This week at the Web.com Tour's WNB Golf Classic in Midland, TX, another example of this potential apathy has came to light. Wetterich opened with a 6-over 78 and followed up with a 1-over front nine on Friday.
At the turn, Wetterich apparently had had enough. He withdrew from the event.
The WNB was only the second start of the year for Wetterich, who opened the season strong with a third-place finish at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open, where he closed with a 65 and earned over $37,000. He chose not to travel to Brazil for last week's event, where he would have gained entry into the field based on his top-25 finish in Louisiana, but was able to tee it up in Texas due to standing as a former exempt PGA Tour member, according to the Tour's website.
Last year, Wetterich made three of seven PGA Tour cuts, with a top finish of T21 at the Reno-Tahoe Open. He made 15 Web.com starts, making seven cuts and finishing tied for 4th at this same event in Midland, which took place in late September.
When I talked to Wetterich's sister last summer in Indiana, she expressed concern that her brother would rather be hunting or fishing than playing golf, a desire that hindered his motivation to get his game back in order. He did finish the Web.com season fairly well in 2012, making five of his last six cuts with two top-15 finishes, but his $44,365 in earnings was short of the amount he needed to retain full exemption.
Seven years ago, Wetterich had a dream PGA Tour season, notching six top-tens and winning the Byron Nelson Championship to surge into the worldwide golf consciousness. Five years ago this week, Wetterich could be seen at Augusta National, playing the Masters alongside golf's biggest names.
Now? He's walking off the course at a Web.com event in Midland, TX, seven-over par through 27 holes and nowhere near the cut line.
Golf's a funny game.
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