Posted online: May 12, 2004 8:29 PM
Print publication date: May 13-14, 2004

NCB Am Tour drives back into action

It doesn't really seem that long ago that the gloves on our hands were for warmth from winter's bitter cold and the stick in our hands was part of a snow shovel.

But ready or not, it's already time for golf gloves and clubs ... and competitive golf as the National City Bank Amateur Tour tees it off for the 2004 campaign this weekend. The season's initial event is the Muscatine Amateur, being played Saturday at Muscatine Municipal and Sunday at Geneva Country Club.

``It's hard to believe it's already here,'' said Chris Wilkins, NCB Am Tour board member. ``This winter has flown by.''

While Wilkins admits the season ``snuck up on a lot of people, including me,'' he adds he is ready to get it started. ``Once it's here, it's pretty exciting.''

The face of the re-named Amateur Tour has changed a bit this year, too. No longer will the top players toil for the season for a coveted sponsor's exemption into the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic. That exemption is no longer offered by JDC tournament officials. Instead, the top two players through events at the end of June will have their entry fees paid to compete in the Monday four-spotter qualifying event the week of the July 5-11 Tour event. In effect, they are still playing for the right to play in the PGA Tour event.

``That's nothing to shake a stick at, it's still a chance,'' said Wilkins. ``Hopefully sometime down the road we'll get the exemption back. ... I don't think we have the carrot (dangling as incentive) like we've had. Some part of me is disappointed that we don't have the exemption. But we'll still have a good product. Regardless of what happens at the end, everybody is going to play hard and try to win.''

By all counts, Wilkins and the remainder of the board members are optimistic that the membership will still grow to over 100. He said his phone hasn't stopped ringing with people calling him for NCBTour information.

``Typically, guys will sign up at the last minute,'' said Wilkins. ``I suspect that by the Quad-City Amateur (Memorial Day weekend), that we'll be north of 100 people and that's a good sign.''

Wilkins figures that by the QC Am, the tour and all of its full-time players will be in full swing.

``I expect the next couple of weeks will be used to iron things out,'' he said.

-- Tour's best wishes for Swanson: On behalf of the entire National City Bank Amateur Tour and the board of directors, Wilkins wanted to publicly extend best wishes to 2003 Player of the Year Tyler Swanson. The 20-year-old sophomore at Iowa State is hospitalized after a single-car crash two Sundays ago.

``It's going to be disappointing to not have Tyler around for the whole season,'' said Wilkins. ``I know a lot of people are thinking about him and it's great to hear that he's doing well. I know we'll all be thinking about him and wishing him the best.''

Golf columnist Tom Johnston welcomes your comments at 757-4969 or tjohnston@qconline.com