Three years after accepting a silver cup as the Masters’ low amateur and beating Tiger Woods’ 72-hole score at Augusta by two strokes, Casey Wittenberg must explain to friends that the Hooters Tour really does involve golf.
“Nothing is given to you in this game,” Wittenberg said before heading to Denver for this week’s Colorado Open. “It’s been humbling.”
The Memphis, Tenn., native was being called golf’s next big thing at age 19 when Wittenberg earned a spot in the 2004 Masters by finishing as runner-up in the 2003 U.S. Amateur. He caught the attention of CBS cameras at Augusta by tying Retief Goosen, Padraig Harrington and Charles Howell III for 13th place at 288 – which was the best finish by an amateur in 41 years.
Wittenberg’s score of 69 in the final round matched champion Phil Mickelson’s, and Wittenberg earned a spot in the 2005 Masters by placing in the top 16.
Having completed just one year of golf at Oklahoma State, Wittenberg turned professional after making the cut (tie for 36th) in the 2004 U.S. Open at Shinnecock. He received an endorsement contract from Callaway Golf for an undisclosed amount that Wittenberg said was “generous and still in place.”
Directors of PGA Tour events eagerly offered sponsor’s exemptions to the teen.
“The tough thing about wanting to play professional golf, the opportunities you get – the door opens real fast and it shuts real fast,” Wittenberg said last week during a phone interview. “You have to take advantage of them at the time.”
He earned just $85,670 in seven 2004 events as a pro, slumping even more in 2005 with no top-25 finishes and $67,548 to show for nine tournaments – the bulk coming from a $39,620 Masters check for tying for 33rd.
Dropping down to the Nationwide Tour didn’t help. Wittenberg made the cut in just three of seven starts in 2005, recording no top-25 finishes and a paltry $5,737 in prize money. By 2006, Wittenberg didn’t have a playing status on the PGA Tour or Nationwide Tour.
But he did win a Hooters Tour event last year.
“It’s been a different curve for me, the last 2 1/2 years,” Wittenberg said. “I won’t lie. Sometimes it’s hard to get up for the Hooters Tour. You’ll play some bad golf courses. It’s hot. You’re carrying your own bag.
“There have been some tough times. The critics can come out and start judging, but I’m still only 22. I’d just be graduating from college this year. It was probably a little premature for me to turn pro back then. I had to mature as a person. I had to grow up a little bit, and my game had to grow up as well.”
Wittenberg discovered that course setups are more difficult in the big time and scores can be much lower.
“You can’t go overnight from winning amateur tournaments with 6-under-par to having to shoot 20-under,” he said.
Denver’s Mark Wiebe, a two-time PGA Tour winner, said he is never surprised when a hotshot newcomer struggles on the big stage.
“The PGA Tour is a hard go for a young guy starting out,” said Wiebe, who entered this week’s Colorado Open for the first time since 1987. “There’s a different course each week. One week you might be playing a course where you won’t want to hit driver. The next week you might hit driver a lot.”
Wittenberg has no regrets about leaving college after one year. He is gearing up for the PGA Tour qualifying tournament this fall and has played well recently. Having already experienced the spotlight, and so many highs and lows, gives Wittenberg a foundation that he believes will help.
Playing well in his first Colorado Open can be another step.
“I’ve definitely took a little different path than most kids would take, a different path than people would have liked to have seen me taken,” Wittenberg said. “But hopefully I’ll give the media something positive to write about here soon.”
HealthONE Colorado Opens
THURSDAY
First round of the women’s open at Saddleback Golf Club in Firestone
First round of the men’s open at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club
FRIDAY
Second round of the women’s open at Green Valley Ranch
Second round of the men’s open at Saddleback
SATURDAY
Third round of both championships at Green Valley Ranch
SUNDAY
Final round of both championships at Green Valley Ranch
Tee times: Begin each day at 7 a.m.
Admission charge: None
Staff writer Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
