New Game, New Thinking: Marc Turnesa profile

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Jul. 24, 2008

When anyone reading this thinks about the lives of PGA TOUR pros, they probably think of mansions, private planes and massive galleries as far as the eye can see. When 30-year-old rookie Marc Turnesa thinks about his life as a TOUR pro, his mind just tries to figure out which movie to see on the road and when to take his next trip back to his hometown of Long Island, N.Y. As part of the New Game, New Thinking series (click here to learn more), Turnesa, who has finished inside the top 25 twice this season, recently spent some time with PGATOUR.com freelance writer Rudy Klancnik:

The Basics

NAME: Marc Brian Turnesa

HT: 6-0 WT: 190

BIRTHDATE: March 19, 1978

BIRTHPLACE: Rockville Centre, N.Y.

RESIDENCE: Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

TURNED PRO: 2001

MAKING THE TOUR: 16th on 2007 Nationwide Tour money list

Five things to know

• Turnesa comes from a golfing family. His great-uncle Jim won the 1952 PGA Championship and his grandfather Mike was a six-time PGA TOUR winner.

• More on his famous family: His grandfather had six brothers and all seven were exceptional golfers, with six competing on the PGA TOUR and one winning several times as an amateur.

• Like his family members, Turnesa also has a professional win. He captured his title at the 2007 Miccosukee Championship on the Nationwide Tour.

• He was a true rookie at the start of the season, having never teed it up in a PGA TOUR event until the Sony Open in Hawaii.

• Turnesa's best finish this season was a tie for 22nd at the Northern Trust Open. His low round was a 66 at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

For more on Turnesa, visit his player page on PGATOUR.com.
How is your favorite rookie performing this season? Check out our rookie tracker page.
Check out more rookies:
K. Thompson	C. Freeman
T. Wilkinson	R. Johnson
C. Collins	D. Johnson
C. Reavie	M. Laird
B. Adamonis

PGATOUR.COM: Surely the life of a TOUR pro consists of endless fun and frolicking when you're not chipping or putting. Right?

MARC TURNESA: Not so much. I've actually had the biggest struggle with figuring out things to do when I'm out on the road and not at the course. It sounds weird, but I'm still working on that part of my game so to speak. I just don't have that one thing that keeps me occupied away from the course yet. I've never been a big movie guy until the last couple of years on the road. I think I've set a personal record this year for movies watched. It keeps me out of trouble, but I know I need more than just movies to pass the time between rounds.

PGATOUR.COM: Well, maybe you can pop in the highlight video for your new favorite team, the New York Giants.

TURNESA: Wait a second. I've been a Giants and Yankees fan for my entire life. I'm no fair-weathered fan when it comes to those guys. Yeah, I didn't think the Giants would win the Super Bowl last year either. That makes it even sweeter.

PGATOUR.COM: I guess you must be especially excited to be talking to a guy from the Dallas area.

TURNESA: Can't stand the Cowboys. Next question.

PGATOUR.COM: As a long-time Yankees fan, what are your feelings now that the historic Yankee Stadium is moving to a new address next season?

TURNESA: It's hard to believe and sort of sad in a way. I've been there 15 or so times in my life and there are a lot of memories in that old place. I'm sure the new building will be awesome, but it'll never be what Yankee Stadium's been for so many fans.

PGATOUR.COM: Does a TOUR rookie hang with his rookie peers and talk about rookie stuff every week?

TURNESA: A little, but not as much as you might think. We're rooting for one another to do well and a lot of guys got to know each other on the Nationwide Tour. But I was only on that Tour a year before I finished in the Top 25 and got my card, so I'm not great friends with any one rookie.

PGATOUR.COM: Has that made the transition to the next level a bit more challenging?

TURNESA: Actually, I know more TOUR veterans than rookies and that's helped me tremendously with the adjustments. I went to school (North Carolina State) with Carl Pettersson and Tim Clark, who also was a roommate. And I'm friends with Steve Marino, who was a rookie last year. Those guys have helped me navigate the little things like where to stay, which airport to fly into...stuff like that. As far as hitting the ball on Thursday, though, that's up to one person and one person only. Me.

PGATOUR.COM: From the looks of things, you've been struggling in that department most of the season.

TURNESA: I really haven't played well at all. It wouldn't matter if I was on the Nationwide Tour or this TOUR, I would have the same results because of how I've been playing. And it's a different part of my game each week so that makes it even more frustrating. I just don't feel like I've been a solid striker of the ball this year and that has to change.

PGATOUR.COM: Your father is a golf pro, so perhaps a call to him would help.

TURNESA: My dad's been there my whole life and was the guy who introduced me to the game. I certainly talk with him about my swing, but I've also now got a coach who's helping me work through the problems. It's good to get a non-partial eye to check out what's going on.

PGATOUR.COM: What's next for Marc Turnesa this season?

TURNESA: I'm playing in Reno (the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open next week) and then it's back to Long Island for a week at home. I'm putting the clubs away for a week and just relaxing. I need the break. I've got 10 or so stops remaining this year and I want to recharge the battery to make a good run.