By: by Mark Toma
KENNESAW, Ga. - Amidst rain, wind, thundering crowds, celebrities, family, friends, well-wishers, autograph seekers, television cameras and reporter pads Matt Nagy's dream takes another trek this afternoon as he gets ready to tee-off at the 2009 U.S. open on Long Island.
The Owls rising junior hits the links for real this afternoon after a week spent in practice rounds and the U.S. Open newbie has seemed to put things in its proper state and is actually enjoying the experience.
Without time to take a deep breath, Nagy was thrust not only into the national spotlight, but the world spotlight, as he prepares for his first major event. In fact it is the first major event in which a Kennesaw State golfer has ever participated.
Larry Nelson, who attended Kennesaw State when it was a junior college in the early seventies, did not play golf for the Owls, but did establish himself as one of the top professionals in the sport as he won three major events including the 1983 U.S Open at the Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa.
Before Nagy signed his name for what is approaching thousands and prior to dazzling the spectators with humor and mimicked shots, Matt was headed into a place that very few people had ever been. Is it an abyss? Well sort of, but not really. It is the U.S. Open and it is golf, but golf on a level that Nagy had never experienced, enter Nelson.
Everyone likes to mix the old school with the new and for Nagy, headed to play in the U.S. Open on Thursday afternoon, he got a bit of old school advice from a very seasoned pro.
Nelson, who won the 1983 U.S. Open by one stroke over Tom Watson, spoke with Nagy last week as Nelson was headed to Orlando, but 2006 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee requested time to offer some advice to Kennesaw State's newest golf hero.
"Mr. Nelson offered me so much good advice," said Nagy who will be playing in his first major. "He told me about concentration, what to focus on and what to ignore, what to expect and to make sure he would focus on things that would positively impact my performance."
Nelson won three majors in his illustrious career, including a pair of PGA Championships in 1981 and 1987. All together he has won 10 PGA events, four Japan Golf Tour wins and has 19 Champions Tour titles to his credit, tied for 10th all-time. Nagy will tee-off at 2:42 p.m. on Thursday afternoon in a threesome with Doug Batty and Shawn Stefani.
Now it's time to play for Matt and he is ready.
"I have really been focusing on my game and trying not to let distractions get in my way," said Nagy is his daily blog for Golfweek. " I mean, I will be playing against my idols. But this week, I will be walking down the fairways with them. All of us . . . inside the ropes."
