PGA Tour rookie Tom Gillis’ career would be enough to make any man talk to himself.
The USGA media guide says Gillis, 34, tried to qualify for the tour eight times before earning his card. “I’ll bet it’s more like 10 or 11,” said Gillis.
After bouncing back from a devastating divorce in May 2000, Gillis headed for his final qualifying school last November seriously considering giving up the game.
“I had been chasing the dream for 13 years and played the mini-tours for seven and in Europe for five,” said the native of Lake Orion, Mich., “and I just wasn’t going to go back to Europe or back to playing the mini-tours.
“When I went to the school, that was pretty much it. I was prepared to go into another line of work. I could be selling cars right now.”
Instead, Gillis birdied four of his first 11 holes Thursday to take the U.S. Open lead. He still had a share of it after 17 before bogeying the 496-yard, par-4 ninth. He finished the day with a 2-under-par 68.
Gillis, who tied for seventh in last week’s Capital Open, credits his overdue success to his morning round of sectional qualifying at North Shore Country Club 10 days ago.
“I said to myself, `What are you holding back for? Why don’t you just once find out how good you can become by playing more aggressive?'” he said. “After that talk, I wasn’t afraid.”
