So I had a big decision to make again. I graduate. I had one summer session. It's August, September, either wait another year, play amateur golf for another year.

That's probably not going to happen.

Right. And then wait till January to start and then see if I can get a lot of PGA Tour exemptions to get on tour to play seven events.

Because of your amateur sort of standing.

That's right. So I was high enough where my manager at the time, Jimmy Johnson-- you know he played on tour for years. He became my manager, and he said you have two options. You can turn pro now, start making money, I can get you some cash from Ping and a couple other people. You can play some tour events and then play Q-School at the end of the year to get ready for the next year. Or you can stay amateur an entire year, play at all the amateur events, and then hopefully play well enough. And if you don't, your stocks are going to go down, but if you play, you've got to play really well. And by the time you roll back around--

I hate it when they just tell us we have to do something.

I know. They're always telling us. I'm like, you need to work for me.

Exactly.

So I had to make a decision.

Just go do you deal, that's what he should have said.

I don't remember exactly how it went, but he said--

I'm just saying in general.

You're right on.

Aww, man you need to go play good in this tournament.

[CHUCKLING]

Yeah, thanks. Thanks a lot.

[CHUCKLING] Thank you. Thanks, Jimmy. But I decided, I was too fired up. I wanted to play. I was playing the best of my life. I was playing incredible golf. One year in my senior year, I averaged 69.8 for nine months. It's better than I've ever had on tour ever. So I played some incredible golf. I was hitting 14 greens a round. It was unbelievable. So I ended up turning pro. I played my first Texas tour event up in Longview, Texas, finished 30th or something. Made a little cash. I'm going, holy cow, these guys are really good. These are pros and I don't even know them.

You've said this every time.

Every time.

Every time.

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

What year was this?

That was 2004 in August, September November. September, October, November I played up in Longview, played maybe a couple of their events. My manager said, I got an idea. He said, you come over here to Sea Island at the time. You come work with me and Todd Anderson for a month. Let's get you ready for Q-School.

So I go over there. Practice, practice, practice. I play a few events locally, little stuff. I come back to Houston. I play at BlackHorse out here, first stage. I win by six. I'm like, sweet. Second stage, Deerwood-- no, sorry. Stonebridge, up in Dallas.

That's where I went through.

Stonebridge. Get up the first year. Weather is perfect for a couple of days. And all of a sudden the cold front comes through, blowing 30. I'm playing with tour stars and I'm thinking, I know this guy's name, I know this guy's name, I know this guy's name. I'm like, whoa I'm, kind of blown away. Again, another level of golf I've never seen before. I play. I miss it by two. I shoot 75, the last round in tough conditions.

That just cost you a year.

Cost me a year.

People don't realize that tour school is tough, and it costs you a year.

And second stage is the worst, because if you don't get through second--

Yeah, if you get to the finals, you get something.

You get some kind of conditionals somewhere. So at that time I'm going, holy cow, I just missed the most important stage. I was ready. That was Stonebridge. I played there a million times. I knew the course really well. I didn't get through. I'm driving back home.

It's a bummer.

I'm depressed. I'm like, holy cow. What do I do?

If it makes you feel any better, I was the best player in college when I left in 1985. And I missed my first tour school, and I went off to Europe for a couple of months and tried to get my ticket over there which I did. And then came back and did it again.

Probably one of the best things ever happened to you.

[INAUDIBLE] There were so many guys that missed when I first went through.

It's a great piece of information. So I didn't get through my first year, moved to the east coast, Sea Island, Georgia. Another totally different change away from my family, away from everybody, 1,000 miles away. So I'm sitting over there, that winter, I play the Hooters Tour Winter Series. And then I played a whole year of Hooters, did the Q-School again. Same thing. Win first. Didn't get through second again at Deerwood.

Another year.

[INAUDIBLE] another year. Same thing. Hooters Tour. Tried to Monday Qualify. That year I played the Nationwide at the time. Play well enough. I finished second behind Ken Duke at a, big tournament, the BMW at the time. Now I've got conditional status. So I get to Q-School third year. I get all the way through. I get to third. First time ever. I birdied five of my last nine holes to finish 15th and tie Martin Laird and Anthony Kim. I get on tour in '07.