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January 6, 2010

Ex-TC Central golfer to join pro ranks

Rankin to play on eGolf Tour

BY JAMES COOK

TRAVERSE CITY -- Bill Rankin is bankin' on a ranking.

Or at least hoping.

The former Traverse City Central golf standout announced this week that he's turning pro after a four-year career at Michigan that saw him set several Wolverine records.

"I'm very excited," Rankin said. "I just graduated at the end of December, and I've been waiting for this moment to come for a long time now. I've been playing competitive golf since I was 14, so this is the culmination of all that work."

Rankin will be playing on the eGolf Tour (formerly the Cargill Tour), making his professional debut Feb. 24-27 at a Tour stop in Savannah, Ga.

"I know from competing at the highest level -- like competing last year at the national semifinals -- that I have what it takes to compete at the level with the guys who are coming out of college as All-Americans," Rankin said. "More than anything, I think it prepares you for the road really well. I played 43 events in my (college) career and you only play one home tournament a year and you're trying to balance school and being on the road. Not being on the road feels weirder sometimes because I'm just used to living out of a suitcase."

A four-time state qualifier in high school (once at Glen Lake before transferring to Central), Rankin said former Trojans coach Bob Lober played a big role in his success.

"His work went sort of uncredited," Rankin said. "He didn't get enough praise. We sort of took for granted how great a coach he was when we were there."

Rankin joins former TC Central teammate Randall Hutchison on the professional circuit. Hutchison is currently playing the winter series of the Hooters Tour.

When Hutchison was at Michigan State, they played against each other several times a year, and were even paired together in the spring of 2008.

"Because he was a student of the game, he worked very hard and practiced very hard," Lober said. "He wanted to achieve. He's a good athlete, just like Randy. They both could have played other sports. If you look at most of the guys at that level, you'll see they are good athletes. It's not like the old days where you could take good-old boys out and play some golf. You've got to be an athlete and be able to compete physically and mentally."

In addition to playing on the 18-stop eGolf Tour, Rankin plans to return to the state to compete in the Michigan PGA, the Golf Association of Michigan tournament and Tournament of Champions at Boyne and a U.S. Open regional qualifier. In the fall, he'll aim for a PGA Tour card in the Q-School.

Seven players from the eGolf circuit -- based mostly in the Carolinas and Georgia -- earned their PGA Tour cards in last December's Q-School. Rankin is in the process of moving to Lexington, S.C.

Rankin shot a Wolverine-record 64 in the second round of the Bridgestone Intercollegiate as a senior (tying another Traverse City golfer, Christian Vozza, for the best U-M round) and also holds the mark for best 54-hole round with a 202 at The Maxwell as a junior.

His sophomore average of 76.47 strokes per round dropped to 74.18 as a junior and 73.78 as a senior, when he placed in the top 25 of five tournaments.

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