VALDOSTA —
One of the biggest names in this year’s South Georgia Classic is in need of a big second round today, or he will be going home early.
Lee Janzen, an eight-time winner on the PGA TOUR, including a two-time major champion, sits tied for 87th after shooting a 2-over 74 in his first round on the Nationwide Tour since 1990.
“The first nine holes, I hit a lot of good shots, and like golf can be sometimes, I got a little misfortune,” said Janzen of his round. “I hit two bunker shots where I couldn’t even aim towards the green or the pin, which is unfortunate. I was at the stage where I was just hoping to bogey the hole. … The second nine, I didn’t hit the ball nearly as well and was all over the place. I scrambled and hung in there and made a few birdies there (at the end).”
Since making his last start on the Nationwide Tour, which was actually called the Ben Hogan Tour back in ’90, Janzen has reeled off all eight of his career wins on the PGA TOUR, including the 1993 and 1998 U.S. Open Championships and the 1995 PLAYERS Championship, seven second place finishes and eight third place finishes.
His appearance at this week’s Nationwide Event in Valdosta is a far fall from playing on one of golf’s biggest stages, the U.S. Open, and comes after he finished the 2011 PGA TOUR season out of the top 125 on the money list.
As a result of not finishing in the top 125, Janzen lost his TOUR card. That sent him scrambling through his options on how to return to the top-level tour, which included a return to the Nationwide Tour.
“Playing out of the past champions category (on the PGA TOUR), looking at my schedule, my next tournament would be Memphis, so that would be six weeks off and that is a long time to have off,” said Janzen, as a reason for why he chose to return to the Nationwide Tour this week. “I have full exempt status on the Nationwide, which is another avenue to get back on TOUR, which is my main goal — to get back in the top 125.”
Despite not having his PGA TOUR card this season, Janzen has managed to play in seven TOUR events, making the cut in five of them. Just last weekend, Janzen missed the cut in the Valero Houston Open after shooting a second round score of 78 to fall to 6-over par for the tournament.
As for what the future holds for Janzen, he is still a few years away from qualifying for the Champions Tour, as he is just 47 years old, and he will have to qualify for this year’s U.S. Open championship, which will be played at the site of his 1998 championship victory, The Olympic Club in San Francisco.
“I would love to go back, to qualify for the U.S. Open would be good, just to play in any U.S. Open venue, for me, would be exciting,” Janzen said. “One, to be able to go back to Olympic, knowing I have great memories there, would be special, just to reminisce, but I also I feel that I can do well on that course.”
Along with attempting to play in this year’s U.S. Open, Janzen said he would continue to play on the Nationwide Tour if he feels like he can make the top 25 on the money list by season’s end, which would earn him a PGA TOUR card.
“I can put myself into a position to play Nationwide the rest of the year,” Janzen said. “It would be great to play well this week and next week, and then have that decision, at least, there, because the past champions category usually gets you into a few tournaments during the summer, and that is also another way to get back where I need to be.
“I think if you have a chance to finish top 25 out here, you should just do that, just stay,” Janzen continued. “I think it is too hard to do both.”
Janzen will tee off at 8:25 a.m. today from the No. 10 tee. He is grouped with David Lingermerth and 2007 South Georgia Classic winner John Kimbell.
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Lee Janzen starts his round of golf in the South Georgia Classic Thursday. Paul Leavy | The Valdosta Daily Times
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