Sutton admits game is rusty for Champions debut
By Melanie Hauser, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent
THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- His jaw is squared as ever; his hair a little darker, but surprisingly devoid of those gray streaks so prevalent out here.
The swagger? You bet. That hasn't changed since he was 18 and a freshman at Centenary. Same goes for that Southern drawl and those phrases you only hear deep in the heart of Texas or Louisiana.
But his game? Well, we wouldn't bet the ranch on Hal Sutton this week.
The newest old familiar face to grace the practice tee on the Champions Tour isn't exactly tournament-ready for his fiftysomething debut at the Administaff Small Business Classic.
Excited to be here, yes. But ready to contend? Well . . decide for yourself.
In the last four years, the two-time PLAYERS champ and former PGA champion has played just 40 rounds. That's right. Four-0. As in an average of 10 a year. He didn't even pick up a club and start practicing until three weeks ago.
"When you haven't played that much, to go out and spend two or three hours on the practice tee was exhausting,'' Sutton said. "So this has been a slow, gradual process.
"I've progressed to the point that it's fairly solid on the practice tee, and we'll see if we can get part of that from the practice tee onto the golf course.''
Yes, hitting the fairway off the first tee is a goal. That will be start.
"We'll move on to the next shot after that,'' he said.
One day at a time. So much different than the old days. Than when he burst onto the tour, was dubbed the next Jack Nicklaus and won the 1983 PGA. Back then, it was all about making a name for yourself.
But at 50?
"I'm certain my expectations will grow with every shot that I hit basically,'' Sutton said. "But I'm not going to live and die on every shot. I mean, that's not just the nature of 50 years old. I think that's one of the nice things about the Champions Tour.
"When you're trying to prove to yourself and to the rest of the world as a younger player that, hey, I fit in, isn't that what the world is trying to do, fit in kind of? Regardless of how good you are, you burst out onto the TOUR. Who bursts out onto the TOUR with more credentials than Tiger Woods? And nobody was certain how he was going to fit in. He's proved he really fits in well.
"There is uncertainty in other people's minds as you prove to yourself, or you don't, you're angry, you're living and dying with every shot, aspiring to be the best you can be. I don't think at 50 years old there's any need in crying ourselves to sleep because today was a bad day. I think your celebration lasts a little bit less in victory because you know it's just taken in stride. You're trying to slow time down is what I'm trying to say.''
Sutton's been out of sight for a while now. Basically since 2004 when he captained the U.S. Ryder Cup that was blown out 18 ˝-9 ˝ at Oakland Hills. Sutton took a lot of heat for the loss with people questioning his pairings -- especially Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in the leadoff four-ball -- and his singles lineup.
It was, perhaps, more than a bit unfair since Sutton wasn't hitting the shots, but it was there nonetheless. And he couldn't be happier that, after nine years of watching Europe win the event, Paul Azinger's team took the cup back in Louisville last month.
"I think he did an incredible job,'' said Sutton, who, like several other past captains, was at the Ryder Cup. "I always thought Paul would make a great captain. But at the end of the day I think all of your past captains would say this, including Paul, it only is going to be effective if the guys hit the shots and make the putts.
"We can all go back, as we do throughout time, in all walks of life, second guess and be an armchair quarterback. Certainly in failure we would all do things differently."
This week, however, is about a new start. About playing here and at the AT&T Championship at Oak Hills in San Antonio, another course Sutton knows like the back of his hand. He played mumblesome Texas Opens there until the tournament -- now the Valero Texas Open -- moved to northwest San Antonio.
Sutton's last PGA TOUR win came here in 2001 when the Shell Houston Open was held at The Woodlands, so, yes, he knows what shots to hit. It's a matter of getting it done.
He admits he's in a "healthy" spot. His four children have taught him patience. Boot Ranch, a golf course development in the Texas Hill County, taught him that playing golf is a whole lot better than running the show.
"I tell you, life's simpler just by playing golf,'' he said. "I mean, when you have to take on everybody else's wants and needs and desires, opinions, every other thing, it complicates process.''
Here, he's simply dealing with his game and what he can do inside the ropes. And, it doesn't hurt that he's staying with buddy Jackie Burke over near Champions Golf Club this week. Burke, after all, has never been shy with instruction or advice.
"He's excited to see me play some,'' Sutton said. "But he said, 'Don't get caught up in playing till your 70 years old.' Some people get caught up in doing that. I said, 'Jackie, what are you doing at 85, tell me?' Running a club, you know.''
Sutton laughed. He's really here to see what this is all about. To play the next few weeks and see what the Champions Tour is all about.
"Kind of stick my toe in the water, if you will, see what needs to be done in the off season and really go at this full steam ahead next year,'' he said.
Sutton was in his comfort zone when he pulled into the parking lot and saw his parking place. And when he walked into the locker room and saw old faces like Bruce Fleisher who told him, "When you see these guys, they walk out on the range, you'll look at them and say, I know he can't beat me, look how old he looks.''
Sutton chuckled.
"It's really funny. I mean, at least to this minute it's not about this to me, winning or losing,'' he said. "I'm sure there's still some of that in everybody. We're competitors at heart. I just don't think our self esteem is going to be we're going to derive our self esteem from victory. I think that's the healthier spot I was talking about the brain being in. ''
A few minutes later, he was talking about the great finishing holes here at the Woodlands. About his win here. About the half dozen other top-6 finishes he had here at the Shell Houston Open.
"You never knew who was going to win until it was holed out on the 18th hole,'' Sutton said. "I think that's one reason why we had such big crowds here and everything else, it was exciting. I mean, it's exciting when you see guys making eagles, birdies, doubles, all sorts of stuff. I can't tell you how many times I thought I hit a really good shot on 17 only to watch the water splash on the right hand side (of the island green).''
Friday, though, he'll be focusing on one shot at a time. Starting with that opening shot off the first tee.
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