It's the golf equivalent of being sent to the minors. After a couple of years on the PGA Tour, Oxford's John Maginnes lost his playing card. He now toils on the Nike Tour, longing for a return to the bigs.
"I know that I can play out here on this tour," Maginnes says. "I know that I'm not on this tour because I didn't exhibit that when I had the opportunity. But, this will help me get back to the tour, and help me be more successful when I get back to the tour."
Eight days ago, Maginnes wrapped up a solid showing at the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic. His $31,000 pay day is about ten times the amount he's won on the Nike Tour this season. No question, the PGA is where the money and fame are.
"Somebody asked me, 'how does it make you feel to be in your home town walking off the first tee and have someone in the gallery ask who's that walking with Fuzzy Zoeller," Maginnes recalls. "In 20 years, there's going to be a boy from Greensboro right here, and I'm going to be playing in my 25th or 26th GGCC. They're going to say 'who's that playing with John Maginnes.'"
And that just might be a Nike participant, aiming to make the big time, like John Maginnes.
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