Luke Clanton is the headline novice on this week’s Sony Open area.
However for the second, Tyler Loree is low novice.
The 17-year-old Loree, who’s from Kula, Hawaii, earned his PGA Tour debut after successful the Hawaii State Golf Affiliation’s novice qualifier, which is completely different from the common Monday qualifier and open solely to prime Hawaiian amateurs. He fired 5-under 67 on Nov. 18 to win by 4 pictures at Waialae Nation Membership, the place he returned Thursday to open the Sony Open with one other 67, although this time a 3-under rating as Waialae performs as a par 70 for the Tour professionals.
Loree is three pictures again of a six-player logjam for first, which incorporates Denny McCarthy, Tom Hoge and Eric Cole.
“I used to be extra nervous for the qualifier actually,” stated Loree, whose six birdies on Thursday included 4 straight beginning at No. 7. “Getting right here, it’s an ideal alternative. I’m simply so grateful to be part of this event. … I’m probably not making an attempt to deal with the outcomes. I’m simply making an attempt to stack good pictures.”
(Clanton, by the best way, shot 1 beneath as he goals for one more top-5 end, which this time would include a PGA Tour card that he might activate this summer time.)
A senior at Seabury Corridor Excessive on Maui, Loree has received two straight Maui Interscholastic League particular person championships and final yr added a HHSAA state particular person title. He’s ranked No. 86 within the AJGA nationwide junior rankings and signed final November to play faculty golf at UCLA starting this fall.
“He has actually caught my consideration together with his relentless work ethic,” stated Bruins coach Armen Kirakossian when Loree signed. “He’s always working to get higher. He asks good questions, and you may actually see that he’s all the time making an attempt to enhance his sport. He needs to maximise his sport, and we really feel that these are the sorts of guys who play effectively and make it on this sport. Golf is a troublesome sport with so many ups and downs, and Tyler is a younger man who actually perseveres by these issues.”
Kirakossian was scheduled to fly to Hawaii to look at Loree compete, however because of the fires within the Los Angeles space, Kirakossian stayed together with his household again residence, the place he’s at present beneath an evacuation warning.
The Sony Open has seen high-schoolers have success earlier than. In 2007, 16-year-old Tadd Fujikawa, on the time, turned the youngest participant in 50 years to make a PGA Tour lower. He’d finally tie for twentieth. Kyle Suppa was additionally 16 when he made the Sony lower in 2015, although he’d miss the 54-hole lower at T-76. And naturally, Michelle Wie, at age 14, practically made the lower on the 2004 Sony, firing a second-round 68 and lacking the weekend by a single shot.
Loree isn’t getting forward of himself.
“I imply, who is aware of what can occur tomorrow,” Loree stated. “I’m simply making an attempt to benefit from the second as a lot as I can. … Perhaps somewhat little bit of aid. It’s simply figuring out I can compete out right here. However we have now one other spherical tomorrow, so see the way it goes. Simply have enjoyable tomorrow and rely them on the finish.”
