By An ‘O’ Hair

On a spring afternoon in Charlotte, North Carolina there were no ghosts of Southern Swing’s past for tour up-and-comer Sean O’Hair. There were no dances with death on an island green, and although a Tiger was on the loose, it seemed to be more hibernating then prowling. But still it wasn’t easy.

Playing in the 2nd to last group with a two shot lead, O’Hair stood on the 72nd green with a 20 foot birdie putt. When he motored the putt 5 feet past he left himself, in Feherty’s words, “a nerve jangler.” His return putt only grazed the edge of the cup and he stood stone-faced with only a one shot lead and Lucas Glover in the 18th fairway. Although O’Hair was saved by harmless Glover par, I’m sure he had visions of 5 weeks prior on the mind.

O’Hair slept on a 5 stroke Saturday night lead over Tiger Woods but was awoken on the 72nd green with a slick curling 15 foot exclamation point from the world’s number one. It was a painful moment for a guy who has endured definite disappointment in the past. It was only 2 springs prior that O’Hair was paired in the final group with Hefty Lefty at the Players Championship and heartbreak ensued. He kerplunked two balls into the water on the famous 17th island green, which dashed any possibility of his victory in the tour’s 5th major.

For those who aren’t aware of O’Hair’s past, here’s the skinny. He was a wide-eyed 17 year old kid coming off his junior year in high school when he turned pro. A golfing prodigy as a youth, he survived junior golf without being burned out, despite the pressuring efforts of his old man. Papa O’Hair really did a number on Sean. It was a struggle for a very long time. He was on and off the game and was very hard on himself and had no sympathy from his father. O’Hair overcame a lot and now over a decade later from his turning pro, after waiting out a nerve racking Lucas Glover, he is now a 3 time PGA tour winner!

Although O’Hair punched his ticket to the 2010 Masters at the 2009 Masters by finishing in the top 16 & ties [T10], adding a win to the resume is always a positive step for a young player. Adding the fact that he won a tourney with Tiger in the field should add at least an extra scoop on his ice cream cone. Enduring tumultuous meltdowns and fiery competitor comebacks, O’Hair has still remained confident and should be a player to be reckoned with as he enters the prime of his career.