Las Vegas, Nevada (January 16, 2012)–Gary Woodland made his debut in Las Vegas at the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge late in 2011. The event is annually played in November at Las Vegas golf course Rio Secco Golf Club, which is also the home course of the Butch Harmon School of Golf. Woodland possibly killed a couple birds with one Titleist, so to speak, as he played in the benefit event and the seeds of a new partnership with Harmon might have been planted. –By Brian Hurlburt.
"Butch has taken people where I want to go," Woodland recently told Golfweek Magazine writer Jeff Babineau. Among the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour pros that Harmon currently works with are Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Las Vegas Golf Region residents Nick Watney and Natalie Gulbis. Previously, Harmon has helped Greg Norman and Tiger Woods reach the World #1 Ranking. Click now to read the entire Golfweek article.
Woodland made the relationship official the week before the Hyundai Tournament of Champions which is played in early January, and booked a flight to Las Vegas immediately following that tournament to get started. “I talked to him (Harmon) last Wednesday, told him I was looking for a coach, and he said he was thrilled. I’m good friends with Dustin Johnson and Nick (Watney), and I’ve hit it off pretty well with Phil (Mickelson). So I’ll be there on the tee with Butch tomorrow until he kicks me out of there. I can’t wait.” Woodland will continue to work with Brad Faxon on the short game.
Playing golf in Las Vegas soon? Visit the fabulous Rio Secco Golf Club, a resort course designed by Rees Jones. Also, the Butch Harmon School of Golf has released its official Golf Schools calendar for 2012 and YOU can learn the same secrets from Harmon and his staff that the pros do. Click now for the official website of the Butch Harmon School of Golf to learn how to reserve your spot in an exclusive golf school.
“I like my foursome. Let’s put it that way,” Harmon told Babineau about being able to work with Johnson, Watney, Mickelson and now Woodland. “He reminds me a lot of Dustin Johnson. He’s got so much to learn, but he’s got so much talent. I’ve watched him play, because he’s friendly with my guys. As a former basketball player, he’s so athletic, so competitive. I like that. It should be a fun year. I’m looking forward to it.”
Woodland is a former college basketball player who is now one of the longest hitters on the PGA Tour. During a Q&A at his annual Tiger Jam charity event in Las Vegas in 2011, Tiger Woods mentioned Woodland by name as a guy who is hitting the ball in places that even Tiger can't fathom. Woodland won the 2011 Transition Championship which was his first career PGA Tour win.