Monday February 06, 2012

Pulling A Kyle Stanley

Pulling A Kyle Stanley
Six years ago Clemson got a commitment in golf from one of the nation's top junior players and had to go out to Washington state to do so.

Hall of Fame golf coach Larry Penley had built his program and won a national title by staying local and signing players from the state of South Carolina. So I asked Penley why and how he ended up recruiting a kid from Washington state?

His answer was simple, "When you see him hit it you won't ask that question again."

Like always Penley was right. Now we have another former Clemson player that is the talk of the PGA Tour.

Kyle Stanley won the Waste Management Open in Scottsdale, AZ yesterday and accomplished several things in the process. He secured his first PGA Tour win. He moved to the top of the PGA Tour money list and the top of the points list in the Fed Ex Cup. He even moved the streak of a former Clemson player winning on the PGA Tour to nine straight years, which is the longest on tour.

But Stanley accomplished so much more than what can be written or described in words. When he won yesterday he overcame an eight shot deficit which was tied for the third largest margin ever on the PGA Tour. Yet it was his comeback from the previous week that was the biggest story.

Last week Stanley was the punchline.

"Did you watch Tin Cup yesterday?"

"Did you watch Kyle Stan de Velde?"

"Kyle Stanley pulled a Clemson yesterday, huh?"

Stanley had an seven shot lead in the final round of last week's PGA Tour event in San Diego, CA but was leaking oil coming down the stretch. On the 72nd hole Stanley made an eight. A snowman. The triple bogey prevented a win in regulation and instead he was headed to a playoff with two-time winner Brandt Snedeker. Stanley three-putted on the second play-off hole to complete a major collapse.

After the round Stanley was embarrassed and heart broken. His family was there to watch him win his first tour event but ended up being his strength at a time where he needed them. Stanley said, "I am not sure what I would not have done if it were not for my family this week."

What he did was take one day off then get back to work. He went to work on the only thing he could control and that was what was directly in front of him.

Stanley played well but still trailed by eight heading into yesterday's final round. His comeback was helped by Spencer Levin's final round 75.

It is ironic that it took Levin's collapse to help Stanley get over his own collapse just seven days earlier.

Stanley is now the talk of the Tour and in many ways the sports world. His perseverance could be a lesson to us all.

In fact, I think we could use this as a tool to reference Stanley when opportunity arrises. Whenever things look down and hope is lost, we can try to pull "a Kyle Stanley."

The next time Clemson's football team might be accused of pulling "a Clemson," they can turn it around and look at the opportunity to pull "a Kyle Stanley."

Clemson's basketball team is 11-11 and 3-5 in the ACC this season. Last week they lost twice in the final minute to Virginia and Virginia Tech on the road. Now they have an opportunity to pull "a Kyle Stanley."

The old tired phrase of, "when life hands you lemons you make lemonade," could evolve into, "when life hands you lemons, you pull a Kyle Stanley."

We may look back on yesterday as the turning point in a super star's career. CBS's Jim Nantz says Stanley can win big on the PGA Tour. Other golf announcers marvel at his abilities.

Penley told me this about Stanley one day last summer, "I was talking to Lucas (Glover) and Charles (Warren) and Jonathan (Byrd) and they say there are only two people on tour that tour players will stop and watch hit balls. One is Tiger Woods and the other is Kyle Stanley."

Penley has seen great players in his time at Clemson but he says that Stanley hit the ball it sounds different. He says this is a phenom that can win at the highest level and could be one of the Americans under thirty that can carry the PGA Tour.

But yesterday is what many will remember. Yesterday was bigger than golf. Stanley gave us inspiration to overcome adversity. He has inspired us to pull "a Kyle Stanley" when given the opportunity.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:

If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer list will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.

If you would like to add someone to the list please email me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com

*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list.

Those who need our prayers include:Finn Brookover, Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter), Jo Ann Bachman, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard, Gillespie and his family, Jim S, Daniel Rosborough, The Huffman family, Nancy Winkler, John Reeve, Ethel Southard, Vinnie Brock, Kaitlyn L, Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs,Perrin Seigler, Candee Massee, Lindsey Jordan, Sam Catoe, Tyler Felch, the Nicolopulos family, "the Jacksonville, FL guys", Kim Sims, the Coyle family, Ryleigh Tedder, Steve Lee, Kelly Trakas, Jimmy Moore, the Thomas. V Family, Emary Claire Young, Kitty Bowers,Julie Locke, the Scheider family, Lauren Kittles' family, Frank Gentry, Joyce Bussey, Stacey McKeown, Mary Priester, Dale Childs, Larry Lentz, Jr, Carl Sharperson, Scott Hannon, William Perry, Tyler Swaney, Randy Anderson, Lillian, Matt Hogan, Mark Feit, David Frame, Chad Berry, the family of Matthew M. Watson, Nancy Taylor, the Dowis family, Shervin Messer, Alan Putnam, the Olivers, Lee Tate, Ronnie Abrams, Eddie Greene, the Jackson family, Bill Vader, Nancy Taylor, Tina DeWitt, Rock Horne, Christopher Tuten, Jimmy Head, Bobby Wayne Thomas, Emma and Danielle Carothers, Robert Ditty, Murray Smith, Dot Cartee, Ayden Mills, Millie Heatley, Lynn Martin and family, Michael Pinson, Jack Bailey, Jake David family, Janice Thompson, Angie Crowley, Rachel Graves, Ira, Elsie Taylor, Mike Tolson, Poly Wells, Dr. Muriel Bishop, Jack Cunningham, Emily Jefford Meister, Zachary Stoller, Aaron Clackum, Pat James.