Sports: Groomed for greatness. Mature. Experienced. 16?

Groomed for greatness. Mature. Experienced. 16?

Most sophomores look forward to their first drive. Ty Tryon has had his, down the fairways of the PGA's Honda Classic.

By BOB HARIG

ORLANDO -- The crowd rose, clapping and cheering, hooting and hollering. Tom Lehman knew what was happening, so he steered clear of the green and let the kid go by himself to soak in the adulation.

It was a special moment at the conclusion of a special tournament for Ty Tryon, a 16-year-old sophomore at Orlando Lake Highland Prep, who was paired in the final round of the PGA's Honda Classic with Lehman.

For Lehman, 42, a late-bloomer who struggled to find his way onto the tour before becoming one of America's best players, it was quite a treat as well.

"His game is so mature," Lehman said. "He has so much experience already. He has more experience at this point than I probably had at 25."

Lehman was talking about Tryon at this week's tour stop, the Bay Hill Invitational. For Lehman, it is another week, another tournament. For Tryon, it's back to reality.

He's in California competing with his high school team in a tournament. He shot 73 in the opening round Tuesday -- two days after shooting 68 at Heron Bay to finish in a very respectable tie for 39th at the Honda Classic.

Tryon earned his spot in the Honda by securing one of three qualifying places in a 183-player field on the Monday before the tournament. Then he went out and shot an opening-round 67 and made the cut, becoming the youngest player to make a cut in a PGA Tour event since Bob Panasik at the 1957 Canadian Open.

He finished the tournament at 10-under-par 278 and had it going on Sunday, too, before a late rally stalled.

"That hurt me more than it hurt him," Lehman said. "I was hoping he'd shoot 62."

Not that Lehman wasn't trying. He made birdie on No. 18 to shoot 67 and edge Tryon by one. "I definitely wanted to make it," Lehman said.

To show where Tryon is coming from, he was followed during his rounds at the Honda by his mother, Georgia, and father, Bill, his swing coach, Kevin Smeltz, and sports psychologist Jim Fannin. His family moved to Orlando a few years ago so he could attend the David Leadbetter Golf Academy.

"He's been groomed for this," Bill Tryon said.

Amazingly, Tryon is not even the No. 1 player on his high school team. That honor goes to Christo Greyling, the No. 1-ranked boys amateur in the country. Tryon is ranked fifth in the country. Other teammates include Jason Cook, son of PGA Tour player John Cook, and Andy Leadbetter, son of swing guru David Leadbetter.

During Saturday's round, Tryon holed out on 18 from a bunker for birdie and became a huge crowd favorite, signing autographs all the way.

"I just didn't want it to end," said Tryon, who hopes to be back in Orlando for the final round of the Bay Hill Invitational, where he'll be thinking, "I should be out there."

And yet, there is no guarantee he one day will be. For all his success last week, nothing is assured. Just look at the guy who, coincidentally, won the Buy.com event in Gainesville on Sunday. Chris Couch qualified for the Honda Classic as a 16-year-old 11 years ago. He missed the cut, but was destined for stardom.

It has never come. Couch, who went on to the University of Florida, bounced around golf's minor leagues, failing to keep his PGA Tour card. He only got into the Buy.com event on a sponsor's exemption -- then won it. Only a few months ago, Couch considered quitting to get a full-time job.

Tiger Woods took notice of Tryon's accomplishment. He was a 16-year-old in 1992 when he was given a sponsor's exemption into the Los Angeles Open. A year earlier, he tried to qualify and missed one of two spots despite shooting 64.

"It just goes to show that anybody can have a great week," Woods said. "Now, can you repeat it time and time again; that's the key. There are so many times that players have gone out here and played well one week and then they are gone."

Remember Justin Rose. At 17, he had an incredible week at the 1998 British Open, holing out for birdie at the last hole to tie for fourth. He turned pro the next day, then went nearly a year without making a cut.

Remember Matt Kuchar? The former U.S. Amateur champion contended at the 1998 Masters and U.S. Open, considered lucrative endorsement offers to turn pro, remained at Georgia Tech. He was unable to earn his PGA Tour card last fall.

Even Bob May, who fought Woods to the wire at last year's PGA Championship, has not had the pro career that was promised after he became the youngest player to get into a PGA Tour event as a 15-year-old qualifier in 1985. Now, at age 32, he is in just his third season on tour.

Tryon said it will be several years before he turns pro. Lehman said you'll hear more from Tryon.

"Somebody who can repeat a swing like he can is somebody to keep an eye on," Lehman said. "He has so much poise. He's way, way beyond his years. If I would have played a PGA Tour event when I was 16, I wouldn't have broken 80. I would have choked my guts out. It's a different world."