Page 21 - AT

A21
SPORTS Monday 7 January 2019

Garnett goes from small Missouri college to PGA Tour winner

By DOUG FERGUSON self doing that. plans to turn pro until Christ-
AP Golf Writer Garnett played mostly re- mas of my senior year, and
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — gional golf growing up in Dad brought it to my atten-
Missouri Western State is not Gallatin, and he improved tion that he might get some
exactly a pipeline to the enough to dream about money behind me,” Gar-
PGA Tour. Neither is Galla- playing for the Missouri Ti- nett said. He started on the
tin, Missouri, a farming com- gers. He wrote the golf Adams Tour and worked
munity of 1,800 where Brice coach asking if there was his way up to the Web.
Garnett honed his game room for him. He remem- com Tour, where he made
on a nine-hole course. Thir- bers the day the letter ar- only four cuts. Then, it was
teen years ago, Garnett rived in the mail. back to the mini-tours. He
was finishing up his degree “I got pulled out of class,” was playing in the Caroli-
in business finance with ev- he said. “My dad was nas and qualifying for Web.
ery intention of working for there. My mom worked com Tour events when he
a bank. “Never thought there as a teacher. I went could and planning for
we’d be here, at Kapalua, to the principal’s office be- Q-school when his father
playing the Tournament of cause the letter got mailed suggested he fly to Nash-
Champions,” Garnett said. Brice Garnett plays his shot from the first tee during the second back to the school. They all ville, Tennessee, for another
About the only thing he has round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Friday, Jan. came out to get the good Monday qualifier.
in common with the other 4, 2019, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. news. The coach wrote “Man, I was tired,” Garnett
32 players in the field is win- Associated Press on there: ‘Congratula- said. “He said, ‘It’s $90, go
ning on the PGA Tour. His programs such as Alabama in the field at Kapalua — tions on a great junior and do it.’ I got in the tourna-
victory was last March at and Oklahoma State, transferred to Boise State. high school career, but ment and ended up get-
the Corales Puntacana Re- Georgia and Texas. If they William McGirt, who won our team is full. You’re wel- ting second.”
sort & Club Championship don’t stay four years to the Memorial three years come to walk on.’ That got him full status, and
in the Dominican Republic. get a degree, it’s because ago, played at Wofford, “I pinned that up in my two years later he did well
What sets him apart is not they’re already prepared a Division I school in South room in college, used that enough to make it to the
the five years he spent on to compete against the Carolina known more for as motivation.” PGA Tour. Three years later,
the Web.com Tour, or even best in the world. its academics than its golf It wasn’t until his junior he was back on the Web.
the three years he spent Garnett is a rarity coming program. “There’s a lot of year that Garnett got go- But he won twice in 2017
driving across Texas on the from a school like Missouri great Division II players that ing, winning 12 times over to get his PGA Tour card
Adams Tour in a Chevrolet Western State, best known I’ve kept my eye on be- his last two seasons for the again, and the 35-year-old
Equinox his parents gave as the training camp for the cause I keep up with the Griffons. Still, this was Mis- finally cashed in with his
him for a graduation pres- Kansas City Chiefs. He com- guys back home,” Garnett souri Western State. The victory in the Dominican
ent. peted against Troy Merritt said. “You don’t see a lot All-Americans that year in- Republic, held opposite a
The PGA Tour is filled with at Winona State in Minne- pushing through.” cluded Dustin Johnson and World Golf Championship.
players from big college sota before Merritt — also He certainly didn’t see him- Billy Horschel. “I had no It’s not impossible. q

Nishikori, Pliskova win

Brisbane International titles

2016 with a dominating fi- naments in nearly three straight points. It came af-
nal set to beat Daniil Med- years, broke the Russian ter Tsurenko rolled her an-
vedev 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in the player’s serve on four con- kle in the second game of
Brisbane International final secutive points in the final the deciding set.
on Sunday. game to clinch the match Tsurenko was 4-0 in her
The 2014 U.S. Open final- in just 2 hours, 6 minutes, at previous WTA finals.
ist served for the match Pat Rafter Arena. Pliskova won her first Bris-
at 5-1 in the third set, but Earlier, Karolina Pliskova bane title two years ago.
Medvedev earned a tem- won her second Brisbane Pliskova improved her re-
porary reprieve when he title, beating Lesia Tsuren- cord in Brisbane to 13-2
Kei Nishikori of Japan plays a shot during his final match against
Daniil Medvedev of Russia at the Brisbane International tennis broke the Japanese play- ko 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 after com- and joined Victoria Aza-
tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. er’s serve to extend the ing within just two points of renka (2009, 2016) and
Associated Press match. But Nishikori, who defeat. Serena Williams (2013-14)
Associated Press — Kei Nishikori won his first had lost nine consecutive Serving for the title at 5-4 as the third woman to win
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) ATP title since Memphis in ATP finals over 52 tour- Sunday, Tsurenko lost 13 the tournament twice.q