European hopes of American dream

Ricky Barnes' sponsors need The K Club to turn their hype into a hit, writes Philip Reid

When Ricky Barnes, ex-US Amateur Champion, decided to turn professional almost a year ago, he had a queue of blue-chip sponsors lined up, among them Callaway and Oakley. With his film-star looks - blonde, tall (six feet three inches, if you must know) and sparkling white smile - it was hardly surprising that this golden boy who'd once played alongside, and outplayed, Tiger Woods at Augusta National would have a string of corporate suitors courting him.

Life as a professional turned out to be a tough old road, though. In his first six tournaments, Barnes missed the cut and, by the time he decided to broaden his horizons and play a couple of tournaments in the Southern Hemisphere, one Australian newspaper rather cruelly put it that the "closest he has come to making a cut is

when shaving his flawless skin in

the morning".

This week, Barnes - without a full card in America and playing regular tournaments and Nationwide Tour events on exemptions - is playing in the Smurfit European Open on a sponsor's invite and, not surprisingly, the 23-year-old all-American has been welcomed with open arms.

Despite his rocky start to professional life, there's no doubt he is extremely talented and definitely one for the future. Hopefully, when he's made it big, he'll remember The K Club.

"The European Tour is a very well rounded tour and I figured I'd come over and try my luck," he said.

In fact, Barnes faces into a fairly hectic few weeks in Europe that will take in this week's tournament, next week's Scottish Open in Loch Lomond and next month's Nissan Irish Open at Baltray. And, typically, he is setting his sights high, not content to merely compete but expecting to contend.

"I'm playing well and feel, any time, that I am ready to break through," insisted Barnes, who has hooked up with Darren Clarke's former caddie JP Fitzgerald for the next two weeks.

"I want to put myself into a good position, to play two solid rounds and hopefully give myself a chance on the back nine on Sunday to win."

Certainly, Barnes - as he proved in his amateur days - has the game. On his debut in the US Masters at Augusta last year, where he played as the 2002 US Amateur Champion, he was paired with Woods as the defending champion. He outscored Woods by six shots over the two rounds. His gleaming white teeth sparkled on American television screens and from countless newspaper photographs and, almost instantly, a star had been born.

A communications graduate of the University of Arizona, Barnes eventually turned professional just weeks after playing in last year's British Open at Sandwich, signing with Gaylord Sports Management - who also look after Phil Mickelson - and quickly signing multi-year corporate endorsement deals.

Of those six missed cuts that launched his professional life, Barnes yesterday reflected "it was a combination of everything . . . ball striking and putting, and there was just kind of a domino effect. You learn real quick that you better start playing well."

So it is that Barnes, a big-hitter off the tee, has decided to take his game to Europe and, for that, those visiting the European Open can be thankful. Not only does he bring box-office appeal in terms of his looks and personality, he can also play a bit.

And as Ben Curtis proved in winning the British Open in his debut appearance a year ago, Europe can be a happy hunting ground for young American professionals.