UP AND DOWN
CANADIAN OPEN: The phrase to describe a chip and putt also perfectly encapsules the roller-coaster life of a pro golfer. Just ask Vancouver’s Ryan Williams, who will finally play in a PGA event after years of grinding it out
Ryan Williams went from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other Sunday.
That’s par for the course in professional golf.
“At one end, I felt like breaking a club over my knee when I got to the car,” Williams said over the phone.
“At the other end, I felt like cracking (open) a bottle of Champagne.”
The Vancouver golfer and Mackenzie Tour–PGA Tour Canada veteran bogeyed four of his last five holes in the final round of the Mackenzie Investments Open in Mirabel, Que., dropping him from three-under par for his round midway through the back nine to one-over par by the end.
He finished the tournament tied for 17th at eight-under par, lamenting what could’ve been a possible tie for second, not to mention a better payday.
But then Williams received a text from his agent, and the frustration seemed to vanish.
The gist of the text message? Williams was informed he received a sponsorship exemption into this week’s Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.
At age 36, Williams will make his PGA Tour debut.
He’s tried a few times to get into previous national championships through the Monday qualifiers, but to no avail. He had planned to once again compete in the Monday qualifier for this year’s event, until the good news arrived.
The significance of this achievement will hit home soon for Williams, whose path in professional golf has been truly unconventional compared to most of his peers.
His game growing up was hockey. He played Junior B and Junior A, and had aspirations of going to Europe to pursue a professional career.
Golf, at that time, was a casual spring sport for Williams.
“I didn’t really consider golf at that time because I just didn’t think I could be a professional golfer,” he said.
“Some friends that I played a lot of golf with through the spring and summer, they pushed me to maybe think about golf as a career.”
The path most professional golfers follow often seems to include a successful career as a junior and then playing in the collegiate ranks, be it here in Canada or in the U.S. It wasn’t until his mid-20s that Williams decided to pursue a career as a pro.
In competitive tournament play, there are no guarantees of advancing to the different stages and ultimately to the PGA Tour, where the biggest sums of money can be made.
Having worked with well-known Vancouver professional Phil Jonas to improve his game, Williams first earned his Canadian Tour card via qualifying school in 2008.
He then missed the cut in all eight events he played that year. He lost his status and had to go back to Q-school the following year to regain his card.
“That was a pretty big eye-opener,” Williams said. “I was uncomfortable and just didn’t really know how to be a pro.”
The results have improved over time. He made the cut in nine of 11 events in 2015 and finished in the top-15 of the money rankings each of the last three seasons. Every year, the top-five players earn status on the Web.com Tour, which is one step below the PGA Tour.
Williams sits 18th in the order of merit in 2017, about $16,800 out of fifth. Slow starts or poor finishes have held him back at times, he said. It only takes one big week, however, to swing up the standings. Get onto the Web.com Tour, and it’s another step closer to the ultimate goal of a PGA Tour card. He isn’t about to drop the chase, either. “I’ve got a great support group,” Williams said. “I’ve got a ton of people pushing me to keep pursuing this. Every year is a big year, but … I’m just trying to be, if anything, more patient.
“I feel like it’s been working. Honestly, I wish I had a few better finishes on the Mackenzie Tour but … I know the results aren’t showing like the way I feel like I’ve been playing. I feel like I haven’t put four rounds together yet but I know I’m really close.”
Williams was scheduled to play Glen Abbey on Monday and another practice round Tuesday. His brother, Kyle, is now caddying for Williams full time, and that will continue this week.
As for that difficult finish to last weekend’s competition? It’s easier to understand how he can move on from that, given what’s at stake for his career this week at Glen Abbey.
“To be able to play golf for a living and now get a chance to tee up in a PGA Tour event is pretty cool,” he said.