Last Sunday, the 83rd PGA Championship came to a close at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Duluth, Ga.  David Toms, a PGA Tour regular, claimed the title by defeating some of the world's best golfers.  While Toms celebrated his victory, the rest of the field went home wondering about what might have been.  Bob Sowards, a native of Minford, was one of those players.

    Sowards, 33, doesn't have a PGA Tour card and earned his Championship excemption in what many playing professionals consider the hardest way possible - the club professionals' excemptions.

    The current course pro at Wedgewood Country Club in Powell oh., Sowards qualified for the PGA by first winning the Club Pro sectionals in Columbus, through which he gained entry into the Club Pro Championship in Ore. From Ore., the top 25 scores were taking as exemptions into last week's PGA.

    Sowards finished with the 21st low score out of the Ore., championship.

"The CPC was certainly a lot more pressure than the PGA Championship." Sowards said from his home in Columbus. "At the PGA, there is no pressure because you are already there. The crowds never bothered me because I played in the Nike Tour in '98 which accustomed me to that sort of thing."

    As accustomed to the big crowds as Sowards' was, he still had a tough time at this year's event, shooting a first-round 78 (+8) on Thursday before firing 72 (+2) on Friday, missing the cut.

    "I didn't bring my A game to this year's tournament," Sowards explained. "I had a lot of confidence going into this year's Championships. The course Seemed to be perfect for my game. I just didn't play well. The first day my irons weren't very good, the second day it was the putter that let me down.

    Sowards, who grew up playing the Elks Country Club in McDermott, Oh., was introduced to golf at the age of eight by his father Charles Sowards, who is still a member of the Elks. "He loved to play golf as a kid, Charles said.

    Bob credits another relative for spurring his passing, though.

    "My brother is two years older than me and he always used to beat me." he said. "I kind of used it to spur me on."

    As a senior at Minford High School, Sowards claimed the Class AA Championship in the state, as well as many other accolades. According to Sowards, success in the rest of his career and reaching new levels inprofessional golf depends on one thing: improving  his iron game. "I have really struggled with my iron game," he said. "My short game is great. I think I can tee off with anybody and putt with anybody, but my iron game needs work." Although Sowards still has room to improve his game, he can still be happy that he has made it this far, according to his father.

    "We are very proud of him. Being at the PGA Championship with him was just
awesome," he said.