Charlie Danielson, shown during Monday's NT Collegiate Showcase
AmateurGolf.com Photo
PACIFIC PALISADES, California (Feb. 21, 2016) --
After a whirlwind week that included a stellar 68 in
qualifying on Monday (winning the Collegiate
Showcase and his spot in the tournament) it would
be understandable if Charlie Danielson was a bit
tired at the end of the week.
There were practice rounds with his golfing idols -
players like Steve Stricker, and then there was the
first round 67 (one better than his qualifying round
score) that put the U. of Illinois player at T5 on the
leaderboard as he went to bed pondering the
possibilities. He fired 72 to make the cut, then 73 in
the third round.
On Sunday, Danielson went out in 36 but came back
in a disappointing 41 to finish T72. For a golfer that
arrived at Riviera on Monday to play there only his
second time, we'd say he had a pretty good week.
ROUND TWO STORY
After two rounds in the 60's already this week, could
things have gotten any better for University of
Illinois
Senior Charlie Danielson?
On Monday he fired 68 to win a spot in the
tournament, during the Northern Trust Collegiate
Showcase. And yesterday, he fired a nearly flawless
round of 4-under 67, placing the Osceola, Wisconsin
native at T5 in a star-studded PGA Tour event where
a
statue of Ben Hogan graces the putting green.
And then came his start today.
Danielson boomed a 295-yard tee shot, 212-yard
second shot, and 9 foot putt for an eagle on the first
hole at Riviera. Because he was playing in the
afternoon there were already named players like
Dustin
Johnson well ahead of him, but it had to feel good. A
bogey followed, but Danielson posted 1-under 34 on
the front nine, before taking a bogey on the short
10th.
No problem, he was still 4-under at that point with
the
cut likely to fall at even par. But at the 12th,
Danielson
missed and took double-bogey after landing his
second
shot
in the front bunker. That took him too close to even
par
for comfort, but after going birdie-par-bogey and
scoring pars on the last three, Danielson is at 3-
under
and looking for a solid weekend in his first PGA Tour
event.
We know he'll have fun.
PREVIOUSLY POSTED
PACIFIC PALISADES, California (Feb. 18, 2016) -- On
Monday, University of Illinois golfer
Charlie
Danielson birdied his last hole, with coach Mike
Small on the bag, to fire 68 and grab a spot in the
Northern Trust Open. That berth came courtesy the
Northern Trust Collegiate
Showcase, an event founded by Tournament
Director OD Vincent (a former coach of UCLA, Duke,
and Washington) and Northern Trust.
The next day, Danielson was playing a practice
round with Steve Stricker (a fellow Wisconsinite) and
Scott Langley, who he partnered with on Monday in
the Showcase (and who could not give him any
advice that day).
The entire experience could be overwhelming for
a golfer who has never played a PGA Tour event, let
alone one from a small town in Wisconsin (Osceola,
population 2568). But Danielson is a pretty laid-back
guy with a great attitude. We spoke with him Monday
after he won the Collegiate Showcase, and he sent
us an email the next day thanking us for the story.
As for the experience?
"It's pretty humbling," Danielson told PGATour.com. "I'm honored.
These are the best players in the world, and to
compete with them on such a great golf course,
and championship-style golf course, is pretty
thrilling."
Evidently the Tour players were able to give
some advice today, and Danielson likes Riviera. He
went out on the back nine with two-straight birdies,
settled down with two-straight bogeys, then made a
birdie on 16 to finish at 1-under and turning to his
second nine, the front. He birdied the first, a par-5
with an exhilarating tee shot from the clubhouse
level to a fairway seemingly several stories below.
Three more birdies and a lone bogey coming in gave
Danielson a round one better than he posted in
qualifying, a 4-under 67. As for his first tee shot, on
the short par-4 10th hole today, Danielson told
PGATour.com:
"I was nervous [today]. "I would say I was just
as nervous for the practice round when all those
pros are up there watching you tee off on 1. But
luckily I had an iron in my hand, so I knew that I
had a pretty wide fairway."
At the end of the day, Danielson wasn't just a
player in the field of a PGA Tour event, he's tied for
5th.
His goals remain the same.
"I am going to go in tomorrow and have fun and
whether I have a bad round or a good round or
mediocre round, nothing is going to change," he
said. "I'm just here for the experience and I'm here
to play well."
NOTE:
2016 marks the second year for the Northern
Trust Collegiate Showcase. Last year Will Zalatoris of
Wake Forest qualified, but failed to make the 36-hole
cut.
View results for Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase
ABOUT THE
Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase
The Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase was
founded in 2015. It is a chance for collegiate players
to play with PGA Tour alumni from their respective
schools. Two simultaneous competitions take place:
In the individual competition, the collegiate players
will play their own ball to record an 18-hole score.
When the Collegiate Showcase was founded, the
winner experienced the excitement of playing in the
Genesis Invitational that same week at Riviera. With
the status of the Geneisis Invitational changed to
"elevated" the showcase changed to awarding a
playing spot in the
Genesis Scottish Open, a co-sanctioned PGA TOUR &
DP World Tour event played in July.
In the team competition, the professional and the
two amateurs (playing at a specified percentage of
their most current and verified handicap) will team
up to play a best ball format (one-ball). The low
Professional and Amateurs team will take home the
Champions Trophy for their school and a nice check
going to their university's golf program.
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