Summary
NAPA, Calif. (AP) — Troy Merritt only competed in the Procore Championship on Monday, making this his sixth appearance of the year. PGA TourHowever, he hasn't been idle, as much of his time has been spent traveling. Before arriving in Napa, he played the Omega European Masters in Switzerland and the Irish Open. On Sunday night, he left for Paris to compete in the French Open, and tournaments in Scotland, India, and South Korea still await him.
This was the best way to fill out a schedule for a player who finished 143rd in last year's FedEx Cup. Merritt, along with Brandon Wu and Martin Trainer, took advantage of a European Tour category that offers up to five spots for players who finished between 126th and 200th in the previous year's FedEx Cup. They had until December 19 to register.
“It’s been nice,” Merritt said of the Procore Championship, where he closed with a 76 and tied for 53rd. “I’ve played here for 14 years. I’ve seen all these courses. I thought it would be good to play there and get to know them.” His best finish was a fourth-place finish at the Soudal Open in Belgium, his only top-10 finish, although he has missed seven cuts in 15 European Tour events.
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Most surprisingly, the 39-year-old from Boise, Idaho, hasn't found travel to be all that complicated. He started the year in Bahrain and Qatar, returned home for a week, and then moved on to Kenya and Johannesburg. His most extensive trip included Belgium, Austria, and the Netherlands in one trip. The food has been one of the highlights of his adventures. “It's so much better than here. It's fresher and healthier,” Merritt said. “The portions are more appropriate. You feel like you're eating all the time because of the small portions. I came home and lost four pounds.”
Merritt has spent time with Kristoffer Reitan of Norway, Dan Brown and Dan Bradbury of England, as well as other players he's met over the years. "It's been fun. It's a new experience," he said. "The guys are much more sociable and relaxed."
The only question is what he'll do next year if he doesn't have access to that status. The two-time PGA Tour winner doesn't seem too worried. “I'll see what I have,” Merritt said. “I'll turn 40 next month. I wouldn't mind semi-retiring. My oldest son starts high school next year, so I could stay home for six years and play occasionally. If I have full status, I'll play a little. If I have half status, I'll play a little. If not, I'll be home. There are no bad decisions.”
