Chris Couch is the latest advertisement for the Nationwide Tour.
Two weeks ago, Nationwide Tour player Jason Gore made an unexpected run at the U.S. Open.
“They were keeping us posted on how he was doing on the leaderboard,” Couch said. “I know he didn’t have a good Sunday, but it was fantastic what he did.”
His fellow Nationwide Tour players will be scoreboard-watching for Couch this weekend. It’s his chance to show how fine the line is between the two tours.
A 67 Friday made Couch the surprising second-round leader in the Cialis Western Open at Cog Hill. At 9 under, he is one shot ahead of Tim Herron (66 Friday), Jim Furyk (70) and Duffy Waldorf (65).
Tiger Woods also put himself somewhat in the mix. His 66 moved him into a tie for 17th at 3 under.
Most of the crowd of 44,963, a tournament record for a Friday, congregated around Woods. But Couch is six shots clear of the world’s No. 1 player.
Couch qualified for the Western when he won the Nationwide Tour’s LaSalle Bank Open at the Glen Club last month. The last time a player won two big professional tournaments in the same year in Chicago was the 1940s. Byron Nelson won twice in Chicago during his 11-tournament winning streak in 1945, and Lloyd Mangrum had two area victories in 1948.
“Chicago definitely has been good to me, to say the least,” Couch said.
Couch hardly is thinking about matching Nelson’s and Mangrum’s feats. He arrived at Cog Hill merely hoping to make the cut. Let’s just say he is exceeding expectations.
Couch doesn’t think it’s a shock that a Nationwide Tour player is doing well in a PGA Tour event. Gore served notice when he earned a spot in the final pairing Sunday at the Open. He blew up with an 84, but he wasn’t the only player to be done in by Pinehurst.
“I think the Nationwide Tour is underrated,” Couch said. “The competition is pretty close to the PGA Tour. I don’t know who ranks these tours, but I’ve heard it’s the second best tour in the world, and that’s saying something. You see the top 20 guys from the Nationwide Tour going to the PGA Tour, and you’re seeing winners every year from that top 20.”
Couch, 32, hasn’t been one of them. He has qualified twice for the PGA Tour but failed to keep his card, most recently last year when he earned only $100,283.
Disappointed at the missed opportunity, he studied the swings of top players such as Woods and Vijay Singh and implemented some changes. He’d previously done something a little more radical.
While struggling with his short game last year, it was suggested to Couch that he use a cross-handed grip for shots 80 yards and in. Left-hand low with his wedges has been magic.
After mastering the move, Couch said the hardest part was not to worry about what everybody thought.
“I always was worried that maybe somebody in the crowd would say, `Oh, he’s chipping cross-handed,’ or people would look at me funny,” Couch said. “I stopped worrying and just did it.”
It’s hard to argue with the results. He has won twice on the Nationwide Tour and is the leading money winner with $278,798.
The showing guarantees he will have his PGA Tour card in 2006. Unlike last year, when Couch was grinding to keep his card, he arrived at Cog Hill with nothing to lose.
“It definitely is a different mind-set,” Couch said. “I came into this tournament thinking it would be a good warmup for next year. It’s a good feeling knowing I’m going to be playing out here next year, whereas last year I knew I had to finish in the top 125. The way I was playing, that was pretty much impossible.”
Furyk doesn’t have to worry about keeping his card. With three second-place finishes this year, including one last week, he is zeroing in on his first victory.
Among the leaders, Furyk has to be considered the favorite going into the weekend. Woods has put himself in position, but after an opening 73, he is going to need a couple of 66s to make a serious run.
Furyk didn’t do enough leaderboard-watching to know Couch was leading the tournament. He wasn’t surprised when he heard the news.
“He’s played the tour, got some experience,” Furyk said.
Furyk graduated from the Nationwide level in the 1990s. “The Nationwide Tour is a great proving ground,” he said. “You look at most of our top players today and they’ve gone through there.”
Couch hopes he is trending upward. The weekend will provide some answers.
“You never know in this game,” Couch said. “I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my career. I’m enjoying the good play right now and hope it continues.”
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esherman@tribune.com
