By John Dell
JOURNAL REPORTER
Winston-Salem Journal
Published: April 27, 2010
In pro golf, sons often have trouble matching the success of their fathers.
Bill Haas hopes to be different.
Haas is a son of Jay Haas -- one of the most consistent golfers of his era -- and is making strides in his fifth season on the PGA Tour. He recorded his first PGA Tour win at the Bob Hope Classic earlier this year and held his own at the Masters earlier this month, tying for 26th.
Next up for Haas, 27, will be this week's Quail Hollow Championship in Charlotte.
Haas had a school-record 10 victories during his career at Wake Forest, the same school his father attended, and his success created expectations. But Haas said he never let it bother him and never felt pressure because of his father, who had nine victories on the PGA Tour and has 14 more on the Champions Tour.
"I've tried not to make it any kind of huge legacy to live up to or anything like that," Jay Haas, 56, said earlier this month. "I've hopefully never given him that feeling or anything."
The Haases will make history next month when they become the first father and son to play in the same Players Championship.
"It's a charm of this sport I think, and probably not as unusual as in, say, baseball, and certainly not in football," Jay said. "…But you know, I've been blessed in the fact that I got into this sport and was successful at it and was able to do it as long as I have."
Bill Haas said he didn't consider pro golf as a possible career until at least his junior year of high school and that having his uncle, Jerry, as his coach at Wake Forest helped ease the pressure of having a famous father.
"I don't know if I ever had any extra pressure because of who my dad was or wasn't out on the golf course," Bill said. "I definitely never felt pressured to play golf or to play golf well, for that matter."
Several sons have followed successful fathers on to the PGA Tour but have found that staying consistent and staying on tour isn't easy.
Gary Nicklaus, a son of Jack Nicklaus, nearly won on the PGA Tour in Atlanta in 2000 but is now a reinstated amateur. Raymond Floyd Jr. and Robert Floyd, sons of Raymond Floyd, tried pro golf for a while, and Robert is still on the fringes. Kevin Stadler, a son of Craig Stadler, is in his fourth season on tour and nearly won last year's Wyndham Championship in Greensboro before losing in a playoff.
"A player can be a good player and be a good college player," Bill Haas said. "In our sport, we don't get drafted. We don't get signing bonuses or guarantees for multiple years on tour or anything like that in other sports. You've still got to go earn it, no matter who your dad is."
Haas, who has $6.1 million in career winnings to his father's total of nearly $25 million, increased his goals at the start of the season. One was to make the Ryder Cup team, and he's in position to do so. His first PGA Tour victory was also a goal, and he has accomplished that.
Haas admits that he pressed too much early in his career trying to find success but said he has stopped doing that as much.
"You just kind of have to let it come to you," he said.