Spotlight: Marc Turnesa

Marc Turnesa raised his first PGA Tour trophy at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas, Nevada, making him the eighth rookie to win on Tour this year.  His win, a wire-to-wire finish, came at the hands of a smooth putter.

Turnesa showed toughness as he lost in a playoff at the Viking Classic three weeks ago and followed that up with two straight missed cuts.  He said after his victory he tried to stay in the moment, using his close call a few weeks back as a lesson.

His rookie season has had its share of ups and downs.  Turnesa has played in 27 events and made 12 cuts, finishing in the top 25 four times.  Prior to the Fall Series, Turnesa’s best finishes came at the Northern Trust Open (t-22nd), Verizon Heritage (t-23rd) and the Buick Open (t-28th).

Turnesa made his way onto the PGA Tour by finishing in the top 25 on the 2007 Nationwide Tour season-ending money list.  He made 16 of 30 cuts in his rookie season with nine top 25 finishes.  He had one victory at the Miccosukee Championship, the last full-field event of the season.  That win moved him from 43rd to 13th on the money list.   His other top finishes in 2007 came at the Movistar Panama Championship, where he finished tie for fifth in the season opening event.  Turnesa finished third at the BMW Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs and a tie for fifth at the Rex Hospital Open.  He earned his Nationwide Tour status after finishing tied for 46th at the 2006 PGA Qualifying Tournament.

Turnesa has a history of PGA titles in his family.  His great-uncle, Jim, won the 1952 PGA Championship. His grandfather, Mike, won six times on Tour and was the runner-up to Ben Hogan at the 1948 PGA Championship.  Six of Mike’s brother’s played on Tour, with Joe winning 15 times.  One of his brother’s did not turn pro but Willie was a great amateur champion, winning the 1938 and 1948 U. S. Amateur Championship and 1947 British Amateur.

The win puts Turnesa at 138 in the Official World Golf Rankings, a climb of 152 spots.