WILSON READY FOR MAJOR DEBUT // 14th June 2006

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At age 25 and preparing to compete in the 106th U.S. Open on one of the architectural gems of the golfing world, Oliver Wilson didn't mince words about the experience. "Sort of the best moment in my career, really," Wilson said. Considering the former Augusta State golfer from England has a career that includes appearances in the NCAA Championships, the U.S. Amateur, the Walker Cup and a European Tour playoff, that's saying something. But you only get to play in your first major championship once, and Wilson's presence at Winged Foot portends good things for the second-year European Tour player. "I've had a good season, bit of ups and downs, but one of my goals was to get into one of the majors," he said. "I didn't think it would be this one." Wilson would never have tried to get into the U.S. Open if the USGA hadn't started placing a qualifying site overseas in 2005. Flying to the States for a one-day, 36-hole qualifier in the middle of the European Tour schedule is simply too much strain on a young pro trying to establish himself. But with a sectional site in Surrey, England, Wilson claimed one of eight spots available in the 45-man field. He wasn't eligible to try the year before because he wasn't a Category 7 player. But after a successful rookie season in 2005 let him maintain his card, he's established himself as a full-fledged competitor on the world's second-rated pro tour. Getting to Winged Foot was just another step in the growing process. It will mark his first competitive appearance in the United States since the 2003 NCAA Championships. "This is a boost and a good opportunity to play against a quality field with a lot of world ranking points at stake," Wilson said. "If I play well this week I can get a lot of things moving and get a lot further than I've been. But if I don't do great, it's just another tournament." Wilson certainly sees opportunity on a course that suits his game. He's not the longest of hitters, but his primary weapon is accuracy, which is something straight out of the USGA manual. The "graduated" rough at Winged Foot is designed to temper the advantage of bombers and bring players such as Wilson into the mix. "I much prefer these kind of courses to the ones you have to shoot 25-under par to win," he said. For a young pro, Wilson has already won half the battle to becoming an international player of prominence. A three-time All-American at Augusta State, he was hailed as the top amateur on Great Britain and Ireland's Walker Cup team that was victorious at Ganton, England, in 2003. Despite no status out of college, he advanced through Europe's developmental Challenge Tour in his first run as a pro to secure a spot on the 2005 European Tour and retained his card by finishing 97th on the Order of Merit. Wilson cites four strong chances he's had to win on Sundays in his two Euro Tour seasons, the best of which came in the 2006 season-opening China Open in the fall. He birdied four consecutive holes on the back nine to move into the lead, bogeyed the 17th and missed a birdie chance on the last. In a playoff against Paul Casey, Wilson lost when Casey made birdie on the first extra hole. "In China, although I didn't win, I felt like I learned how to win," Wilson said. "I'm just trying to get myself back in that position and see what I can do next time." Ranked 299th in the world, Wilson wouldn't seem to be on the doorstep of notoriety. But his ascent has been sure and steady if not fast enough to suit him. "I sometimes lose sight of that," said Wilson, who currently ranks in the top 50 on the European money list. "I'm very impatient and I want things happening now. ... But things are going well and at a nice pace." With a goal of becoming the kind of worldwide golfer who can pick and choose among the great tournaments of Europe and America, Wilson is not as far away as that No. 299 might indicate. He looks to countrymen Luke Donald and Casey as the kind of role models who fit the mold for his future. They were Walker Cup stars shortly before him who parlayed amateur success into global pro careers. "They're doing the kind of things I want to do," Wilson said. The next four days at Winged Foot could be just the stepping stone that gets him into the mix of players vying for golf's biggest treats such as a Masters Tournament invitation in his adopted U.S. hometown or Ryder Cup teams. In two weeks a Sunnydale, he will try to qualify for his first British Open. "I'm not that far away; I am, but I'm not," he said. "In this game, things can change so quickly. In one week your life can completely change. Who knows, by Monday next week I might be in that top 50 class. I still want to get that first win (on the European Tour), and maybe I've been trying too hard. But with a win that would bring a nice move forward into the world rankings." Expecting that win to come against the world's elite in the U.S. Open might be a reach considering Wilson isn't completely comfortable with the state of his game on the eve of the first round. But a strong showing inside the top 15 or higher could mean future exemptions and notoriety. "It would be great on this kind of stage to announce to people that I have moved on," Wilson said. As for his ties to Augusta, Wilson will literally be moving on this summer. He's owned a home near Jones Creek that served as a winter locale for him and home base for his long-time girlfriend, recently graduated Augusta State golfer Lauren Smith. They will be moving to Charlotte, N.C., in August, which is nearer to Smith's family in Fort Mill, S.C. "I still had some of my friends (in Augusta) but they've moved on so it's time for us to move on as well," he said, though he plans to keep his Augusta home as a rental property. For now, he's savoring the best moment of his career. If things go well, it could get even better. To return to the main News page click here