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At 22, Sean O'Hair already is a veteran pro, traveling via a
motor home, andhis 139 total has him tied for fifth in the
Cranston Open, behind leader Christian Bartolacci, entering
today's final round.
CRANSTON -- It is impossible to miss. It's right there in a corner of the parking lot for everyone to see as they arrive at Cranston Country Club. It is a big and impressive gray and black motor home. It has been anchored there since the Cleveland Pro Golf Tour's Cranston Open began, and it will stay through this afternoon, when the $68,400 tournament concludes. It is home for the tour's best player, Sean O'Hair. "It's not quite as nice as John Daly's," O'Hair said, referring to the PGA Tour player who also goes from tournament to tournament in a motor home. "His costs about a million dollars more." It turns out that O'Hair and Daly have more in common than motor homes. Both are among the biggest names -- and most popular players -- on their respective tours. Both also have had unpredictable careers, although for totally different reasons. Even though he only recently celebrated his 22nd birthday, O'Hair already is a veteran pro. The unpredictable event with him was his timing in turning pro. He was only 17. At the time, he was the No. 2-ranked junior in the country. He had won five national events. He was being sought by virtually every top college golf program in the country. His father, Marc, had moved the family from Arizona to Bradenton, Fla., so Sean could attend the famed Leadbetter Academy, which he did for more than two years. His father decided he was ready to turn pro. "My family in general thought it was a bad idea," O'Hair said yesterday after shooting a 70 to stand at 3-under-par 139. That has him in a tie for fifth entering today's final round of the $68,400 tournament, six behind the leader, Christian Bartolacci. "My dad definitely did push me into it. It's not like he forced me to where I didn't have a part in the decision," he added. "He persuaded me. When you're 17 years old, you don't really know what's best for you. Turning pro sounded cool. "If he had guided me to college, that's what I would have done. Obviously, kids at that age tend to listen to what their parents tell them to do," O'Hair said. "I don't want to say it's his fault because I actually think I'm a better person and a better player for doing what I did. But I definitely wouldn't recommend it." He and his father became estranged, and remain that way. "A lot of stuff happened between him and me," O'Hair said. "We are different people. That's the best way to say it; we're different people. Hopefully, things will turn around in that regard, but it's just not the right time now." His history might indicate O'Hair could be a candidate for Daly-like antics. The truth is the opposite. Rather than being unpredictable, he has become one of the standardbearers for the Cleveland Tour, now in its fourth year and becoming a first-rate developmental tour. "We have a lot of great players and guys who are good to work with off the course, too," said Andrew Dearborn, the tour's development director. "He's been our best player. You see his swing and you understand why." In the four Cleveland events thus far, O'Hair has had two seconds and two thirds. He is the leading money-winner with nearly $20,000. And that does not include winning the Vermont Open, which is not a tour event. Beyond that, Dearborn said O'Hair has become one of the tour's best representatives because he handles himself with such maturity and class. O'Hair said the tour has helped him as much as he has helped the tour. For several years, he tried to qualify for Nationwide or PGA Tour events. "I finally decided I wasn't learning anything from it," O'Hair said. "I have never played on one tour. I joined this tour last year and I learned more in one summer than I had in four years. . . . In just one year, my game has improved so much compared to when I was out there qualifying and struggling." Not having gone to college has both helped and hurt, he feels. He admits he misses not having had the college experience. But he feels he is way ahead, in terms or experience, of where he would be if he was just getting out of college. "I got my brains beat out by guys like Geoff Sisk and Eric Egloff, guys who are great players, who have been out here a long time and have a lot of experience," O'Hair said. "I'm learning from them, learning to get tougher mentally." O'Hair already has gone to PGA Tour qualifying school five times. Twice he has made it to the second stage. These days, he feels different. "I feel I'm finally ready to take it to the next level," he said. "It has been a little bit of a struggle, but a lot of good things have come from it, too. I wouldn't have met my wife if I had gone to college." Oh, yes, that's the reason for the motor home. Nineteen months ago, O'Hair married Jackie Lucas, who had been a college star at Monmouth, N.J., and then at Florida Atlantic University. Earlier this year, Jackie O'Hair won a long-drive contest in one of the Cleveland Tour pro-ams. Using her husband's driver, she blasted a drive 317 yards. Until this week, she has been serving as her husband's caddy. But she has gone into temporary retirement. She is 12 weeks pregnant. "She is the biggest thing in my life," O'Hair said. "Family is the most important thing for me now, not golf." It was his grandparents, who have had a motor home for many years, who convinced him and his wife to travel the tour that way. "Since my wife travels with me, it makes it a little easier. You don't have to pack and unpack your luggage," O'Hair said. "Whenever you are allowed to stay in the parking lot (as he is this week), the golf course is your backyard." When he steps out of the motor home this morning, the 6-foot-2, 165- pounder will have his work cut out if he wants to win the tournament. Bartolacci, who set the Cranston course record with an opening-round 63, responded well to his first experience playing in the lead. The 25-year-old Philadlephia native, in his first year on the Cleveland Tour, had his second eagle in as many days -- this one on the par-5 13th when he hit his second shot within three feet -- and recorded a 1-under 70 for a 36-hole total of 9-under 133. "My goal was to shoot under par," Bartolacci said. "It was definitely harder today (primarily because of more wind). . . . I'm really happy with the way I played." One of his playing partners, Corey Harris, birdied three of his last four holes to shoot 66 and surge into second at 136. Bryant College grad Jim Hallet, returning to form after major injury problems that knocked him off the PGA Tour, also had a 66 for 137 and is tied for third with Bart McCarthy. Rhode Islanders Joey Iaciofano (68), Mike Capone (73) and Bob Tramonti (69) are still alive, at 140, and URI grad Michael Carbone (70) also made the cut, at 141 |
