'I love hanging out with my mates...and chasing girls'

This is why it's easy to root for players like PGA Tour rookie James Nitties, not because he loves "chasing girls," but because he unabashedly allows a glimpse inside his world.

In his PGA Tour media guide biography, under special interests, he lists "clubbing, girls, movies." He was asked about that in his post-round news conference at the HP Byron Nelson Championship on Thursday:

"I'm pretty brutally honest there, but really, I'm exactly like any other single 26-year-old. I love going to the movies, I love hanging out with mates and having a couple drinks in bars and chasing girls. It's typical of a guy -- I'm just the only one that actually says it and doesn't say I like hanging out and fishing, when I really do normal stuff. I mean, I could be monotone and boring for you guys, but that just wouldn't be fun."

Nitties, an Australian who finished second at the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament last year, said he and his caddie have cut alcohol from their diet for a six-week period in an effort to string together some quality golf.

"We went into Cool River the other night," he said, referring to a popular Irving, Texas, bar and grill, "and everyone is laughing at us because we're drinking Coke and cranberry, and then we went to Tommy Armour's party, which I'm sure you've heard about, and we both had a Red Bull or a water bottle in our hands. It's not easy, but I just made an executive decision where I have to play well over the next five weeks. It's the PGA Tour. It's not just fun and games out here."

-- John Strege