ATLANTA – Ryan Gerard has dialed in his distance control with his short irons this week at the Tour Championship and the proof is in the pudding. He shot his second straight 5-under 65 at East Lake Golf Club on Friday to share the 36-hole lead at the FedEx Cup finale with Viktor Hovland.
But his short irons aren't all that Gerard has figured out. The 27-year-old North Carolina Tarheel already reeled in his "white whale," making it to the field of 30 for the first time in his Tour career, and now he's seeking a captain's pick to play for Brandt Snedeker on Team USA at the Presidents Cup.
"It's hard not to think about it a little bit. I think very aware that a good week this week goes a long way to help my chances," he said. "Just going to go out there and play good golf, and Sneds is going to decide whatever he thinks is best for the team, and I hope that I can contribute."
In a previous conversation, he was even more candid: "I want to play in that tournament. I want to be part of the team. I want to play for my country. I want people to want me to be there."
And he very well may get the chance, as his expectations begin to catch up with his abilities. When he first was chasing a Tour card, those expectations, he admits, didn't always match with reality. "It took me a little while to figure out I didn't have it figured out and then it took me even longer to try and figure it out from there," he said. "I'd like to think I'm getting close to getting a little more consistent but I'm still learning."
#want
But his short irons aren't all that Gerard has figured out. The 27-year-old North Carolina Tarheel already reeled in his "white whale," making it to the field of 30 for the first time in his Tour career, and now he's seeking a captain's pick to play for Brandt Snedeker on Team USA at the Presidents Cup.
"It's hard not to think about it a little bit. I think very aware that a good week this week goes a long way to help my chances," he said. "Just going to go out there and play good golf, and Sneds is going to decide whatever he thinks is best for the team, and I hope that I can contribute."
In a previous conversation, he was even more candid: "I want to play in that tournament. I want to be part of the team. I want to play for my country. I want people to want me to be there."
And he very well may get the chance, as his expectations begin to catch up with his abilities. When he first was chasing a Tour card, those expectations, he admits, didn't always match with reality. "It took me a little while to figure out I didn't have it figured out and then it took me even longer to try and figure it out from there," he said. "I'd like to think I'm getting close to getting a little more consistent but I'm still learning."
#want
2 months ago
