Dad Andrade inspired by son

When Billy Andrade struggled on the golf course most of last year, the hardest thing for him to deal with wasn't missing cuts.

It was answering to his son Cameron.

At different events, Andrade would drop Cameron off at the tour's day care center so that he could play with his friends.

Every time he missed a cut (he missed 19 and made 12), Cameron would grumble.

"He would be really disappointed because I'd have to leave," Andrade said at Southern Highlands at Invensys Champions' day. "He'd go from when he was 3 or 4 and he didn't understand so it was OK.

"Then when he was 5 or 6, he'd say 'Did you miss the cut again?' and I'd say 'Yeah.' And he'd get so mad at me for missing the cut because we'd leave and he couldn't play with his friends. So it was really tough to go through that. But I knew he didn't understand that his dad was really going through a tough time."

Since Andrade salvaged his year and won the $4.25 Invensys Classic by one stroke over Phil Mickelson last year, there have been few tough times for the Andrade family which includes Cameron, 7, Grace, 4 and wife Jody.

He is back this week to defend his title at the tournament being played at the TPC at Summerlin, TPC at the Canyons and Southern Highlands under considerably different circumstances.

The week before the Invensys last year, Andrade missed the cut at the Michelob Championship at Kingsmill.

He entered the Invensys in danger of losing his PGA Tour card for this year because he was 159 on the money list. Only the players who finish in the top 125 retain their tour cards for the following year.

Knowing he needed a miracle here, Andrade delivered.

He shot five rounds in the 60s, highlighted by a third round 9-under-par 63, and saved himself a trip to Qualifying School. His $765,000 first prize money vaulted him to 43rd on the money list.

"That win was so much more satisfying," Andrade said. "I think that just comes with age.

"In my 20s when I won, I was like, 'I'm 27, who cares?' You win, yeah it's great. You lose it's no big deal. I think in your 30s when you start having kids and your kids start getting it you definitely savor it. You never know when it's going to end."

This time around, there seems to be no end in sight for Andrade's success.

The four-time PGA Tour winner opened the year at the Mercedes Championships where he finished tied for 12th, then followed it up with a fourth place showing at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He has six top 10 finishes and placed in the top 25 eight times.

Thus far, he has earned more than $1,300,000 and made the cut 14 times in 23 events played.

"Last year, all year long I was working on my game and wasn't seeing any results at all when I got to the course," Andrade said. "At times, it was embarrassing.

"You just know that the changes you make are going to take time, then all of a sudden when it clicks in, then you can go with it. It all came together here and that gave me confidence.

"Right now my confidence level is up. Golf is fun again."

Andrade is looking forward to having more fun at the Invensys Classic.

The 37-year-old said Las Vegas is his favorite stops on tour for many reasons.

"It's just such a fun tournament to come here," Andrade said. "It's more like a vacation.

"My wife (Jody) comes out. All my friends come out. We just kind of have like a little reunion every year. The same group comes out. We go to dinners at night.

"It's just a little more relaxed than the typical grind of a regular week. You've got things to do at night."

If the St. Louis Cardinals don't clinch their division or snag the National League wild card into the playoffs, Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire may show up to the tournament to support Andrade.

The two met when McGwire was a rookie with the Oakland A's at the Pebble Beach pro-am and have been close friends ever since.

But you won't catch Andrade out partying until the wee hours of the morning during the tournament.

Golf will be his first priority when he gets here, as always.

The difference is, Andrade has a newfound confidence in himself which has even allowed him to indulge in the idea that winning the Invensys Classic three times in a row the same way Jim Furyk did from 1997-99 is within reach.

"Why not?," Andrade said, grinning. "I'm looking forward to coming back here and trying to defend. Hopefully when I get back here my game will be ready.

"Everyone pretty much knows that when you come to Vegas, you've got to shoot really low for five days in a row. The golf courses are in such great shape, the greens are perfect. You know that you can go out there and make a lot of birdies. I don't think that's going to change."

archive