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July 10, 2012

Hutchison wins PGA Tour qualifier

BY MIKE ECKERT, meckert@record-eagle.com ----

TRAVERSE CITY — It's been three years since Randy Hutchison played in a PGA Tour event.

On Thursday, he'll get his second shot.

Hutchison, a Traverse City native, is in the field for this week's John Deere Classic after winning Monday's qualifier.

"I was lucky enough to win," Hutchison said. "I was going for the top four. At these things, you just go as low as you can."

Playing at TPC Deere Run in western Illinois, Hutchison shot a 63 for medalist on Monday, topping a field of about 100 golfers.

"Pretty much everything (was working)," he said. "I didn't really miss much. I made a few putts too, which helps."

Last week, the 25-year-old shot a 68 in a pre-qualifier.

"It's been a good few days and it's been fun," Hutchison said.

In 2009, Hutchison got his first taste of the PGA Tour when he qualified for the Buick Open in Grand Blanc. He shot 81-74 and missed the cut.

"It didn't go as well as I wanted it to, but I learned a lot," Hutchison said.

Since his last PGA Tour appearance, Hutchison been gaining momentum. He won the Michigan Open last summer. This year, he's currently ninth on the NGA Tour money list, including a second-place finish at the Golden Hills Golf and Turf Club in March.

Without a PGA Tour stop in Michigan, the John Deere Classic was one of the closer events for Hutchison. By qualifying, it'll also give his family a chance to watch him play.

Hutchison said his brother, Sean, was coming from Chicago to caddie for him. And his parents planned to make the trip.

The tournament gets underway on Thursday. Steve Stricker is the three-time defending champion and highlights a field with Zach Johnson, Ben Crane, Nick Watney and John Daly.

Hutchison's plans following the John Deere Classic are a little up in the air. If he finishes high enough, he would qualify to play again the following week. If not, he plans to play on the NGA Tour in Georgia next week, followed by the Michigan Tournament of Champions at Boyne Highlands at the end of the month.

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