The Loop
Nick Watney spotted with old-school carry bag on the practice green at the CareerBuilder Challenge
LA QUINTA, Calif. -- Usually, spotting a college-stamped carry bag on a PGA Tour practice range or putting green means an amateur player is in the field. Quite the opposite was true early in the week at the CareerBuilder Challenge.
The Fresno State University bag spotted on the putting green on Tuesday at the CareerBuilder Challenge belonged to five-time PGA Tour winner Nick Watney. This is no amateur -- just a guy who has amassed more than $24 million -- and one of the more successful players over the past decade or so.
Watney went back to his roots early in the week at PGA West. Having recently signed a metalwoods contract with TaylorMade, Watney has the luxury of sporting the college-inspired bag early in the week. Will we see it on Thursday when he tees it up?
"That's probably not likely," Watney said. "It's just a cool thing for now."
The Fresno native said he attended a fundraiser near home over the past couple weeks and picked up the bag. So he thought, 'Why not give an ode to his alma mater?' Watney graduated from the university, where his uncle was his college coach, in 2003, and so giving a little love to his playing in his home state this week make sense.
Just the sight of a tour pro not having a logoed-up bag was a unique site. At least for a couple days. Watney's not likely to go long without a sponsorship for that bag.