Charlie Danielson shows no signs of nerves in his first pro golf event

PACIFIC PALISADES >> Charlie Danielson is playing in his first professional event this week and was understandably nervous, not that he showed any signs of it.

Danielson — a senior golfer at Illinois — shot a 4-under 67 and is tied for fifth in the first round at the

Northe Trust Open. Players were still on the course when the round was called due to darkness at 5:46 p.m.

He started his day by teeing off at the par-4 10th hole, one that befuddles so many golfers, and birdied the hole.

“I got off to a good start,” Danielson said. “I made two birdies, and I still wasn’t settled in. I was nervous. My mind was going everywhere. But that was normal, and I knew that was normal and I made two sloppy bogeys after that. And then kind of settled down.

“I made a good putt on my sixth hole, a good par putt. After that, I started settling down. I hit some good quality shots, made a couple adjustments on my swing and was fortunate enough to make some birdies coming in.”

Danielson grew up in a small town in Wisconsin. He liked the indoor practice facilities at Illinois and was sporting his orange on Thursday. He handled a press conference with poise and ease and acted like he’s been here before.

“I was nervous. I would say I was just as nervous for the practice round, too, when all the pros are there watching you tee off on No. 1,” Danielson said. “But luckily, I had an iron in my hand, so I knew I had a pretty wide fairway. Got in the fairway, hit a good shot up there, somehow made the putt and the rest was history.”

Danielson is playing as an amateur and got in the field by winning the touament’s Collegiate Showcase on Monday. He has plenty of people pulling for him back at school, including his teammates on the Fighting Illini golf team.

He was a little star-struck.

“I was a little intimidated at first, but everyone has been so kind to me,” Danielson said. “They have always thought enough to come up and say congratulations and a couple guys said, you know, you eaed it so act like it. That’s been great.

“I saw Jordan Spieth yesterday at the hotel. I was in an elevator with Adam Scott. Talked to Patrick Rodgers. It’s been pretty special, and then I was able to play golf with Steve Stricker and Scott Langley and Paul Casey.”

Last call

After Spieth shot an 8-over 79 — the third-worst round of his career — he went to the driving range to work on his game and was the last player there. Spieth left the driving range as darkness was falling, just before 6 p.m.

Bubba backpedaling

A couple of weeks ago, Bubba Watson angered many when he said he was only playing in the Waste Management Open because his sponsors wanted him to. He made it known he didn’t like the course at TPC Scottsdale. He got booed, too.

After his 5-under 66 on Thursday, which has him in a tie for second at the Northe Trust Open, Watson joked: “I like the course. I like the community.”

Advertisement

Watson wasn’t about to make the same mistake again, especially not at a touament he’s won.

Reporters laughed, and Watson said he had been practicing that line.

Sights and sounds

Actor Mark Wahlberg, who is a member at Riviera, is expected to be in attendance on Sunday. Wahlberg kept singing Riviera’s praises to Rory McIlroy, who is playing the touament for the first time ... There were some puddles and mud in places around the course from Wednesday night’s and Thursday moing’s rain. It always seems to rain at Riviera during the PGA Tour stop event, but sunshine is in the forecast the next three rounds ... A woman was walking across the second fairway in heels, leaving divots with each step. Remember to leave the heels at home when you’re walking a golf course.

- - , .