John deere classic notebook
Swing, caddy changes suit defending champion O’Hair

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By Craig DeVrieze and Don Doxsie | Wednesday, July 12, 2006 1:18 AM CDT | () comments

Kevin E. Schmidt/QUAD-CITY TIMES Sean O’Hair watches his tee shot from the fifth tee during a practice round Tuesday morning at TPC at Deere Run.

A year ago, Sean O’Hair spent his 23rd birthday trying to get from Point A – the Quad-Cities – to Point B – the British Open at St. Andrews, Scotland.

With a little help from his friends at the John Deere Classic, he got that done.

Tuesday, he celebrated his 24th birthday back at the place where he celebrated his first Tour win, the TPC at Deere Run.

But O’Hair still is trying to get from Point A to Point B.

He said he feels like his game is going in the right direction after finishing 30th at the Western Open, but he still is making changes on and off the course.

His caddy this week will be David Brooker, who made his debut on O’Hair’s bag last week near at the Cialis Western Open in Lemont, Ill. Before that he had added Bobby Verwey to replace his father-in-law, Steve Lucas, in the spring. But the two had an apparent falling out in Hartford, Conn., last month.

In addition to changing caddies, O’Hair has added a new swing coach, Gary Gilchrist, to replace last year’s mentor, Steve Dahlby. The two have returned to the swing he enlisted last year.

“I was trying to flatten things out early in the year, and that’s just not for me,” he said. “I learned quickly that’s not what my swing is about, so I’m going with what works for me.”

All of the changes are about becoming the type of player O’Hair dreams of being. And he hopes that player shows up in the next two weeks.

“I guess my goal at the beginning of this year was to be peaking at this time because obviously next week is the British and I would like to start contending for majors,” he said.

Great Scott

The John Deere Classic has taken on sort of a “Scottish” look with some additions to the field in the last few days.

Veteran Scott Gump and Australian Scott Hend gained late entry into the field when other players withdrew. And the top two players in Monday’s open qualifying were Scott Piercy and Scott Harrington.

Harrington, by the way, is from Scottsdale, Ariz.

Better now, not later

After his win last year, a giddy and complimentary O’Hair declared Michelle Wie was a better player than him.

After playing a practice round with the Hawaiian teen Tuesday, he had a different take.

“I think I can kick her butt, to be honest with you,” O’Hair said with a laugh.

Still, he conceded, Wie might laugh last.

“Whenever I was that age, she would have knocked me upside the head every single hole,” he said. “I think I can keep up with her now, but when she gets a little bit older and a little bit wiser, I think she will probably dust me.”

Fashion counts

Michelle Wie’s sense of style will be curbed by PGA Tour regulations that require slacks and polo shirts.

In LPGA Tour events, she said sponsor Nike helps her push the envelope.

“Nike does a really good job of pushing stuff forward,” said Wie, who eschewed the LPGA-favored shorts for a skirt in a recent event. “It was like, ‘OK. I’m going to play golf in a dress.’ It’s cool, it’s comfortable, it’s cute and it’s really nice. I love fashion, love putting things together. … If you’re going to be out there in front of thousands of people, why not have fun with your clothes?”

Wie will stand out this week with her choices of earrings. And sunglasses.

“How many pairs of sunglasses?” she said, repeating a question about her arsenal of eyewear. “A lot actually. Nike is making a lot of new sunglasses. … I just like to go shopping, so I get a lot.”