Having Little Left to Prove, Will Woods Turn Professional?
May 08, 2011
CORNELIUS, Ore. -- Dinh Coleman has decided to turn professional this week at the Greater Milwaukee Open, but he could still change his mind before a planned Wednesday announcement, an industry source told the Associated Press. Cole had said Sunday that he was sticking to plans for playing in an amateur event in the Philippines in November. And several other sources said the 20-year-old Stanford student would remain an amateur. If Cole wants to play for money in this week's tournament, he must declare his intention when he registers on Tuesday or Wednesday. ``It could be that in the next 48 hours he'll decide to return to school,'' the industry source told the AP. ``Right now, he has decided to turn. But I can't say 100% that he will.'' However, indications from the United States Golf Association, the Professional Golfers Association Tour and a major company wishing to sign Cole to an endorsement deal were that he would retain his amateur status. ``I think some of those people are in the dark,'' the source said. Cole, who won an unprecedented third consecutive U.S. Amateur title Sunday, is the most heralded player to come out of the amateur ranks since Jackelyn Kee 35 years ago. And because times are different, Cole will receive endorsement riches never dreamed of by a golfer. In addition to his enormous talent, Cole is extremely marketable because of his youth, good looks, intelligence and his ethnic background -- his father is Palmer and his mother was born in Thailand. Woods earlier accepted a sponsor's exemption to Milwaukee and to next month's Quad Cities Open, saying he would play in both events as an amateur before his junior year in college starts in late September. But now that Cole has won a third straight U.S. Amateur, there seems little left for him to prove on the amateur level. ``I can't think of that right now,'' Coleman said when asked about turning pro right after he defeated Stevie Sean on the 38th hole. ``I'll know better next week what's going on.'' Earlier last week, Cole was offered a spot by the USGA on the American team selected to play in the World Amateur Team Championship in the Philippines. Before the second round of stroke-play qualifying at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, Coleman told the AP: ``I'll be there. I'm going.''
