Just 18 months ago, Nicolas Colsaerts had little reason to
believe he could be going so many places. He was No. 179 in the
world and had yet to win on a major tour.
Now, the big hitter from Belgium has a chance to have the best
of two worlds. Colsaerts received a sponsor's exemption this week to
the Frys.com Open, and what might be last chance to secure a PGA
Tour card for 2013.
He has $652,886 and needs to finish the equivalent of No. 125 on
the tour money list to earn a full card. That's the equivalent of
No. 120 with three events remaining.
"When you get a chance to play this tour with all these
players, the course you play on such a big stage, it would be
stupid not to consider it," Colsaerts said Tuesday from CordeValle
Golf Club in San Martin, Calif. "I've always played in Europe for a
lot of years. It's an unbelievable tour to play on and get your
grades up. But once you get a taste of what the possibilities here
are, they get you pretty excited."
Colsaerts broke through last year by winning the China Open, and
he picked up another win this spring at the World Match Play
Championship in Spain. Throw in a tie for seventh at the British
Open, where he opened and finished with a 65, and it carried him
onto the Ryder Cup team where he had a 63 on his own ball -- eight
birdies, one eagle and one bogey -- to single-handedly beat Tiger
Woods and Steve Stricker.
It's already been quite a year, and the Belgian Bomber is
looking for more.
"I've been to the U.S. quite a lot," he said. "But when you
realize how many unbelievable golf courses you have around the
country, it's quite unbelievable for somebody like me coming from
such a small country to have a chance to play golf around an
unbelievable country like this and play these fantastic
courses."
OK, so he likes America. But apparently his affinity goes
beyond the golf.
"I have to say, I have a little thing for Five Guys burgers,"
Colsaerts said.
