Maginnes: What's in a nickname?  PGATOUR.com Contributor SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- If I had awakened Thursday morning with a copy of this Sunday's paper at my door I wouldn't have believed what was written. (And it could have happened, I am staying at the Hotel California). If you had told me that Andrew Buckle and Brandt Snedeker were competing in the freestyle snowboarding competition at the Winter X Games I would have believed you -- but I would have predicted a Will MacKenzie victory. If you had told me they would be tied for the lead entering the final round of the Buick Invitational, though, I would have offered you a considerable wager. They are both playing in just their third events as TOUR members.  Kevin Sutherland doesn't have a nickname, and is the lowest-ranked player among those in the top five. (Steve Grayson/WireImage)
After a period of time on the PGA TOUR, players will receive nicknames from their peers or the media. Tiger doesn't get a nickname, unless Tiger is a nickname -- I could never keep that straight. In any event, if you are recognizable by a single moniker then there is no need. However, considering how quickly these kids have risen to the top, I think that after 2 3/4 events as members, they need nicknames. Brandt Snedeker is a breath of fresh air. He is humble and talented and can't suppress the permanent smile that he has worn around Torrey Pines all week. How will he handle the Sunday pressure of playing with the lead? Heck, for that answer I will need the Monday paper, and I bet he would like to take a peek at it, as well. His agent told me that they call him "Sneds" which works OK, but he reminds me of an old television character. Can't you just hear him on the phone tomorrow night, "Gee, Pa, I whipped Tiger...I whipped Tiger. What is Aunt Bea making for supper?" So, Sneds, you are now dubbed Opie. You may think that you can grow out of a nickname like that, but even after enough Oscars to fill a 19th hole, Ron Howard is still Opie. If this nickname upsets you in the least, I apologize. You will be able to find me on the driving range most weeks -- I am the one that the older guys on TOUR call "fat boy." Jerry Kelly and my old caddy, Garland Dempsey, dropped that one on me several years ago. Want to trade? Andrew Buckle needs a nickname, too. The Aussies tend to give nicknames to each other that are quite clever so I am not inclined to rush the natural order on Andrew. However, if they can't do any better than Buck or Drew I reserve the right to revisit the issue. The third member of the final group is the elder statesman Kevin Sutherland. I have known Kevin for nearly 15 years. He is one of those rare individuals whose personality doesn't lend itself well to a nickname. He is a great guy with a sneaky long sense of humor but I can honestly say that I have never heard anyone call him anything other than Kevin. How does a guy like Kevin escape the wrath of players and caddies for more than a decade when Glen Day is known as "all day" and Charles Howell III is known as "Charlie three sticks?" Also in the mix this week is "off the Cliff" Kresge. He fell into a pond lining up a putt several years ago. Calc is right there, too. One of "dirt brothers" is also in the hunt. Interesting that Brad Bryant was known as "Dr. Dirt" and now he is just one of the "dirt brothers." Is that a demotion? Did he lose his license? At any rate, it is brother Bart who is four shots back. Playing with "dirt" on Sunday is Charlie "a Wi bit better than the one with an E." I suppose that a nickname doesn't work if you have to explain it so think hard about that one. At any rate, I just made it up -- the Kresge one, too, although he did fall in the drink. Beemer rounds out that group but I always thought that a good name for Rich would have been "laser." Remember as you watch or listen to the coverage on Sunday that you could be watching the emergence of the next "shark." Andrew may someday have his own Australian army or he could be more like the "wee iceman." Brandt may well be a "squire" some day. The unfortunate truth for these rookies is this: If Tiger Woods does what he has done 54 times in the last decade, there will be plenty of time to pick out nicknames. Remember Tiger is trying to slay a Golden Bear. |
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