Stanley has 'the best feeling ever' after first TOUR win

text size

Petersen/Getty Images

Though he's a budding star on TOUR, Kyle Stanley was able to fly under the radar Monday on his trip out of Phoenix.

At Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix on Monday, Kyle Stanley may as well have been a kid right out of college headed back to Bozeman, Mont., to his part-time job as a snowboard instructor.

There was no fanfare waiting at the gate after his black sharpie cleared security. No head turns, no babies to kiss. There was no congratulatory fist-bump offered from the suit seated next to him in first class, nor a champagne toast made by the flight attendant to the "Comeback Kid" in 2D.

"One guy at security asked 'Hey, aren't you that Kyle guy," Kyle Stanley said. "I said 'Yeah,' and he goes 'Hey man, so sorry about that last hole two weeks ago." To that, Stanley said "It's ok. Thanks." OK, indeed.

As for the guy in 2C? "Man, he didn't say a word to me the whole flight."

Too bad. Turns out, the man in the suit was sitting next to the newest winner on the PGA TOUR.

Following a disastrous, final-round collapse at the Farmers Insurance Open two weeks ago, where he let the tournament slip from his grasp despite a three-stroke lead with a single hole to play, Stanley quietly barreled from eight strokes back on Sunday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open to claim his first PGA TOUR win, the lead in the race for the FedExCup, the $1.098 million first-place prize -- and enough confidence to push a cruise ship from coast-to-coast across land.

From the New York Times to a shared USA TODAY sports page cover story, albeit a short one, with the Super Bowl champion Giants, the "Comeback Kid" was everywhere.

Photo by Doug Milne

Kyle Stanley was reading his redemption story on a flight out of Phoenix.

"That's very cool," he said. "San Diego probably put me on the map more for losing than if it would've had I won. So, it was nice to continue the good play yesterday and get the W. That is very rewarding."

The kid knows how to celebrate in style, too. "After we left the course, I hung out with my caddie, my best friend. Phil Mickelson and Bones even joined the party. We went to In-N-Out Burger and I had three double-doubles (animal style)."

With 12 hours having passed since hoisting his first PGA TOUR trophy, Stanley has had time to exhale and regain some semblance of control.

"It's the best feeling ever, and the circumstances behind the win make it so much more special," he said. "It's amazing what just a few weeks out here on TOUR can do for your career."

One thing it has impacted is his Twitter account. "It's unreal," he said, grinning. "I went from 6,000 friend requests in a matter of two days after San Diego to now more than 10,000."

One enthusiastic friend-seeker was the excited spectator who threw himself into the lake on the 18th hole at TPC Scottsdale Sunday as Kyle made his way off the tee.

"Yeah, that dude just tweeted me when I got on the plane," Stanley said. "He said, 'Sorry about taking that swim when you were on the tee box. I hope it loosened you up.

"Another guy just tweeted me and said 'I could not watch your last putt. My girlfriend thought I was crazy.'"

As for what the past two weeks has taught him about dreams and perseverance, Stanley pondered the answer like he did his 4-foot putt for the win on Sunday.

"My dad always taught me that talent was only going to get you so far. If I wanted to be the best, I was going to have to combine that talent with a great work ethic. You've got to have dreams and set goals. There has to be a purpose to everything you do."