Local pro banks on success {HEADLINE2} Almost down to his last
0 Comments | Palm Beach Post, Aug 29, 2010 | by EDGAR THOMPSON
Golfer Greg O’Mahony doesn’t fool around when he plays for money.
A $10 Nassau with one-down automatic presses wouldn’t even raise the pulse of O’Mahony, a 24-year-old from Tequesta who’s been willing to risk everything for his dream of playing professional golf.
“I’ve had my whole bank account in play three or four times in the last year,” he said matter-of-factly. “That teaches you you’d better learn how to make 5-footers real quick.”
O’Mahony’s high-stakes approach is paying off. On Friday, he shot 67 for the third consecutive day to win $5,500 at the Sunshine State Classic — the most lucrative event on Fuzion Minor League Golf Tour’s 46-week calendar. The win was O’Mahony’s fourth on the MLGT in five August starts, a level of play he hopes to continue into the fall when he’ll play in his second Q-School on Oct. 27-30 at the PGA Wanamaker Course in Port St. Lucie.
“If I keep playing the way I’m playing, I’ll be on the PGA Tour next year,” O’Mahony said.
O’Mahony, a three-time All-American at Nova Southeastern, turned pro last August a few months after he graduated. But he said he didn’t devote himself to his game until Jan. 1, when he decided it was time to see how good he could become.
“Golf is my only focus now,” he said.
O’Mahony’s single-mindedness has resulted in 11 wins in 2010, including six on the South Florida-based MLGT and the pre- qualifiers for the Honda Classic and Transitions Championship of the PGA Tour. O’Mahony also has two wins in Indiana, including the U.S. Open local qualifier at Crooked Stick — site of John Daly’s memorable 1991 PGA Championship win.
But there have some down times, too. O’Mahony’s finances were stretched so thin, he needed to borrow $1,000 in July to travel to Iowa for two events. He finished seventh in the Waterloo Open and runner-up in the Greater Cedar Rapids Open to earn $11,000.
He paid off his debt, sent his $4,500 check to Q-school and had enough money left over to keep playing, though O’Mahony said his funds were getting low until he won Friday.
“I’m still barely making it,” he said.
Even though he’d love to find a sponsor, O’Mahony feels lucky he’s still going.
“It’s so expensive to play in all these events and to travel, I knew I’d have to play well in my first year to keep myself afloat,” he said.
Patriot Golf Day this week: The Patriot Golf Day carries special meaning to PGA National Director of Golf Jane Broderick. The event, in its fourth year, will let Broderick combine her love of golf with her deep respect for the U.S. military.
“It’s one of those programs when you’re looking to do the right thing, it’s the right thing to do,” Broderick said.
From Friday through Labor Day at golf courses across the country, Patriot Golf Day will help provide post-secondary educational scholarships for children and spouses of men or women killed or disabled while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.
During the Labor Day weekend, participating facilities will add $1 to greens fees that will go the Folds of Honor Foundation and into the scholarship fund. Major Dan Rooney, a PGA professional, USGA member and F-16 military pilot with the Oklahoma Air National Guard, founded the organization after the second of his three tours in Iraq.
There are 172,000 dependents of wounded service men and women, but 85 percent of them don’t qualify for federal educational assistance. In three years, Patriot Golf Day has raised $5.3 million and awarded 1,163 scholarships.
The success of the program means a lot to Broderick, whose father, Jim Stewart, fought in World War II and the Korean War. “It does touch home definitely,” she said.
PGA National resort invites all active duty military to enjoy a complimentary one-night stay during the Labor Day weekend, with any additional day just $59. Guests also will receive big discounts on golf.
Last year, the 336-room resort was close to full.
“We wanted to go above and beyond,” Broderick said
making money quick
