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Huston hopes homecoming leads to turnaround

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By ADAM ADKINS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 16, 2010

PALM HARBOR - There have been a handful of players on the PGA Tour who have been able to maintain a level of success as they approach 50 years old. John Huston knows that, but also knows that he is falling into the other category.

Huston, a seven-time winner on the PGA Tour who has nearly $15 million in career earnings, has had stretches during the past few years where he has been able to play well. He just hasn't been able to do it consistently. Injuries have played a factor. Then again, the 23-year PGA Tour veteran admits some things on tour have gotten tougher with age.

Knowing his game isn't what it once was has been tough to deal with, especially mentally, and that has taken away some of the enjoyment the game brings.

"It wears on you. That's why I'm looking forward to the senior tour," said Huston, who turns 49 in June and plans on moving to the Champions Tour next year. "There's no cut, it's a little looser atmosphere, you know you're going to play the whole week and I think it would be a little easier to get a little something going, to get some confidence."

That's not to say Huston isn't hoping to find some magic during his swan song on the PGA Tour, and the Palm Harbor resident is hoping it will come at this week's Transitions Championship on Innisbrook's Copperhead course, where he began playing while attending Dunedin High School.

"Any time you have a level of comfort with a place, it's good," said Huston, who was out Monday on the Copperhead Course playing in the Shelton Quarles Celebrity Pro-Am with a group that included Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris. "My game is not where it once was, but that's the good thing about being home. If I started playing well it would be a lot easier to click in."

Huston has played in this event every year of its existence, and won the inaugural tournament title in 2000 when it was known as the Tampa Bay Classic. However, he hasn't finished in the top 10 at this event since, and he missed three straight cuts from 2006-08.

He finished tied for 52nd at last year's Transitions, one of only 13 events he played in 2009 before knee, shoulder and back injuries derailed his season. He has played only four events in 2010 (missing the cut in three; withdrawing from the other) but none in nearly a month while dealing with a neck injury.

As tough as things have been recently, however, Huston has been around the game long enough to know how quickly things can change. He's hoping this week will serve as a kick-start to the rest of the season.

"Anybody can turn it around at any time. We've seen that over the years," Huston said. "It just takes that one week, and all of the sudden you're off and playing well."

Reporter Adam Adkins can be reached at (813) 259-7616.

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