"IF YOU LIKE GOLF"
weekly online golf column
by
Chris Dortch
August 8, 2000

It was fantastic to see Dalton, Ga. product Michael Clark pull out a PGA Tour victory last week at the John Deere Classic. In all the years I covered golf for the Chattanooga Times, I never dealt with Clark personally, but everyone I’ve talked to from the Dalton High School program, Georgia Tech and Dalton Country Club speak highly of him.

Clark’s story is one of perseverance. At 31, Clark,—who played with David Duval and Charlie Rymer at Tech—has kicked around professional golf for a while, toiling on the former Nike Tour for four years and winning a couple of tournaments. That gave him confidence that he had what it takes to compete on the big tour. He got his chance last fall after he won his tour card at the grueling qualifying school.

Clark didn’t exactly strike fear in the hearts of his fellow pros this season, but when his time came, he pounced on the opportunity. He actually had to go to bed sitting on the lead on Sunday night after rain postponed the final round. When play resumed the next day, Clark found himself in a battle with tour veteran Kirk Triplett, eventually tying him at 19-under 265 and forcing a playoff.

Clark won with a 10-foot birdie putt on the fourth extra hole. Who knows what the win will mean in the future? In the meantime, Clark could pad his bank account with the $468,000 first-place check.

"It’s just a huge confidence builder," Clark said. "It’s something you work for all your life and to finally grab it means everything."

Clark’s story reminded me of another former area player who has set his sights on a future on the PGA Tour. That would be D.J. Nelson, the former Hixson and South Alabama player who is toiling away on the NGA Hooters Tour this season.

Through the tour’s Wilmington, N.C. tournament in the third week of July, Nelson was 47^th on the money list with a little more than $9,000 in earnings. That might not sound like much, especially considering the Hooters Tour’s leading money winner has piled up nearly $150,000 this season. But for Nelson, it marks progress.

Known as one of the longest hitters anywhere (who can forget his long-driving duel with Hank Kuehne at The Honors two years ago?), Nelson has struggled with control all his career. But at the behest of his Chattanooga-based sponsors, Nelson recently sought out the advice of a Chicago-based teacher who has him hitting the ball much straight.

Nelson has lost 30 yards off the tee, but he’s finding more fairways. Though his swing was virtually overhauled, Nelson has taken to the changes quickly. He missed the cut at the first two Hooters events after the changes, but he’s since rallied. At Wilmington, Nelson shot 14 under par, but proving he’s still got some work to do, that was only good for eighth place.

Clearly, there are plenty of players who can take it deep on the Hooters Tour. Can Nelson become one of them?

He hopes the changes can allow him to. With his old swing, Nelson was always a threat to shoot in the 60s. But he was also a threat to shoot in the high 70s.

Now, because he’s finding more fairways with his drives, Nelson has been able to become more consistent. He’s 26^th on the Hooters Tour in eagles and 32^nd in birdies. His scoring average of 72.538 is good for 57^th. Chances are that number will drop as Nelson becomes more comfortable with his swing.

Nelson has also learned a few lessons about the mental side of the game.

"He’s learned the value of not taking chances,’’ said Nelson’s father Don. "If you take a chance and make a big number on a hole out there, you could miss a cut. You don’t make the cut, and that’s money lost."

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