Piercy's win not richest, but most satisfying

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Question: Can you name the professional golfer who claimed the largest first-place check ever awarded?

Hint: His initials are not TW.

O.K., those of you who answered Scott Piercy are either childhood friends or members of Piercy's immediate family. Few others, outside of a syndicate of 15 people who ponied up Piercy's $60,000 buy-in to the Ultimate Game in Las Vegas in June of 2007 and the Internal Revenue Service, are aware the Las Vegas resident birdied five of his final seven holes to win the made-for-television event and its first prize of a cool $2 million.

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Scott Piercy

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The subject is broached because Piercy, 29, did something last week in Wichita, Kan., that was more fulfilling, albeit far less financially rewarding. The Nationwide Tour rookie took control of the Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open with a second-round 62 and was never headed as he scored a breakthrough two-shot victory over Daniel Summerhayes. The winner's check of $94,500 is dwarfed by Piercy's haul in Sin City, but it did much to further the career of the eight-year veteran of mini-tours.

Suddenly Piercy is upwardly mobile rather than quietly static. Nowhere is that more apparent than on the Nationwide Tour money list, where he vaulted from 123rd to 35th with season's earnings of $118,749. He remains on the outside, looking up at 'The 25,' but with nine events remaining on the schedule he certainly is in the conversation when it comes to those who finish there at the end of the 2008 season and earn playing privileges on the PGA TOUR in 2009 for this year's body of work.

"Getting a TOUR card is probably worth more than two million bucks,'' Piercy said Sunday evening as he basked in the glow of his triumph. "Hopefully, I'm on my way.''

All things considered, Piercy is more than holding his own, considering he was a conditional member of the Tour who didn't get into an event until the second week of May. His 10 starts are at least two fewer than any of the 34 players ahead of him on the money ladder.

"Sitting that long was not much fun,'' said Piercy, who attempted and failed to Monday qualify into prior events on the schedule with the outcome leaving him feeling as empty as a beggar's pocket. "I didn't realize how tough it would be. I kept missing by one or two shots. When you got right down to my situation, it was almost like having no status at all.''

That changed when Piercy made it into the field at the Fort Smith Classic presented by Stephens Inc. He finished in a respectable tie for 19th, which got him into the BMW Charity Pro-Am, where he was tied for 51st. The money he earned allowed him to gain status when the Tour reshuffled in June.

Piercy made five of seven cuts in the events leading up to Wichita, with a best of tied for 24th. That gives the appearance that he struck like a bolt out of the blue last week, but he knows better.

"I could feel this coming,'' he said of his victory with a tournament record total of 22 under par. "This has been in the making for a while.''

Piercy's main problem was a lack of tournament play. He injured his wrist shortly after winning the Ultimate Game and was limited to five competitive events, including the three stages of the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament, through the end of 2007. It allowed him to re-charge his batteries, but the drawback was the rust that formed. He could feel the rust gradually coming off once he gained status, but some phase of his game prevented him from getting into contention.

"If I drove it well I didn't putt well,'' he said. "If I putted well I didn't drive it well. The hardest part was putting it all together.''

But at least Piercy was fun to watch because he was a birdie machine. Trouble was if he wasn't making birdies he was making bogies or doubles.

"And only one of those is good,'' he said, laughing.

Fair to say Piercy has been a work in progress since high school when he came to the conclusion, somewhat prematurely, that he had enough game to compete on golf's highest level. More than a decade later he's still reaching for that elusive brass ring. He has never been closer than he is now.

"Had I known then what I know now . . .'' he said, his voice trailing off. "But I've learned a lot and grown as a player and a person.''

Piercy turned professional right out of college and kicked around on the Hooters Tour for three years before tiring of the mini-tour grind. He decided to take his shot at Monday qualifying on the PGA TOUR, doing well enough to keep the fire burning in his belly. He qualified 20 times, making eight cuts, with a best of a tie for 15th at the 2006 FBR Open.

Among the players Piercy defeated in the Ultimate Game were PGA TOUR rookie Kevin Streelman, Nationwide Tour player Randy Leen and former Nationwide player Erik Compton. It was a week that made his life easier, but the Ultimate Game got him no closer to his ultimate goal.

"People have always told me it is harder getting there than staying there,'' Piercy said of the PGA TOUR.

And he likely is living proof of the statement. But he understands the rewards of making it can be huge.

"One good week out there and your life really changes,'' he said. "That's why I'd like to get my work done here and see what happens.''