The product of the Washington golf program will tee it up as a professional player for the first time Thursday when he goes off the 10th tee at 3:01 p.m. during the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay. Right alongside of him will be Matt Thurmond, his coach at UW who is serving as his caddie.
UNIVERSITY PLACE — Cheng-Tsung Pan is entering a new phase of his life, but he has a familiar sidekick to help him along the way.
The product of the University of Washington golf program will tee it up as a professional player for the first time Thursday when he goes off the 10th tee at 3:01 p.m. during the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay.
Right alongside of him will be Matt Thurmond, his coach at UW who is serving as his caddie this week. He’ll be a calming influence in a pressure-cooker of a situation.
“We’re always telling jokes. Just him being there definitely relaxes my mind-set,” Pan said. “He’s probably one of the closest guys in my life, so it definitely helps in every scenario.”
Tour Chambers Bay
Take a tour of the links-style course using our 3-D flyover, including videos featuring U.S. Open Championship Director Danny Sink.Pan is coming off a second-place individual finish at the NCAA championships that concluded a record-breaking career at UW in which he won eight tournaments. A week ago, he won the sectional qualifier at Tumble Creek in Cle Elum.
This is his third U.S. Open, but it will be different because there won’t be the “(a)” behind his name indicating he’s an amateur.
“Honestly,” he said, “money is important, but I’m not a money guy. I just want to do something I like and play my best and see how far I can push my limits.”
Pan, originally from Taiwan but still wearing a very Husky purple golf shirt, has been pushing his game to new heights lately.
“I’m feeling very good about my game. My putting stroke is good. My mind-set has been really good, but it’s a tough course,” he said.
Kelly makes an appearance
Any local fans looking for Troy Kelly during a practice round the past three days didn’t have a whole lot of luck.
The 36-year-old who grew up in Silverdale and now lives on a hill in Steilacoom that overlooks Chambers Bay got four practice rounds in last week to avoid all the commotion of the past three days.
On Thursday, he’ll start all the commotion, teeing off on the 10th tee at 7 a.m. while Michael Putnam, who lives even closer to Chambers Bay than Kelly, hits the first shot off No. 1.
“I think it’s great that I and Michael are the first ones to hit, being the local guys,” Kelly said.
During his practice rounds, Kelly said he got a feel for the course.
“It’s difficult, obviously, but it’s going to be a fun challenge,” he said. “People are going to hit some quality shots that don’t end up where you think they’re going to end up. And you might hit some that you come off a little bit from what you like, but they’re going to end up OK.”
Kelly got a taste for that on the second hole, a 399-yard par 4.
“I hit 3-wood there the other day, and it landed just on the right side of the knoll (250 yards in the middle of the fairway) and it rolled all the way over into the rough, and I hit a nice tee shot.”
Kelly has been sidelined by a problem knee most of the year.
“The body feels pretty good right now. Last week, obviously, was a good test to walk 36 holes in one day,” Kelly said. “I felt pretty good. I was a little tender the next day, but overall it feels pretty good.”
His father, Bob Kelly, felt pretty good as well, watching one son play in the U.S. Open and his other son, Ryan, caddie for his brother.
“Very proud,” Bob said. “I’ve got both my kids out here.”
Notes
• Tee times for the other locals in the field include Ryan Moore of Puyallup at 2:50 p.m. off the first tee and former UW player Richard Lee at 7:11 a.m. off the first tee.
• Lee said Wednesday the course is getting harder every day. “It will be a challenge for everybody,” he said. “I like challenges on tough courses, and this is definitely one of them. I like the fact pars are good out here, and whoever can grind it out better is going to do well.”