SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda — Tyler Watts is no stranger to playing on the PGA Tour.
The 18-year-old high school senior currently has a 2-2 record in starts on the PGA Tour. Watts, who signed with the University of Tennessee to play college golf on Wednesday while participating in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, shot a 2-under 69 on Friday and entered the weekend at 2-under. He also competed in the Pro Core Championship earlier this fall.
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And he will have a different mindset Saturday at Port Royal Golf Course than he did in Napa.
“Tomorrow is the day we move for a reason,” Watts said. “I didn’t play well at Procore on Saturday and I’m feeling a little sick. I’m going to stay focused here tomorrow and hope I can put together a good round.”
Watts’ recent form comes as no surprise to anyone who follows amateur competition. He was one of the best amateur players in the world this summer and will likely remain there until the professional game begins.
Watts, ranked No. 30 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, started the summer with a win at the Sunnehanna Amateur and was runner-up at the North & South Amateur. He accomplished an incredible feat for a high school student this summer in the Elite Amateur Golf Series and then placed fourth with the U.S. Junior National Team at the college event in Sahalee.
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Now, he’s making his mark on the PGA Tour as the only amateur to spend a weekend in Bermuda.
“I don’t like to set expectations for myself,” Watts says. “I know what kind of player I am and I can do anything if I work hard. And as long as I’m serious about it, I have to believe in myself and have the utmost confidence in myself.”
Next month, Watts will be one of four teenagers and 18 players heading to Florida for Walker Cup practice sessions, and if his recent play continues, he could be on the team as early as next September.
Looking ahead to his collegiate debut next fall, Watts said he plans to maintain a similar schedule to this year’s next spring and summer. With another year of experience under his belt and a strong showing on the PGA Tour, it’s no surprise he does well.
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And his college career officially began with a practice round on the PGA Tour.
“Obviously I wasn’t expecting it,” Watts said. “But yeah, I’ll always remember where I was when I signed at the University of Tennessee, and that’s because I’m playing a PGA Tour event. That’s pretty cool.”
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Tennessee signee Tyler Watts earns second PGA Tour berth in Bermuda
