Family affair at Q School, LPGA Tour championship: Local Knowledge: Golf Digest

Family affair at Q School, LPGA Tour championship

Thursday, December 2, 2010 Comments

ORLANDO, Fla. - This week seems like old times for Paige Mackenzie, one of two golfers competing at the LPGA Tour Championship at Grand Cypress GC who has a brother playing at PGA Tour Q School at Orange County National in nearby Winter Garden, Fla.

"It's the first time since junior golf days we have been playing and staying together," said Paige, whose older brother, Brock, is at Q School. "From age 9 to 16 we were on a lot of road trips playing tournaments. It's nice to spend the week with him. I'm glad I'm there for him, because I use him as a sounding board when I'm struggling on tour. He gets it - to have someone on your side who knows what you're going through is really special."

The Mackenzie siblings, from Washington state, are joined by the Leons, Texans Taylor and Tyler, in being represented at the two Orlando-area events this week.

Paige saw Brock play part of his first round Wednesday. "It's a lot harder to watch golf than it is to play," she said. "Those fairways look narrower and the greens smaller from outside the ropes."

Brock (T-114) and Tyler (T-128) will need big rallies over the final 72 holes of Q School to make the PGA Tour. Paige shot a first-round 76 at Grand Cypress, while Taylor is in the best position, one-under and T-8 through nine holes of her opening round.

-- Bill Fields