Former UNLV golfer Wooding to play in Northern Trust Open

In 2010, Joshua Wooding was granted an exemption to play in the PGA Tour's Northern Trust Open.

It was an enormous opportunity, a chance to compete on the big stage and go against golf's best.

But Wooding missed the cut, shooting 5-over-par 76 at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles on the second day.

Now it's his younger brother Jeremiah's turn. The former UNLV golfer from Riverside, Calif., earned a sponsor's exemption to the event and hopes to do better than Joshua did when play begins Thursday.

"My game is a lot better since I left UNLV," said Wooding, who played for the Rebels from 2007 to 2011. "I have new equipment that fits me better, and I'm hitting shots now that I couldn't hit in college. I can control my trajectory better, which gives me more opportunities to score. I also have some hybrids that allow me to attack the par 5s."

Wooding, 24, had Lasik eye surgery in 2011 and said that also has helped his game. "When you can see better, you can make better contact," he said.

Wooding's improved game was evident last year, when he reached the final round of the PGA's qualifying school and has nonexempt status this year on the Web.com Tour.

"My goal is to stay busy and play as often as I can," he said. "There's a lot of great golfers, and I'm looking forward to competing against them. I think with the way my game has come around that I can have success out there."

For the past five years, the Northern Trust Open has granted an exemption to a minority player to advance diversity in golf. Wooding, who has a black father and has done clinics with minority youth, was the ideal candidate for the exemption.

"We chose Jeremiah Wooding for two reasons," Northern Trust chairman and CEO Frederick H. Waddell said in a statement. "He's a competitive golfer, and he also demonstrates a clear commitment to fostering diversity in golf."

Wooding, who has his degree in sociology from UNLV, returned to Las Vegas last week to work with Rebels coach Dwaine Knight on his short game to prepare for Riviera's tricky greens.

"I got exactly what I needed to out of college," Wooding said. "I went to UNLV to be able to work with Coach Knight, and while I may not have been the best player, I feel I learned more lessons off the course than on it. Being on time. Looking professional.

"Coach Knight taught me how to putt, but he did so much more for me."

Knight said that while Wooding wasn't a star on the team, he has no regrets about bringing him on board.

"He was a very good athlete, and he learned a lot about the short game," Knight said. "I was very proud of him for working hard, getting good grades and getting his degree. He may not have realized his potential until after he left us, but Jeremiah was a good Rebel and he has a neat side to him. He'll be a success in life."

Wooding, who played six events in the now-defunct National Pro Golf Tour a year ago, knows a strong week at Riviera can open a whole new world for him. He doesn't have a sponsor but hopes that will change if he makes the cut.

"It's an unbelievable opportunity," he said. "But it's up to me to take advantage of it. I just want to go out and play as well as I can and enjoy the experience."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.