PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – This hasn’t been the year Tyson Alexander expected.
In more ways than one.
On his hopeful journey to the PGA Tour, Alexander, 31, missed the cut in all six starts on the Korn Ferry Tour as his game deserted him and left him looking for answers. His finances took a hit, as well, considering the expenses accrued playing professional golf. He’s won exactly zero dollars in 2020.
“The ball wasn’t going in the hole, I wasn’t putting well, I wasn’t hitting it well. It was always something,” Alexander said. “It’s kind of disappointing to have that taste in your mouth. But it’s motivating.
“I wouldn’t say we pro golfers all have been there and missed six straight cuts, but we’ve all been in tough times. I’ve had tougher times than this in golf. Six straight missed cuts isn’t going to ruin my world. You have to look at the big picture.
“Eventually it will turn and I’ll start playing good again.”
While his confidence was bruised, his optimism remained intact and he was excited to return to the Korn Ferry Tour in mid-March for a long stretch of tournaments throughout the southern states. Then the coronavirus turned into a global pandemic and shut down most every professional golf tour.
“I’m not freaking out. But this is something I haven’t experienced in my lifetime. But me as a golfer, that’s kind of like in the small picture. Other people are dealing with the virus, trying to figure out how to live,” said Alexander, who for now isn’t stressing out looking at his bank account. “As far as my golf, it’s definitely disappointing to have this stretch of no golf in the middle of your season, but golf will come back, sports will come back. And I just have to be ready when that day comes.”
That’s always been his mindset – look forward instead of behind. He likely learned that from his father, Buddy, who won the 1986 U.S. Amateur and coached the Florida Gators golf team for 27 years, winning the NCAA Division I titles in 1993 and 2001. And Alexander’s grandfather, Skip, played on the 1949 and 1951 Ryder Cup teams and also won three times on the PGA Tour.
Alexander was an amateur standout – a four-time Academic All-American at Florida where he earned a degree in sports management. He was a member of the victorious 2010 Palmer Cup team; and a 20-year-old qualifier for the 2009 U.S. Open.
But his professional career hasn’t been as fruitful. In the past four years, he has set up shop on the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Latinoamerica and the Mackenzie Tour in Canada. Last year, he earned just under $100,000 in 20 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour. In 2018, he won the Costa Rica Classic on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica and made just under $80,000 that year.
But he’s confident better days are ahead. For now, his routine mirrors an off week from the Korn Ferry Tour – work out, go to the golf course, cook at home. He regularly meets up with many of the 35-40 professionals in the area at TPC Sawgrass for competitive matches. Now, if Florida orders a shelter-at-home decree, that will be a different story. A PlayStation might be in order and putting on the carpet a daily drill.
Whatever happens, Alexander said he’ll have a new game plan when golf does return.
“At the end of that stretch where I missed all the cuts, I was getting too technical,” Alexander said. “So I’ve just been playing a lot, not videotaping my golf swing. Just getting back to playing like a kid again sort of and I’ve actually been playing really good lately. It stinks that we don’t have a tournament to play in. But it’s nice to see some lower scores being shot.”
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