Todd Westfall

Todd Westfall: Cleveland Golf Tour’s 2004 Rookie of the Year

            Usually, rookies are given time to learn the ropes before easing their way into competition. Quite the opposite was true for Todd Westfall, though, who was paired with none other than former PGA TOUR member Geoff Sisk and Two-time Walker Cup Member Jerry Courville in the first event of the season.

            “It was like being thrown to the wolves,” Westfall joked. “I learned a lot from them. I incorporated a lot from their games into mine. If nothing, I gained a lot of confidence.”

            Despite a rocky opening round of 77, Westfall studied how his two veteran playing partners maneuvered their way around the tricky Atkinson layout and wound up in a very respectable tie for 22^nd in his CGT debut.

            Having started playing full-time in June following 10 years working in a pro shop, Westfall built upon his opening event experiences with 9^th and 12^th place showings in the next two events of the year.

            Then, his game took yet another step in the right direction at the LeBaron Hills Open.

            After an opening 69 gave him the early lead, Westfall slipped to a 72 in round two and trailed Billy Downes by one shot heading into the final day.

             Confidence in hand, Westfall put himself in position to win by going 4-under par through his first 12 holes. He then salvaged a bogey on the difficult par 4, 17^th and calmly sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18^th hole for a one shot victory over Downes.

            “I thought I was capable of (winning),” Westfall said after the season. “But to do it is another thing.”

            From there, Westfall went through a tough three event stretch that included two missed cuts and allowed fellow rookie Justin Goodhue to eek ahead of him on the money list.

            With only three events remaining on the schedule, he returned to his early year form, and recorded three top 21 finishes, highlighted by a 4^th place finish that was due in large part to a clutch final round of 66 that sewed up Rookie of the Year honors.

            One week after a successful rookie season that included a win and an 8^th place finish on the money-list, Westfall could only help but reflect on the progress he made.

            “I had a great year,” he said. “It was such a great experience. I felt like a sponge this year; I soaked everything in.”

            After a year that included one win, three other top 10’s and over $20,000 in earnings, what’s next for this West Virginia native?             

“I need to win a (PGA) TOUR event,” he said emphatically. “That’s my ultimate goal, and I’m capable of that. My desire is there. I’m not going to quench my thirst until I (do it).” 

            For the immediate future, though, he will take his game to Amelia Island, Florida to spend his winter competing on the Hooters Tour Winter Series.