Dossey, 27, was already fully exempt from next year’s Korn Ferry Tour because he finished No. 44 in points and was also awaiting the arrival of his first child. Dossey’s wife, Ashley, was due on December 6, although Tucker William arrived a few weeks early, just before Thanksgiving. With extra help at home in Dallas, Dossey opted to complete the final leg anyway – and that decision puts Dossey on the cusp of a PGA Tour card.
Inspired by fatherhood and more than 10 hours of sleep this week (sorry, Ashley!), Dossey fired off a 6-under 64 Saturday at Sawgrass Country Club, which featured the top half of the standings. Dossey is a shot back of leaders Ben Kohles and Marcele Rozo, but more importantly he is tied for third place with John Pak and AJ Ewart going into Sunday’s final round at the TPC Sawgrass Dye’s Valley course, where five cards are on the line.
“It was a whirlwind, I could cry,” Dossey said of being a father. “It’s honestly the greatest thing I’ve ever experienced. It’s made this golf feel really easy. Whether I shot 80 or 64, it’s been the biggest blessing of our lives, and I’m so proud to be married to Ashley, and grateful for a healthy baby and a healthy mother. … When you have them in your mind, it makes it a lot easier to play good golf.”
Dossey, who played at Baylor before turning pro in 2021, has spent the past two years on the Korn Ferry Tour. Last year he finished No. 76 in points, one spot away from retaining his card.
“I was a miserable person,” Dossey said earlier this year. “When I played bad, I was frustrated, and when I didn’t convert on good weeks, I was frustrated. I was never excited to play.”
But he managed to sneak into the season-opening field in the Bahamas in January and finished tied for 15th, securing a start for the rest of the year.
Dossey admitted he had lacked self-confidence in the past and made mental progress after learning of Ashley’s pregnancy both in March and after his brother Luke left his accounting job as a full-time caddy from the end of May. Dossey plays even more freely these days thanks to Tucker.
“I’ve struggled a lot with my identity in golf, being who I am,” Dossey said. “I think being a father now and seeing my wife go through the delivery process has made golf less important. That still means I care about it, I still want to play really bad. I want to play really well tomorrow and get my Tour card.”
Saturday could be tough to top. Unsurprisingly, Dossey had an unusual preparation for the final stage, changing more nappies than balls hitting the court. Last week he discovered that the time away had caused his swing at the top to become too soft. But those bad thoughts he often harbors on the greens?
“A little bit away, which is nice,” Dossey said, before adding: “Probably the best week I’ve had in a long time.”
Dossey’s 64 was just one shot worse than Spencer Levin’s round of the day (Levin is one of five other players tied for sixth place, a shot out of the top five). Dossey bogeyed the last, but before that he had carded five birdies, all from 8 to 10 feet, and an eagle, on the par-5 11th, where he hit and made 7-wood to 25 feet.
Dossey’s goal has always been to get to the PGA Tour before his grandparents passed away. Nub and Carolyn Donaldson, former USGA rules officials and Golf Digest evaluators, introduced Dossey and his two younger brothers to the game.
“I feel like a lot of what I do is for my family and my friends,” Dossey said.
But make no mistake: this is Dossey’s dream too. He entered the week with what many would call a free roll, and could only improve his status by earning his way onto the PGA Tour.
“But it’s not a free throw anymore,” Dossey noted. “I’m in a position where I can earn a Tour card. It’s been a dream of mine for a long time. I get emotional just thinking about it.”
And to possibly do this as a new father.
#father #Cooper #Dossey #didnt #play #QSchool #hes #cusp #PGA #Tour