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Nationwide Tour players go for the gold
By Dave Weissman, Columbus Wired.  Photos by Jacob Porter

Going for gold is usually a term referred to when talking about the Olympics. The Nationwide Tour also uses gold to clearly identify the top 25 golfers on tour. The significance is special because the top-25 automatically qualifies for the big show, the PGA Tour.

This week, the Nationwide Tour stops in Columbus, Ohio as the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational. Columbus is home to Nationwide Insurance, the tour’s sponsor and the player that claims the victory at the Ohio State University Scarlet Course is virtually guaranteed a spot next year on the PGA Tour because this is one of the top three money prizes on tour ($750,000) with the winner earning $135,000.

Last year’s tournament was won by Daniel Summerhays, who was unable to collect the winner’s check as he was still an all-american amateur enrolled at BYU.

Since the names are not as well known as the PGA players, there is a totally different atmosphere than a stop such as the Memorial. We all know that Tiger Woods is ranked number-one and the best the best golfer in the world. We know that pros such as Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk and Adam Scott are a few of the top-ten players.

But does the average golf fan know who Jarrod Lyle, Colt Knost, Rick Price and Greg Chalmers? They are the top four players on the Nationwide Tour.

The caddie for Jarrod Lyle has a large number one on his bib. Lyle is the leading money winner on tour with $288,771 earnings in 15 events. In second place is Knost who jumped from 20th to 2nd after last week’s tournament. A players rank changes each week, so the players keep a keen eye on the numbers.

Only the fanatic fan can name more than three players on the Nationwide Tour. Some have played at The Memorial such as former PGA Tour players Kyle Reifers (ranked 29th), Arjun Awal (ranked 24th) and OSU graduate Chris Smith (ranked 43rd).

They travel from tournament site to site not only as competitors, but as a traveling caravan. The bring their families and children. You see them talking with other players friends and families. They sit together in the dining area and kids will play video games together.

Shortly before going out to play his first round, one pro was spotted playing Guitar Hero with his son. Later, while his dad went ‘to the office’, the young man was playing another video game with one of the caddies kids. Some of the caddies are wives, girlfriends, family members or friends.

The players are very thankful and respectful to where their careers have taken them so far. They unselfishly take time to sign balls for each of the crew members (scorekeeper, signage attendants) as a souvenir. They sign hats and anything else after their round outside a small tent just beyond the 18th green for the fans that come out to watch them play.

They thank the volunteers for their support and walking the round with them, helping to keep the tournament running smoothly. You don’t see this from the PGA Tour pros. And a fan can certainly get closer to the golfers than at a PGA Tour event. There are not crowds ten deep lining an entire hole.

And you notice the camaraderie amongst the players that you probably do not find in the PGA. There was a lot more comments heard such as ‘good shot’, ‘good putt’, and ‘way to go’s’ from players and caddies within a group.

So when you come out to see the event this weekend, remember to root for those guys going for the gold.