Hoops time gives Woodland extra confidence at the Hope
LOS ANGELES: American Gary Woodland plans to draw on his college basketball experience when he goes into Sunday's final round of the Bob Hope Classic at La Quinta, California in a tie for the lead.
Although this is unfamiliar territory for him in a PGA Tour event, the 26-year-old from Kansas believes the ability to "stay in the moment" applies to every sport.
"You got to stay in the moment," the long-hitting Woodland told reporters after ending Saturday's fourth round of the 90-hole event level with Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas at 24-under 264.
"That's the main deal. Even if you have a six-shot lead, these guys out here on this golf course, that's nothing. You can make six shots up in four or five holes."
Woodland considered a career in basketball while playing at college level for Washburn University but he then switched to a golf scholarship at Kansas University.
"I was on a full ride to play basketball," he said after firing a sparkling six-under 66 in near-perfect scoring conditions at La Quinta Country Club on Saturday.
"Kansas was the only school that recruited me out of college to play golf. I had a lot of schools for basketball but Kansas, when I told the coach there I was going to play basketball, he followed me.
"I played one year of basketball (at Washburn) and called him and he had a (golf) scholarship for me."
Woodland, one of the longest hitters on the PGA Tour, cites playing basketball for Washburn and competing for them against Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse as his biggest thrills outside golf.
He is now well placed to enjoy the biggest thrill of his golfing career as he seeks his first victory in that sport since he triumphed in a mini-tour event at the end of 2008.
"I won the High Plains pro-am, a small tournament out in Kansas," he said of his success three years ago. "I also won four times in college and I led all four going into the final round.
"So stay in the moment here,! one sho t at a time. Try and get the ball in the fairway is the key for me, because if I get in the fairway, I can attack pins.
"That's my goal tomorrow is just to drive it well and roll some putts in. It's going to be a shoot-out tomorrow and the conditions will be perfect again."
Although this is unfamiliar territory for him in a PGA Tour event, the 26-year-old from Kansas believes the ability to "stay in the moment" applies to every sport.
"You got to stay in the moment," the long-hitting Woodland told reporters after ending Saturday's fourth round of the 90-hole event level with Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas at 24-under 264.
"That's the main deal. Even if you have a six-shot lead, these guys out here on this golf course, that's nothing. You can make six shots up in four or five holes."
Woodland considered a career in basketball while playing at college level for Washburn University but he then switched to a golf scholarship at Kansas University.
"I was on a full ride to play basketball," he said after firing a sparkling six-under 66 in near-perfect scoring conditions at La Quinta Country Club on Saturday.
"Kansas was the only school that recruited me out of college to play golf. I had a lot of schools for basketball but Kansas, when I told the coach there I was going to play basketball, he followed me.
"I played one year of basketball (at Washburn) and called him and he had a (golf) scholarship for me."
Woodland, one of the longest hitters on the PGA Tour, cites playing basketball for Washburn and competing for them against Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse as his biggest thrills outside golf.
He is now well placed to enjoy the biggest thrill of his golfing career as he seeks his first victory in that sport since he triumphed in a mini-tour event at the end of 2008.
"I won the High Plains pro-am, a small tournament out in Kansas," he said of his success three years ago. "I also won four times in college and I led all four going into the final round.
"So stay in the moment here,! one sho t at a time. Try and get the ball in the fairway is the key for me, because if I get in the fairway, I can attack pins.
"That's my goal tomorrow is just to drive it well and roll some putts in. It's going to be a shoot-out tomorrow and the conditions will be perfect again."
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