College star Bryson Nimmer makes TOUR debut

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico – Bryson Nimmer made a flashy PGA TOUR debut Thursday, and it wasn’t just because of his bright pink pants.

Nimmer, a senior at Clemson University, made his first start in a professional tournament Thursday and fired a 3-under-par 69. He bogeyed his final hole of the day but otherwise had a solid debut, he said.

“I think I just stayed really patient,” said Nimmer. “I hit the ball well, but I missed a few opportunities early and I just didn't really get mad at myself. I just kind of kept plugging, and I hit some good shots on the back (nine). Obviously didn't end the way I wanted it to, but it was still really fun.”

Nimmer just wrapped up a collegiate event in Puerto Rico on Tuesday where he was the co-medalist. He went straight from that tournament to the Coco Beach Golf Club for a practice round and played with former PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year Jonathan Byrd, who is the brother of Jordan Byrd – Nimmer’s assistant coach at Clemson.

“He hits it so good. He still hits it amazing,” said Nimmer of Byrd. “He taught me a few things… showed me where some pins would be. He's been really helpful.”

Byrd, too, was impressed with Nimmer’s game. After playing 18 holes Tuesday in the college event, Nimmer came to Coco Beach and played another 18 with the five-time PGA TOUR winner.

Byrd said Nimmer is very consistent and the fact he doesn’t hit many bad shots is going to be an advantage in the long run.

“He might have an advantage, having played a tournament already here this week,” said Byrd. “And to win a tournament… he’s probably got just as much confidence as anyone in the field.”

Nimmer’s co-medalist honor this week was just another in a laundry list of accomplishments as he looks to close out his collegiate career with a bang.

Nimmer began taking golf seriously as a young teenager but baseball was his first love. His father Tony never pressured Nimmer to get into golf despite the fact the elder Nimmer led Clemson’s golf team in the 1980’s.

Nimmer admittedly struggled when he first picked up golf but a desire to get better fueled him to switch to golf full-time.

“When I started out I wasn't very good and it kind of made me mad. It made me want to get better,” said Nimmer.

It didn’t take Nimmer very long to improve, and he said he didn’t feel overwhelmed making his PGA TOUR debut Thursday. He works with a sports psychologist at Clemson, and said that work came in handy.

“We just talk about trying to treat every tournament the same,” said Nimmer. “So that's kind of the mindset I took, I did the same routine, the same everything, ate at the same time. I just tried to kind of make it as minimal as possible.”

It should come as no surprise that Nimmer said his plan once school is finished is to turn professional.

He said he looks at TOUR winners Jason Day – who he met earlier this year – and Kyle Stanley – a fellow Clemson Tiger – as guys whose games he tries to emulate.

The pants he wore Thursday, however, were all his own.

“I had these pants sitting in my closet and I’ve never really worn them,” said Nimmer with a smile. “So I was like, ‘What better day than the first day?’”