under par). He then made the cut in eight of the 16 events after the break, with his highest finish being tied for 15th at the Orange County National Championship in October (16 under par). Kocher is 22nd on the money list ($183,078) and 24th on the points list (788).

5

CHANDLER BLANCHET (20 UNDER PAR) Blanchet, 26, played in 15 events after the LECOM Suncoast Classic. He made just five cuts but did finish tied for fifth at the Wichita Open in September (13 under par). Blanchet will start the 2021 season in 80th place on the points list (313) and 85th on the money list ($64,671).

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021

SHOT AT GLORY Key spots on The Concession course that could decide the victor.

JAY HEATER | MANAGING EDITOR

H

ere is a look at the key holes for the pros at The Concession Golf Club. The information was provided by The Concession General Manager Brian Weimann.

FRONT NINE HOLE #3 577-YARD PAR 5

It’s a must scoring hole for the pros, who will have a wide-open tee shot and with a big drive will be able to reach the green in two shots. The pros will need every yard off the tee because the second shot into the green could turn tough if it lands in a valley to the right of the green. It’s a tough upand-down from there. There also is a false front off the left side of the green and super tight lies for shots that fall off there. There is a pot bunker on the right front that will penalize the golfers.

HOLE #7 606-YARD, PAR 5

For even the pros, it will be a three-shot hole to the green. And the work on the dogleg left just begins at the green, which is very undulating, has a false front and has a lot of slope. If the pros miss the green and short side themselves, a double bogey comes into play. Those trying to shorten the hole with a big drive could be in trouble if they hit a bunker to the left side.

HOLE #8 374-YARD PAR 4

This short par 4 is one of the signature holes on the course. The pros will most likely hit an iron or hybrid club off the tee. It is a totally second-shot hole. The green has water three-quarters of the way around and a bunker on the left that is possibly the toughest bunker shot on the course. But for those who hit good irons, it will yield birdies.

BACK NINE HOLE #12 349-YARD PAR 4

Another short par 4, but this one is drivable and, for those who expect to compete, a must birdie hole. For those who challenge the green on the drive, there are some big

bunkers around the green. Also, just short of the green leaves a very tough pitch and could make bogey a possibility. A great drive, though, and golfers will be able to make up a couple of strokes with an eagle.

HOLE #14 222-YARD PAR 3

The longest par 3 on the course, and even the pros will be thinking that par is a good score on the hole. The green slopes away on all sides, and a miss to the right will end up in the bunker. The best place to miss will be short of the green.

HOLE #17 590-YARD PAR 5

This par 5 features a double dogleg, but a big drive will let the pros take a run at the green in two shots. Big hitters who can fly the bunker that is 310 yards from the tee on the right will have a big advantage. Coming down the stretch Sunday, those with a shot at the title are likely to take a risk on this hole.

IF YOU GO

WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS AT THE CONCESSION Tour: PGA Tour When: 7 a.m. Feb. 25 and 26; 8 a.m. Feb. 27 and 28 Where: The Concession Golf Club, 7700 Lindrick Lane, Lakewood Ranch Defending champ: Patrick Reed How many players: 72 Purse: $10.5 million Winner’s share: $1.67 million Tickets: No tickets available due to COVID-19 pandemic Information: PGATour.com Televised coverage: Golf Channel, Feb. 25 and 26; Golf Channel/NBC Feb. 27 and 28; times TBA

2020 WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS-MEXICO TOP FIVE FINISHERS Here’s a look at the top five finishers from the 2020 World Golf Championships-Mexico.

1

PATRICK REED (18 UNDER PAR) Reed, 30, has started the 2021 season strong. He’s made five out of six cuts and finished in the top 15 four times, including a win at the Farmers Insurance Open on Jan. 31 (14 under par). The lightning rod figure is 10th in both the FedEx Cup standings (736) and the PGA Tour money list ($2.07 million) as of Feb. 7.

2

BRYSON DECHAMBEAU (17 UNDER PAR) DeChambeau, 27, is eighth in FedEx Cup points thanks to a win at the U.S. Open (6 under par) in September to kick off his season. He also finished eighth at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in October (18 under par) and seventh at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January (20 under par). DeChambeau is fourth on the PGA Tour money list ($2.7 million) as of Feb. 7.

3

JON RAHM (15 UNDER PAR) Rahm, 26, has made the cut in all six events he has played this season.

He finished tied for second at the ZOZO Championship in October (22 under par), then finished tied for seventh in three straight events. Rahm is 19th in FedEx Cup points (596) and 15th on the tour’s money list ($1.74 million) as of Feb. 7.

4

ERIK VAN ROOYEN (15 UNDER PAR) Van Rooyen, 30, has played in seven events this season.

They haven’t gone they way he wanted as he withdrew from the Masters, missed the cut in three events and has finished no higher than 20th in the other three. As a result, van Rooyen is in 139th place in the FedEx Cup standings (86) and 134th on the money list ($199,807) as of Feb. 7.

5

RORY MCILROY (14 UNDER PAR) McIlroy, 31, has finished tied for eighth at the U.S. Open in September (six over par) and tied for fifth at the Masters in November (11 under par).

At the other three events he’s played, he’s finished outside the top 15 but no lower than 21st. As of Feb. 7, McIlroy is 43rd in FedEx Cup points (330) and 31st on the money list ($1.04 million).

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Chasing the dream Area players hope to turn sponsor’s exemptions into status on the Korn Ferry Tour.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

It was 10 a.m. on a Monday last September, and Stephen Stallings Jr. was sitting in his Lakewood National home and watching TV. He would have rather been trying to qualify for a professional golf tournament somewhere, anywhere, but this was during the COVID-19 pandemic, and opportunities were limited.

Then the phone rang.

Stallings, 26, was being offered a sponsor’s exemption into the $4 million Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship in the Dominican Republic — if, of course, he could get there. Oh, and he needed a COVID-19 test, too.

Stallings started scrambling, got his test and quick negative result, boarded a plane and arrived just in time.

He not only made the field but also made the cut and finished 33rd overall. It was his second start ever in a PGA Tour event and his second time in the money. He finished 45th in the 2019 Barbasol Championship in Nicholasville, Ky. His two PGA

starts have earned him $30,084.

It was an example of how golfers who don’t have “status” on either the PGA or Korn Ferry tours must be ready to go at a moment’s notice and be prepared to face down the best golfers in the world.

Stallings gets another huge opportunity Feb. 18-21 at the Korn Ferry Tour stop at the $600,000 LECOM Suncoast Classic at Lakewood National Golf Club in Lakewood Ranch.

Unlike his rushed trip to the Dominican Republic, this event is being held right at Stallings’ home. He got into the tournament on a sponsor’s exemption.

“This is a cool opportunity, and I’m very grateful,” said Stallings, who has lived in Lakewood Ranch for two-and-ahalf years. “This could be big for me. A good finish would help me get points. It’s all about status.”

Players who have status on the tours don’t have to play qualifying rounds to get into the events at the last minute. They don’t have to rely on sponsor’s exemptions.

“I can’t set my schedule,” Stallings said. “I need to be ready to go in a second.”

Stephen Stallings Jr. practices at The Concession for the upcoming LECOM Suncoast Classic at Lakewood National.

Jay Heater

Bradenton’s Sean Kelly, who also has received a sponsor’s exemption into the LECOM Suncoast Classic, is in the same predicament. He has played professional tours in Canada, Mexico, Asia and Europe, as well as the U.S. He played the Web.com Tour (that became the Korn Ferry Tour) in 2018 (he made eight of 18 cuts) but once again is chasing the much-coveted status.

“Making the cut here would be huge,” he said of his LECOM Suncoast Classic start. “But you can’t just play trying to make the cut. That won’t work.”

Kelly, 28, has lived in Bradenton since 2007 when his father, Tim, moved here from New York, where he was a firefighter.

Kelly went to Saint Stephens and IMG before playing his college golf at the University of South

Carolina. His father worked for a decade at Legacy Golf Course in Lakewood Ranch.

LECOM Suncoast Classic Tournament Director Justin Kristich offered Kelly a sponsor’s exemption in October.

“I have played the course about eight times,” Kelly said.

“I’ve done pretty well. Hopefully, I will get in two to three more rounds to know the course [before the tournament].

Stallings, who was a threeyear starter at the University of Kentucky, knows the course but said it won’t be as big an edge as one might think.

“Most of the guys have played an event a few times, and everyone learns to pick up the courses,” he said. “It’s all about executing shots. And sometimes it’s harder to play at home [because of distractions].”

That being said, Stallings feels comfortable on the course.

“This is more of a bombers paradise,” said Stallings, who averages a 310-yard carry with his driver. “It all comes down to putting and birdieing the par 5s.”

He and his parents, Stephen and Pam, are members at The Concession.

Lakewood Ranch has been his family’s vacation spot for years, and he moved here because he loved the beaches, the golf and the laid-back lifestyle.

All the last-minute road trips can wear out golfers trying to move up the professional ladder, but Stallings said he still loves the sport.

“I am just now getting the hang of it,” he said. “I’m just getting adjusted. I’m not worried because I feel my game is good enough.”

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View of the world’s best Two Lakewood Ranch youths volunteer at The Concession to get close to their golfing heroes.

UP CLOSE WITH THEIR HEROES LUKAS WAHLSTROM Age: 15 Residence: Country Club in Lakewood Ranch School: Cardinal Mooney Catholic High school Favorite player: Dustin Johnson About Lukas: Wahlstrom started golfing competitively when he was 10, and he participates in tournaments about three times per month. He plays on Cardinal Mooney High’s team.

LIZ RAMOS STAFF WRITER

When Country Club East’s AJ Hovermale found out he would be volunteering at the World Golf Championships, he was speechless.

He couldn’t believe he would be able to meet his hero, Justin Thomas, along with dozens of other professional golfers.

“My passion for golf started from [Thomas],” Hovermale said. “I’ve kept going because of him. He was a guy who grew up small like me. He never hit the ball far until he got to the PGA Tour. He’s a good golfer. He’s also from Kentucky, and that’s where I’m from.”

Hovermale, 15, has been playing golf for as long as he could remember. His father, Adam, said he would take AJ for a golf cart ride in a toddler’s carrier.

Hovermale has volunteered at other golf tournaments, such as the North and South Amateur Championship and the Chubb Classic, but he hasn’t volunteered at a tournament involving the best golfers in the world.

Hovermale will be a volunteer on the practice range.

“I’m excited, and I’m nervous,” Hovermale said. “I’ve

Country Club’s Lukas Wahlstrom looks forward to seeing players like Dustin Johnson play at the World Golf Championships.

Photos by Liz Ramos

Country Club East’s AJ Hovermale says he wants to see how players adjust to problems physically and mentally while on the course.

AJ HOVERMALE Age: 15 Residence: Country Club East in Lakewood Ranch School: Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School Favorite player: Justin Thomas About AJ: Hovermale has been playing golf competitively since he was 9. He plays on Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School’s team.

always been a standard bearer.

I’ve never worked the range, but I’m excited. It’ll be pretty interesting.”

Country Club’s Lukas Wahlstrom, 15, will have a chance to meet the pros as well when he volunteers at the LECOM Sun-

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coast Classic as a golf marshal and the World Golf Championships at the practice range.

Although Wahlstrom is grateful to have the opportunity to volunteer at both tournaments, he’s looking forward to the World Golf Championships more.

“It’s the [72] best players” Wahlstrom said of the World Golf Championships. “They’re good players, and it’s fun to see Korn Ferry, but I can see guys like John Rahm, [Dustin Johnson], guys that have been around for a long time.”

Johnson is Wahlstrom’s idol.

He admires how far Johnson can hit the ball along with other skills and characteristics.

“He just plays the game, and he plays it well,” Wahlstrom said. “He never says anything to disturb anyone.”

While volunteering at the World Golf Championships, Wahlstrom and Hovermale will be soaking up as much information as they can.

“I’m looking forward to meeting some of the best golfers in the world and seeing how they warm up and apply it to my game,” Wahlstrom said.

“Maybe one day I’ll be playing with these guys, or maybe one day I’ll be playing at this event,” Hovermale said. “Maybe one day I’ll go up to Justin Thomas and be like, ‘Hey, I was the one who gave you the golf balls at WGC at the Concession.”

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: EVEN YOU CAN HELP PROS Residents share advice on mastering their home course with the pros.

THE CONCESSION

RYAN KOHN SPORTS REPORTER

I

f you weren’t a professional football player or coach, you wouldn’t be able to give Tom Brady any helpful tips on how to play in the Super Bowl.

Golf, though, is different.

Even a casual player might be able to tell Rory McIlroy or Justin Thomas that a putt that has every indication of breaking right, is actually going toward the water, to the left.

You might be able to explain how that fairway along the lake on the 10th fairway might look absolutely flat but in reality has a subtle slope that pulls all the shots anywhere near into the water. Or how that chip from just off the back of No. 8 has no chance of stopping by the hole when it is positioned on the right front of the green.

It’s called local knowledge.

Here are some members of Lakewood National and The Concession with tips to the best in the game as they get ready to play the LECOM Suncoast Classic and the World Golf Championships at The Concession.

ELIOT REID The design of the course draws your eyes to certain spots that have a lot of risk/reward to them. Once you have seen the course a few times, you find the more receptive spots to drive the ball off the tee. That’s the first challenge you have to master to play this course well.

There are spots that initially look less attractive but are actually safer.

P.J. KOLOSVARY Around the greens, this course will nip you if you’re not on the right side of things. You have to be strategic with how you’re approaching the greens.

Otherwise your misses might be huge. On a hole like No. 17, if you’re not in the right spot and trying to go for 2 on that par 5, it can get you in a bad spot.

JEFF RENZULLI You don’t have to be a bomber to play well here. You can move the ball around to different spots on the course. It’s an older style course in that way.

You hit it here, then you hit it there. Despite its length, you don’t have to hit the ball long to have success.

JEROME BROWN Concession slopes pins that are away from the center. You can barely miss it and short side yourself and get a tougher chip.

I also always tell my buddies fringe putting is a lost art that you need to bring with you.

There are tough lies, tough pins here. The best way is to use your putter around the green.

KATHY HENN I would say you shouldn’t tempt the water. Everything on this course runs into the water. If you get above the hole, all the greens run away, too. Everything rolls forever.

TIM KING Don’t be above the hole here.

There is a lot of undulation in these greens. And when it comes to scoring, you really have to pick your spots here.

LAKEWOOD NATIONAL

TOM MCDAVITT I would tell them they have to make hay on the par 5s. Then they need to survive what I call the gauntlet, holes 1, 2, 3 and 17 and 18. Those are [really] difficult.

MARTY MCDONALD I would tell them to walk the greens. For example, on Nov. 10 if you get above that hole on a middle pin, the ball won’t stop.

You are far better off below the hole. It’s all about ball position.

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COMMITMENT DEDICATION FOCUS

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) and the Korn Ferry Tour share a commitment to nurturing future leaders. Success on the field of competition and in the practice of medicine requires heart, pride and teamwork. LECOM prepares its students to become tomorrow’s leaders in medicine, pharmacy and dentistry while the Korn Ferry Tour prepares its athletes to be tomorrow’s stars on the PGA TOUR. Both strive for excellence and to develop into highly trained, successful professionals. LECOM is a proud partner of the Korn Ferry Tour and the Suncoast Classic.

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