As Wyatt Worthington II waited for his John Shippen Invitational trophy, he was introduced to Detroit Lions legend Barry Sanders and struck up a conversation.
Worthington notably idolizes Tiger Woods, who he received a golf lesson from as a high school freshman, thanks to a partnership between the First Tee of Columbus and Woods’ foundation. He’s also fond of Sanders, who he watched juke opposing defenders on TV growing up.
Before brandishing a sheet of notes and delivering his victory speech at the Detroit Golf Club on Sunday, Worthington jotted down the most memorable phrase from his first meeting with the former Lion: “Opportunity is disguised as hard work,” a sentiment Sanders told Worthington his father often expressed.
Worthington put in the work Sunday, firing a 7-under 65, eight strokes better than his Saturday effort. The PGA club professional totaled a 6-under 138 to clinch a Rocket Mortgage Classic exemption by one stroke. He qualified for the 2016 and 2022 PGA Championships as a club pro, so next weekend will be his first PGA Tour event without that designation, and he couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity.
“There’s great gentlemen here, and 22 players that at any given moment, they can be in this spot, and they deserve their flowers as well, too; they have the game to be on the PGA Tour,” Worthington said. “And I’m very fortunate to be a part of them with me, because at the end of the day, steel sharpens steel, and if it wasn’t for these guys pushing each other every time we put a tee in the ground, it won’t get us the opportunity to get inside the ropes like this, so it’s been amazing.”
Worthington, a teacher at the Golf Depot in Gahanna, Ohio, felt he played better than his four-bogey scorecard on Saturday indicated; he stayed patient entering Round 2 on the soggy and windy Donald Ross-designed course. Worthington birdied Nos. 4 and 5 and shook off a wayward tee shot that led to a bogey on No. 6.
He rebounded to birdie Nos. 7, 8, 10 and 12 and stayed strong in the home stretch, adding birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 while strolling down the fairways with caddie Andy Gibson, one of his best friends from college.
“I kind of just told him, I was like, ‘Let’s try to capitalize on the par fives,’” Worthington said. “We didn’t do a good job with that the first day, and the main thing (is) you’re not done after 17. I was like, ‘We gotta get the ball in play and we gotta give ourselves opportunities for birdie on 18.’ And if anyone’s seen the 18 green or been able and fortunate to play it, that’s one of the toughest greens that I’ve witnessed.”
Michael Herrera, who finished one stroke behind Worthington with a 5-under 139, discovered the difficulty on No. 18 when he missed a birdie putt to tie for the lead. He thought the putt was for the win after having last checked the score following a birdie on No. 15. Ryan Alford, his friend and competitor, informed him otherwise as he walked off the course.
Herrera wasn’t able to rekindle the magic of his APGA win at TPC Scottsdale in April, when he victoriously sank a putt on No. 18. But the Southern California native still went home with $2,000 and was pleased with how he competed.
“I hit the putt where I wanted to,” Herrerra said. “It just didn’t fall and we came up a shot short. … The conditions weren’t that easy the second day, the wind was up. Ball striking was great, I just needed to see a couple more putts fall.”
Tim O’Neal, the 2021 Shippen winner, shot 66 on Sunday and tied Aaron Beverly for third at 4 under. His Sunday pairing, Flint native Willie Mack III, finished three shots behind Worthington in a five-way tie for fifth along with Ann Arbor native Marcus Byrd, Detroit native and Wayne State graduate Joe Hooks and Michigan State golfer Troy Taylor II.
Taylor was honored as the top amateur finisher. He said he loved seeing the Rocket Mortgage Classic grandstands up, providing the atmosphere of a Tour event. The Westerville, Ohio, native, also enjoyed playing with Worthington, who has known and encouraged the MSU standout since Taylor was a child, much as Woods mentored Worthington.
“Seeing him win is awesome,” Taylor said. “But all these guys here kind of gave me their two cents on how to try to get to that level, and there’s little things that they can give me to grow and be ahead of them when they were my age. It means a lot and I’m just really thankful for the opportunity.”
After Taylor and Herrera were recognized, Worthington nervously gave his humble celebratory speech, which he hopes to improve upon in the future, then shot a promotional video for the Rocket Mortgage Classic with Sanders.
He told the Lions great he hoped to play a round with him soon, before learning he joined him in the field for Tuesday’s celebrity scramble. They’ll tee off with Mack, Hooks and former Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson, among others.
Then, when the Rocket Mortgage Classic begins Thursday, Worthington will face PGA Tour stars such as world No. 4 Patrick Cantlay, No. 13 Will Zalatoris and No. 16 Tony Finau. Worthington missed the cut in both of his PGA Championship appearances, but he now has another opportunity to show how hard he has worked.
“I’m excited to play with the best in the world, because at the end of the day, that’s where I want to be,” Worthington said. “And I gotta thank the good folks over at Rocket Mortgage and Intersport and the Detroit Golf Club for having us, giving me this opportunity, because without this opportunity, I wouldn’t be here.”
Contact Mason Young: MEYoung@freepress.com Follow him on Twitter: @Mason_Young_0
