Glendale HS athlete caddying on Championship Sunday

A couple of years ago, Hudson Feuerbacher snagged an autograph from one of the Korn Ferry Tour players who was in town for the area’s largest sporting event.

And so two weeks ago, he decided to message James Nicholas on a social media account and asked if he needed a caddy.

Turned out, Feuerbacher – who will be a sophomore at Glendale High School this fall – not only helped Nicholas “Monday qualify” earlier this week but did one better.

The two are a tandem on Championship Sunday of the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper after Nicholas parred No. 18 when play resumed Saturday morning, ensuring he made the cut at Highland Springs Country Club.

Feuerbacher, of course, was all smiles. Braces and all. Just days ago, Nicholas advanced to a  Tuesday playoff out of the Monday qualifier and landed right here in the thick of it all.

“I didn’t know if I’d get a response,” Feuerbacher said of messaging the New York native. “A buddy of mine said, ‘You should DM James Nicholas and see if he needs caddy for the Monday Q. I said, ‘All right,” and so I did. And I got a response pretty quick.”

Feuerbacher has been playing golf for seven years now. In fact, his dad took a photo of him in 2011 of him standing by a flag stick on this very course.

“It was just a cool experience walking around and figuring out how they hit it,” Feuerbacher said. “And then  just talking to him through a game plan. I’m excited to do that for two more days.”

“If (Nicholas) asks a questions,” Feuerbacher said, “I’ll give him my opinion. Sometimes he takes it, sometimes he doesn’t.”

His dad, Brad is a member of Hickory Hills Country Club, and his grandmother, Rita Lowther, is a member of Highland Springs Country Club.

They were on hand as Nicholas had to earn a par to make the cut – a challenging situation considering play was halted late Friday on account of darkness. Nicholas’ tee shot found the fringe on the left side near the cart path, but he ultimately delivered a strong approach before sinking about a 20-foot putt.

“You get a lot of kids who DM you and ask if they can be your caddy. Sometimes you’re hesitant because you don’t know what to expect,” Nicholas said. “Right from the first tee at Millwood (Golf & Racquet Club), we were on 10, he was spot on. He wasn’t overbearing and wasn’t trying to ask me too many questions. He was as professional as my professional caddies are.

“And he knows way more about golf than I did (at that age),” Nicholas said. “His maturity level with the game of golf is extremely, extremely high. I asked him a couple of times, ‘Should I punch out or should I go for the miracle shot?’ He’s always like, ‘Punch out. Take your medicine. Let’s get up and down.’ At that age, I was always sending it through the trees and making doubles and triples.”

Play resumes this morning, with the leaders expected to begin on the No. 1 tee box at about 11 AM. The tournament typically ends at about 4 PM, with awards ceremonies shortly thereafter on the No. 18 green.

Angus inspired by PCCC performance

He’s already talking about trying his game on the PGA Tour Canada, finding more time to hone his craft and see where it takes him.

For Nate Angus, while he may not have made the cut of the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper on Friday, his two-day experience was far from a bummer.

“I’ll finish out this year working. There’s a possibility of next year trying to do something,” Angus said. “My wife (Megan) and I talked, and I think I’m going to go to Q school in Canada. I only live once, and I’m 43, so let’s go. I never quit.”

Angus offered those words after firing a 3-over par 75 in the Korn Ferry Tour event, as he matched his round from Thursday. It wasn’t enough, unfortunately, to advance to the weekend.

But Angus, here on a sponsor’s reception 24  years after graduating from  nearby Willard High School, played respectably for a guy who was making his Korn Ferry Tour debut – it’s part of the PGA TOUR – and he had to weather a nearly 90-minute weather delay.

He had two birdies, parred 10 holes but also had five bogeys. His round was interrupted by the weather horn just as he approached the 18th green, having already played most of his round in a steady rain.

“(Rain) was something I don’t practice a lot,” Angus said. I don’t play much in the rain, either. That was a little test for me on the back nine (he started on 10), the first eight holes. I was focused on hitting fairways and greens. If I missed fairways, hit the center of the green. I relied on putting all week, and that helped me a lot.”

“It was tough,” Angus said of the weather delay, noting he had to resume on No. 18, a par 5 and one of the most challenging parts of Highland Springs. “It’s a demanding tee shot. The stop hurt. I had momentum going there.”

He learned a lot from his two days, as his drives proved stubborn and veered off the fairways.

Starting on 10, he parred his first three holes, bogeyed No. 14 and then birdied 15. He bogeyed No. 18 and then No. 1 as well, before he rallied with three consecutive pars.

He then finished bogeyes on two of the final five holes (5 and 7) and parred Nos. 8 & 9.

“It was the first time being on this stage, shooting two 75s. I know I could have played better,” Angus said. “

Still …

“Working 40 hours a week and practicing most of the time, and even then it’s only a couple of hours at a time. I still have a house to take care of, a wife to be with and working that job (Rush Truck Center),” Angus said. “It was good to come out here and do it. The crowds were great. It kind of felt like I could belong.”