Matt and sybi kuchar, When two-time PGA TOUR winner Matt Kuchar was 12 years old, his dream was to become a professional tennis player.
Over the weekend, the 31-year-old Kuchar rekindled his love for the game of tennis with his wife Sybi by winning the consolation title in the USTA National Husband/Wife Doubles Championship at the ATP Headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach. The Kuchars defeated New Jersey's Christi and David Feher 7-5, 6-2 on Sunday before a crowd filled with members of Matt and Sybi's family, as well as a few impressed local tennis fans.
"We can't wait to make this a tradition," Kuchar said. "This certainly lights a fire for me to play."
Of course, his play on the golf course this season has been equally stimulating, with one win (Turning Stone Resort Championship) and four other top-10 finishes. He ranks 24th on the TOUR's money list and will enter this week's Viking Classic as one of the favorites.
Still, it was Kuchar's ability with a tennis racquet, not golf clubs, that made the week enjoyable.
After a busy travel day following a tie for seventh at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas, Kuchar only managed to squeeze in short warm-up sessions on Wednesday and Thursday before Friday's first round on the tennis courts.
The opening match didn't go well, as the Kuchars fell in under an hour to eventual champions Judy and Frank Vermeer. With the same calm he displays on the golf course, Matt was encouraged despite the early result.
"We took our racquets out to Vegas last week but didn't hit at all," he said after the loss. "We hadn't played a whole lot coming in, but I knew we would get comfortable and settle in. I knew Sybi's game and her natural strokes and the quality of her shots are pretty good. In the first tournament round, you're naturally going to be a little nervous. The further we went, the better we got."
Forced into the consolation bracket after the first round, the Kuchars never looked back. The couple won four straight matches over the next two days without losing a set.
"This gets me excited," said Sybi. "I certainly want to play more."
It was the most tennis the couple has played together since graduating from Georgia Tech when their courtship often included long afternoons on the tennis court.
Members of the golf team and tennis team often hung out at Georgia Tech, but Kuchar was pre-occupied with trying to win an NCAA championship with teammates Matt Weibring, Troy Matteson, Bryce Molder, Kris Mikkelsen, and Carlton Forrester.
Meanwhile, Sybi Parker (her maiden name) was trying to hold down one of the top three positions on a highly competitive Georgia Tech women's team. Dating wouldn't come until after college.
"Tennis played a role in bringing us together," Kuchar said. "Going out and hitting tennis balls was something easy for the two of us to do and made for a fun date."
Kuchar's tennis interest heightened again late this summer after a local teaching pro in Lake Toxoway, N.C., saw him hitting tennis balls.
"I was hitting with Sybi early one morning," Kuchar recalled, "and he came up to me and said, 'Oh, my God! It's just not fair that you can play both golf and tennis like this.' He advised me to play in the national husband/wife tournament, and told me we could be a legitimate team. So we got curious, looked at the date and circled it on the calendar. It worked out perfect."
It was similar curiosity six years ago that prompted Kuchar to team with brother-in-law Drew Parker in the USTA National Men's Grass Court Doubles Championship in Newport. He and Parker finished runner-up.
Pleasantly surprised, Kuchar put the racquets away but kept them within close reach. Soon, he started hitting tennis balls on the road, drawing the attention of fellow PGA TOUR pros, including Sergio Garcia.
"When Sybi and I get out and play, some of the guys see us and want to hit with us," Kuchar said. "Sergio was one of those. He played a lot as a kid in Spain and he is very good -- especially on the clay. Actually, our best match on the road was probably against Sergio and his caddie. It was serious tennis."
Sybi, and Kuchar's former caddie, Matthew Triton, now on the bag for Nationwide Tour money leader Michael Sim, rotated in as doubles partners against Garcia. The Kuchars have also played with touring pro Jeff Quinney and, most recently, with Andy Martinez, who caddies for Tom Lehman.
As a junior tennis player, Kuchar ranked as high as fifth on the Florida circuit until he gave up tennis for golf just shy of his 13th birthday.
"I remember at Christmas that year, my mom upgraded our membership at Heathrow Country Club in Lake Mary, Fla., from just tennis to full country club privileges which, of course, included golf," Kuchar said. "I thought at the time it was the silliest thing. I honestly thought golf was for my grandfather and I definitely didn't think it was for my dad or me. Dad probably played twice a year or so, but didn't really care much for it.
"So, we went out to the range one afternoon to give it a try. When we went out together, that was it. When I hit that one good shot, I thought, 'Yeah! I like this.' I tried to repeat the shot again and again. I couldn't do it. Finally, I did it again and said to myself, 'All right! I've got the hang of this.' Needless to say, I got the bug quickly. But before that, I really thought I was going to be on TV playing tennis one day."
Matt's father Peter, a former No. 1 tennis standout at Stetson University, remembers the transition.
"He was a natural in golf -- a true natural," said the senior Kuchar, who carried the bag for his son when he captured the U.S. Amateur in 1997 and at the Masters in 1998 when Matt was paired with defending champion Tiger Woods -- a moment that Peter Kuchar called "surreal."
It was at The Masters in '98 that Kuchar's trademark smile captivated golf fans worldwide as he went on to finish tied for 21st.
With thrills like that ranking at the top of Peter Kuchar's memory list, he still admits how much he enjoys watching Matt play tennis.
"Matt is fundamentally very sound, just like he is in golf. He can be very intimidating at the net," whispered Peter, as he watches his son stretch for a near-impossible angle cross-court backhand volley for a winner in his final match Sunday.
The lanky 6-4 Matt Kuchar likely hit more aces in three days of tennis than he's hit in his entire lifetime on the golf course.
"It's a great feeling," he said. "My serve is not as powerful as I would like for my height, but it's a good serve. It's pretty steady. Occasionally I'll get enough of an angle to ace someone. It's like making a long putt -- one that you don't expect to go in that goes in."
Kuchar hasn't finalized his 2010 TOUR schedule, but he has secured an invitation into next year's USTA Husband/Wife Championship. "I know I'm certainly the weak link on this team," he said, "but she's as strong as anyone out here when she's playing well."
And if he's not on the court with Sybi during an off-week, he'll probably be in the stands watching her play in a tournament.
"Sybi was anxious to start playing more in her 30s, but kids came along and you know how that goes," he said. "I just hope I can be in the gallery one day cheering her on in a reverse role with our two sons looking on. She certainly has been there for me."
Over the weekend, the 31-year-old Kuchar rekindled his love for the game of tennis with his wife Sybi by winning the consolation title in the USTA National Husband/Wife Doubles Championship at the ATP Headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach. The Kuchars defeated New Jersey's Christi and David Feher 7-5, 6-2 on Sunday before a crowd filled with members of Matt and Sybi's family, as well as a few impressed local tennis fans.
"We can't wait to make this a tradition," Kuchar said. "This certainly lights a fire for me to play."
Of course, his play on the golf course this season has been equally stimulating, with one win (Turning Stone Resort Championship) and four other top-10 finishes. He ranks 24th on the TOUR's money list and will enter this week's Viking Classic as one of the favorites.
Still, it was Kuchar's ability with a tennis racquet, not golf clubs, that made the week enjoyable.
After a busy travel day following a tie for seventh at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas, Kuchar only managed to squeeze in short warm-up sessions on Wednesday and Thursday before Friday's first round on the tennis courts.
The opening match didn't go well, as the Kuchars fell in under an hour to eventual champions Judy and Frank Vermeer. With the same calm he displays on the golf course, Matt was encouraged despite the early result.
"We took our racquets out to Vegas last week but didn't hit at all," he said after the loss. "We hadn't played a whole lot coming in, but I knew we would get comfortable and settle in. I knew Sybi's game and her natural strokes and the quality of her shots are pretty good. In the first tournament round, you're naturally going to be a little nervous. The further we went, the better we got."
Forced into the consolation bracket after the first round, the Kuchars never looked back. The couple won four straight matches over the next two days without losing a set.
"This gets me excited," said Sybi. "I certainly want to play more."
It was the most tennis the couple has played together since graduating from Georgia Tech when their courtship often included long afternoons on the tennis court.
Members of the golf team and tennis team often hung out at Georgia Tech, but Kuchar was pre-occupied with trying to win an NCAA championship with teammates Matt Weibring, Troy Matteson, Bryce Molder, Kris Mikkelsen, and Carlton Forrester.
Meanwhile, Sybi Parker (her maiden name) was trying to hold down one of the top three positions on a highly competitive Georgia Tech women's team. Dating wouldn't come until after college.
"Tennis played a role in bringing us together," Kuchar said. "Going out and hitting tennis balls was something easy for the two of us to do and made for a fun date."
Kuchar's tennis interest heightened again late this summer after a local teaching pro in Lake Toxoway, N.C., saw him hitting tennis balls.
"I was hitting with Sybi early one morning," Kuchar recalled, "and he came up to me and said, 'Oh, my God! It's just not fair that you can play both golf and tennis like this.' He advised me to play in the national husband/wife tournament, and told me we could be a legitimate team. So we got curious, looked at the date and circled it on the calendar. It worked out perfect."
It was similar curiosity six years ago that prompted Kuchar to team with brother-in-law Drew Parker in the USTA National Men's Grass Court Doubles Championship in Newport. He and Parker finished runner-up.
Pleasantly surprised, Kuchar put the racquets away but kept them within close reach. Soon, he started hitting tennis balls on the road, drawing the attention of fellow PGA TOUR pros, including Sergio Garcia.
"When Sybi and I get out and play, some of the guys see us and want to hit with us," Kuchar said. "Sergio was one of those. He played a lot as a kid in Spain and he is very good -- especially on the clay. Actually, our best match on the road was probably against Sergio and his caddie. It was serious tennis."
Sybi, and Kuchar's former caddie, Matthew Triton, now on the bag for Nationwide Tour money leader Michael Sim, rotated in as doubles partners against Garcia. The Kuchars have also played with touring pro Jeff Quinney and, most recently, with Andy Martinez, who caddies for Tom Lehman.
As a junior tennis player, Kuchar ranked as high as fifth on the Florida circuit until he gave up tennis for golf just shy of his 13th birthday.
"I remember at Christmas that year, my mom upgraded our membership at Heathrow Country Club in Lake Mary, Fla., from just tennis to full country club privileges which, of course, included golf," Kuchar said. "I thought at the time it was the silliest thing. I honestly thought golf was for my grandfather and I definitely didn't think it was for my dad or me. Dad probably played twice a year or so, but didn't really care much for it.
"So, we went out to the range one afternoon to give it a try. When we went out together, that was it. When I hit that one good shot, I thought, 'Yeah! I like this.' I tried to repeat the shot again and again. I couldn't do it. Finally, I did it again and said to myself, 'All right! I've got the hang of this.' Needless to say, I got the bug quickly. But before that, I really thought I was going to be on TV playing tennis one day."
Matt's father Peter, a former No. 1 tennis standout at Stetson University, remembers the transition.
"He was a natural in golf -- a true natural," said the senior Kuchar, who carried the bag for his son when he captured the U.S. Amateur in 1997 and at the Masters in 1998 when Matt was paired with defending champion Tiger Woods -- a moment that Peter Kuchar called "surreal."
It was at The Masters in '98 that Kuchar's trademark smile captivated golf fans worldwide as he went on to finish tied for 21st.
With thrills like that ranking at the top of Peter Kuchar's memory list, he still admits how much he enjoys watching Matt play tennis.
"Matt is fundamentally very sound, just like he is in golf. He can be very intimidating at the net," whispered Peter, as he watches his son stretch for a near-impossible angle cross-court backhand volley for a winner in his final match Sunday.
The lanky 6-4 Matt Kuchar likely hit more aces in three days of tennis than he's hit in his entire lifetime on the golf course.
"It's a great feeling," he said. "My serve is not as powerful as I would like for my height, but it's a good serve. It's pretty steady. Occasionally I'll get enough of an angle to ace someone. It's like making a long putt -- one that you don't expect to go in that goes in."
Kuchar hasn't finalized his 2010 TOUR schedule, but he has secured an invitation into next year's USTA Husband/Wife Championship. "I know I'm certainly the weak link on this team," he said, "but she's as strong as anyone out here when she's playing well."
And if he's not on the court with Sybi during an off-week, he'll probably be in the stands watching her play in a tournament.
"Sybi was anxious to start playing more in her 30s, but kids came along and you know how that goes," he said. "I just hope I can be in the gallery one day cheering her on in a reverse role with our two sons looking on. She certainly has been there for me."
