Cyr faces toughest test

Golf phenoms seem to pop up semi-regularly here. Sam Cyr is more like the phantom of Hawaii golf, usually saving his best for somewhere far from home.

He grew up on Makawao and calls his start in the game "pretty humble beginnings" with just a few Maui junior golf events. Just before he left for college there was a Cyr golf sighting. He took 10th in the state high school championship as a senior at King Kekaulike.

His game rocked in college, but that was at Point Loma Nazarene so few felt it. Cyr was a four-time All-American, won 12 tournaments and two NAIA national championships (2008 and 2009).

"When I got to college I really played a lot," Cyr said. "I definitely matured and got a smarter golf game. I learned a lot of styles of golf and the people I was around … I wanted to be better than everybody on the team. I learned how to practice correctly. My eyes were opened, there were so many good players.

"I remember thinking ‘Oh my goodness, there are thousands of good players out here. I’ve got to be the best on the team, in the conference, in the country.’ There was always more. It pushed me a lot. It was a different way to grow and get better. I had a lot of people direct me the right way."

Cyr’s first pro win came at the 2010 Mid-Pacific Open, by two shots over PGA Tour winner Dean Wilson. His second and third came the next year, at the Hawaii State and Maui opens.

At the urging of Hawaii Golf Hall of Famer David Ishii, the Phantom headed for the Asian Tour in 2012. Cyr barely missed keeping his card as a rookie, but got it back with an 11th-place finish at Q-School.

Last month, a final-round 77 at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters kept him from his first Asian Tour win, but clinched playing privileges next year and got him into two European Tour events.

Cyr is now 30th on the Order of Merit, with more than $97,000 in 10 starts. He could make five more before the season ends, in major Asian Tour events that have the clout to move him into the Top 500 in the World Golf Ranking.

"The Asian Tour has been a good opportunity, it’s definitely opened up some doors," says Cyr, who has flown more than 100,000 miles the past two years. "It’s all been a blessing and things have been going good. …It’s been a crazy road for me for sure, but it’s been awesome."

For all he has accomplished — often at a distance –what should give the 27-year-old the most confidence going into next week’s Second Stage of the Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament is the sweet pair of 64s he closed the First Stage with a few weeks ago in Florida.

Cyr won by six shots, with a four-day total of 22-under-par 262. Last year’s U.S. Amateur Public Links champion, T.J. Vogel, was second, unable to keep up with Cyr’s torrid pace. The golfer of "humble beginnings" won going away despite playing the final three holes in 1 over, which can happen when you birdie nine of the first 15.

"I definitely brought my A game the last couple rounds," Cyr said with a laugh. "I just hit it really good, it was good all the way around. I didn’t really have to do too much."

But, aside from whatever confidence he gained from the sweet memories, that counts for nothing when Cyr tees it up next week at Bear Creek in Murrieta, Calif. He is one of nearly 500 golfers playing in six Second-Stage events this week and next. About 30 percent will move on to the six-round Final Stage Dec. 12-17 in La Quinta, Calif.

In the PGA Tour’s new qualifying format, every player who is eligible for Final Stage will have access to the Web.com Tour in 2014, with priority ranking position based on finish.

"It’s a big deal, the hardest stage," says Cyr, who would like to play at least two tours next year. "I missed by two shots last year. I’ve missed it three times. It’s a tough little tournament. You’ve got to play solid all four days. You can’t make many mistakes.

"But I’m a better golfer now. … This year, I have a different mentality. I want to make as many birdies as I can, keep it simple and have fun with it. It’s not about not making mistakes. It’s more about making birdies and having fun."

Moanalua graduate Tadd Fujikawa also is playing a Second Stage qualifier next Tuesday-Friday, at Gautier, Miss. Punahou graduate Parker McLachlin is playing this week at Kingwood, Texas, and is tied for 26th after rounds of 72-75. Former Hawaii Pearl Open champ John Ellis (73-75) is another shot back in a field 79.

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