Tuesday, February 01, 2000
Wetterich to make tour debut at Pebble Beach
BY JACK MURRAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Brett Wetterich, 1991 Enquirer Prep Golfer of the Year from Oak Hills, makes his PGA Tour debut in this week's Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
Wetterich earned his 2000 tour card with closing rounds of 65-65 to gain the 40th and final spot at last fall's Qualifying School. Last year, he finished first in stroke average and second on the money list in his fourth year on the Golden Bear Tour. He also qualified for the 1998 U.S. Open, but missed the cut.
The rookie Wetterich will join two others from Greater Cincinnati. Frank Lickliter, runner-up to the late Payne Stewart in last year's rain-shortened event, and Northern Kentuckian Steve Flesch are also among the 180 pros in field.
Flesch and Lickliter, both winners on the Nike Tour but non-winners in their fifth and third year on the PGA Tour, respectively, are off to fast starts.
Flesch, a Covington Catholic High and University of Kentucky graduate, ranks 27th on the season money list with $118,840 in two events — a tie for 28th at the Bob Hope Classic two weeks ago and tie for seventh at Phoenix Open this past week.
Lickliter, a Franklin High and Wright State grad, is 39th with $91,451 in three events and ranks 75th in the latest World Ranking. Lickliter has imploded in the final round of both the Hope and the Phoenix.
Lickliter, who was 13-under and the leader after three rounds in the Phoenix Open, bogeyed the first hole Sunday and had a triple bogey-8 on the third en route to a 10th-place tie.
“I felt bad for Frank,” Phoenix Open winner Tom Lehman said later. “I saw he got off to such a horrendous start. Looked like he fell off the map after the first few holes. I think we have all been in that position before, going out with the lead and wanting so badly to do well and wanting to win. Then you shoot yourself in the foot. That's no fun.”
This year's Phoenix Open was terrific for Flesch after last year's experience, when the left-hander's clubs were stolen up his arrival from the Hope. “Apparently they chased the guy down Scottsdale Road and somehow lost him,” Flesch said. “It took me a couple of weeks to replace them.”
Flesch won 1998 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year with those clubs. Adding injury to insult, a few weeks later, after the Tucson Open, he fell down stairs at home and broke his elbow. Despite his favorite clubs being stolen and the injury, Flesch managed to have a another good year in 1999. He's off to a better start this year. “I'm just happy I'm playing well.” he said.
CINCINNATI: Matt Mercer, a first team all-state lineman from Beechwood, has orally committed to UC. The 6-5, 285-pounder was a two-way starter for the Class A state champion Tigers. He has also played tight end and blocking back, anchoring an offense which gained 5,229 total yards. He picked UC over Alabama, Miami University, Eastern Kentucky and Western Kentucky.
— Neil Schmidt
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