NGA/Hooters golfers closing in on PGA dream

GAINESVILLE -- If you're wondering just how talented the competition will be at this weekend's Charter Childhood Cancer Awareness Classic look no further than last week's Transitions Championship -- a PGA Tour event in Palm Harbor, Fla.

Will Claxton, a National Golf Association/Hooters Professional Golf Tour regular, played his way into the Transitions Championship and showed he can run in golf's big leagues, making the cut in his first-ever PGA tournament.

Claxton, who is in the field this week at Chattahoochee Golf Club in Gainesville, is currently tied for 18th the NGA/Hooters points standings.

"There's a lot of guys here who just need that one big break; they're ready for that next step," said Claxton, a native of Swainsboro. "The gap between these guys and the PGA is not that big; there's a gap there but not much of one."

In fact almost all of the competitors at this weekend's NGA/Hooters Tournament event harbor dreams of making an upward move, with the PGA Tour and weekend battles with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson their biggest target.

"I feel like I'm pretty close to making the PGA a reality," current NGA/Hooters points leader Ted Potter said. "That's my ultimate goal, and it shouldn't be that far. I've just got to get through that wall."

Making that one big break and clearing the hurdles required to compete at the highest levels of golf isn't a physical issue for the members of the NGA/Hooters -- the third biggest golf tour in the United States behind the PGA and Nationwide, one which has produced a number of successful PGA pros (including Jim Furyk, the 2010 FedExCup winner and PGA Tour Player of the Year; Stewart Cink, the 2009 British Open Champion; Lucas Glover, the 2009 U.S. Open Champion; Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters Champion; Shaun Micheel, the 2003 PGA Champion; and John Daly, a British Open and PGA Champion, amongst others).

For those golfers earning critical experience in what amounts to the minor leagues of their sport, the biggest difference is psychological.

"A lot of it is just mental and your comfort level," Claxton said of what separates NGA/Hooters members from a PGA Tour card. "A lot of it is just about knowing you belong at the highest level."

Potter, a native of Ocala, Fla., certainly knows his game is on the cusp. The two-time NGA/Hooters Player of the Year (2006 and '09) has played two seasons on the Nationwide Tour (the second biggest tour in the nation) since turning professional in '02, right out of high school.

"I haven't played a PGA event yet, but this tour does a great job of getting players prepared for the highest level," said Potter, who has already won two NGA/Hooters events this season -- the Killearn Country Club Classic and Harley-Davidson of Ocala Classic and finished tied for fifth at the Members Only Shootout at Black Bear Golf Club. "I don't know if any of the other smaller tours out there do it as well as this one."

Potter -- who will play the entire 2011 season on the NGA/Hooters Tour -- hopes he can continue his fast start this week in the Charter Childhood Cancer Awareness Classic.

"After the last couple of weeks I've built up a lot of positive energy," Potter said. "I played here last year, and I'm excited to be here; I know I can do better than last year."

Potter finished tied for 39th last season, finishing 3-under for the weekend. He will be pushed by a strong field that includes Jesse Hutchins (a Cincinnati, Ohio native currently second in points standings after winning the Members Only Shootout at Black Bear Golf Club and second at the Harley-Davidson of Ocala Classic), Jeff Corr (third in points), Lee Williams (fourth in points, third in money winnings) and Stuart B. Anderson and Yohann Benson (both players on the Canadian Tour). They will also be joined by a number of local competitors going for glory in this one event, including Josh Bunch, Justin Cochran, Blake Palmer, Rodger Hogan and Nathan Rau.

The course at Chattahoochee will have a big say on the fortunes of all of this weekend's competitors, and, so far, Potter and Claxton have been impressed by what they have seen.

"They've got everything in good shape," Claxton said. "The greens seem firmer than last year -- not as fast though."

Featuring plenty of undulation and variation, the greens on the par-72 course (which has been lowered to a par-71 for this event) could make or break most competitors this weekend.

"The greens here are difficult to read; it will be a challenge," Potter said. "You want to put the ball in the right spot every time."

Tournament play will begin at 7:30 a.m. Thursday and run through Sunday afternoon at Chattahoochee Golf Club in Gainesville. Entrance is free for spectators.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
-- Ted Potter: No. 1 in points and money winnings, the Ocala, Fla., native has won two tournaments so far this season and finished fifth in one other.

-- Jesse Hutchins: No. 2 in points and money winnings, the Cincinnati, Ohio, native has won one tournament and finished second in another.

-- Jeff Corr: No. 3 in points standings, fourth in money winnings

-- Lee Williams: fourth in points, third in money winnings

-- Stuart B. Anderson: fourth in money winnings

-- Yohann Benson: sixth in money winnings

AREA COMPETITORS IN THE FIELD:
-- Justin Cochran, Gainesville

-- Blake Palmer, Dawsonville

-- Josh Bunch, Murrayville

-- Rodger Hogan, Gainesville

-- Nathan Rau, Cumming