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4-year-old Northdale golfer is ready for children's tour

Tyler Wilkes is old enough to be eligible for the U.S. Kids Tour, which holds tournaments in Tampa.

By LOGAN MABE
Published December 30, 2005

NORTHDALE - Golf has a way of finding youthful prodigies all the time.

Tiger Woods was one, appearing on The Mike Douglas Show when he was just a tyke. Teenager Michelle Wie is another, challenging women and men on their respective professional tours.

Now comes little Tyler Wilkes, all of 4 years old and ready to tee it up with the big boys.

When we first met Tyler, the Northdale tot was chipping and putting his way to excellence at the Northdale Golf Club, displaying a feel for the game far beyond his years.

Now, Tyler will get a chance to actually compete with his peers instead of his pop.

This year, Tyler is old enough to be eligible for the U.S. Kids Tour, which holds tournaments in Tampa, proud dad Scott Wilkes said.

"It runs from May through July, and he'll get a chance to play in 10 events," Wilkes said. "We tried to get him in last year, but he wasn't old enough yet."

Courses are modified for the age-5-and-younger class so that none of the holes are longer than 150 yards, which shouldn't be a challenge for the tireless Tyler.

"He plays at least twice a week and practices five or six days a week," Wilkes said. "I don't know that he understands that these will be tournaments, though, because to him, golf is just fun."

Which is a lesson some older golfers could learn.

[Last modified December 29, 2005, 08:40:09]