Begay vows to get back - Thursday, May 17, 2007

Notah Begay III fooled himself, but he couldn't fool the golf ball. Begay's back was killing him, and although he told himself he could still compete at the highest level, his scores told a different story.

"The PGA Tour is not a place you can fake it," said Begay, 34. "It's going to pinpoint all the weaknesses in your game, and that's if you're healthy."

This year, Begay has taken his game to the European PGA Tour, where he plans to see the world while reviving a career that sputtered at times last season.

In 12 starts on the PGA Tour last season, Begay made three cuts. He didn't fare all that much better on the Nationwide Tour, making seven cuts in 11 events.

So Begay came up with Plan B. In addition to trying to get his PGA Tour card back through Q school, he would also try to qualify for the European PGA Tour. This plan required perfect timing since the European Q school final was scheduled to end just a few days before the second stage of PGA Tour Q school.

Then the rain hit, delaying the last four rounds of the European final. Begay suddenly had to pick between a great chance at a European tour card (he was tied for 11th after two rounds) or fighting for a chance to make it back to the PGA.

He picked Europe.

"I kind of put all my eggs into one basket," said Begay, from a hotel room in England. "Thankfully, it worked out."

Begay tied for sixth, earning his card.

The 2007 season has been filled with adventure for Begay, only some of it on the golf course. He has finished in the money in three of his five starts, earning 36,598 euros (about $50,000). Begay has also visited Indonesia, Portugal, Italy, Spain and England with his wife, Apryl.

He said his travels have been eye-opening.

"You really get a sense of what the history books, art history books and religious teachings are trying to explain," Begay said. "Words don't do these sorts of things justice."

As much as Begay is enjoying the vagabond life, the goal is still to make it back to the PGA Tour. But he said he wants his back to be healthier before he makes one more run at playing against the best.

Begay plans to see back specialists when he returns to New Mexico later this year in the hopes they can pinpoint a solution to the trouble he has had with his sciatic nerve. He figures if he can be even 80 percent healthy (he says he's 60 or 70 percent most weeks) that he can return to being the kind of player who won four tournaments in two years at the beginning of his PGA Tour career.

"If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best," Begay said. "That's the stage where I want to see success."