2008 winner finds ’09 plenty rough

Marc Turnesa wielded a hot putter for four days at TPC Summerlin last October, and it guided him to his first and only PGA Tour victory.

But Turnesa has been unable to rekindle the magic on the greens in 2009, and the 31-year-old North Carolina State product will have to rediscover his putting stroke to have any chance of repeating in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin this week.

In 27 starts this year, Turnesa has made only eight cuts and finished no better than a tie for 30th place.

"I'm hoping being back here will help," he said Tuesday. "Early in the year, I putted poorly. I lost my confidence, and it kinda snowballed on me. I think it's all in my head."

Turnesa's catalyst for victory last year was a 10-under-par 62 in the first round, and he took advantage of the par 5s over the weekend to maintain his lead. He hasn't altered his formula this year, even though the course has changed; No. 3 was shortened from a par 5 to a par 4, and trees now line the right side of the par 5s at Nos. 9 and 16.

"You've got to take advantage of the par 5s, and you have to make putts here," he said.

Turnesa has been in Las Vegas since Sunday to get comfortable with the course in time for Thursday's first round.

"It's frustrating to come in here not playing well," he said. "But you can't get upset about it. I'm trying to keep my head up, practice hard and work on what I think are the right things. I feel pretty confident about my game, which I haven't felt all year."

At least Turnesa has the luxury of being locked into exempt status on the PGA Tour through 2010. He doesn't have to worry about going back to Qualifying School, even though he ranks 189th in Tour earnings with $187,286.

"It's nice to have a cushion, but I'd like to play well this week and build some momentum for next year," Turnesa said. "I know I can do it. My putting is the strongest part of my game, and I hope to do it again."

Last year, Turnesa hadn't left the hotel to play his first round when he learned Zach Johnson had shot 10 under. Instead of unnerving Turnesa, he shot his own 62.

"You have to have the attitude to just go out and play," he said. "There's going to be low numbers everywhere. That's the way the course is. You can't spend time thinking about what everyone else is doing. It'll just get you in trouble out there."

Turnesa can't spend a lot of time thinking about being the defending champion, either. In the event's 27-year history, only Jim Furyk has repeated, winning in 1998 and 1999.

"If I come in with the attitude, 'I have to defend my title,' it's going to put added pressure on me," Turnesa said. "I'm going to come in with the attitude that I just want to play well. I just want to give myself a chance to make some birdies, and hopefully I'll putt well."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.