Columnist Victoria Sun: LV was breeding ground for Arizona Wunderkind

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2000 | 11:33 a.m.

Victoria Sun's golf column appears Wednesday. Reach her at 259-4078 or victoria@lasvegassun.com

The plan, John Francis insists, was never to turn his 11-year-old son Philip into the next Tiger Woods, as a recent story in Sports Illustrated suggests.

In fact, he contends, there never was a plan.

"Never," he said when asked if he calculated steps for Philip to make it on the PGA Tour. "That's absurd.

"I played a lot of golf myself and he was just always around me. He's got some talent. He plays competitively and winning is fun for him. He loves to play."

And golf figures from Jack Nicklaus to Oklahoma State coach Mike Holder love his game.

The young Scottsdale, Ariz., resident has garnered a lot of attention -- and for good reason. He has a plus-1.6 handicap (from the junior tees). He was a medalist at 11 of the 16 national tournaments he has entered. And Philip, two-time champion of the Texas-Oklahoma Junior and three-time winner of the Doral Publix Junior Classic, hits 210-yard drives.

"He's not afraid to play anybody," Francis said. "The kid's got ice water in his veins when it comes to competing.

"He's talked about everything as far as his future plans. One day he wanted to play for ASU. Oklahoma State has already sent a letter. Then he met Sergio Garcia (at the Williams World Challenge last January), then he felt he belonged on the tour and said, maybe I'll go to college just one year. It just depends on what day you catch him."

For the moment, it seems not too many junior golfers can.

Philip's low round is a 5-under-par 67 at the Chiricaua course at the Desert Mountain Club in Scottsdale.

Renowned teaching pro Jim Flick has been helping Philip hone his skills since age 6, but the golfing seed was planted long before then at the Spanish Trail Golf Club.

Philip was born and raised in Las Vegas until his family moved to Arizona when he was 5.

His mother, Bee, worked for Steve Wynn in VIP services at the Golden Nugget while John ran a 7-Eleven store.

When John returned from his store in the afternoon, he would put Philip in a stroller and take him to the golf course.

"He was swinging the club before he could talk," Francis said. "It was visual.

"He watched a lot of golf while he was sitting in a stroller. I think he watched me hit over 10,000 times before he swung a club. We put a plastic club in his hands and he knew exactly what to do already."

By the time he was 3, Philip competed in a putting contest against kids 10 years old -- and won. He started playing in the Southern Nevada Junior Golf Association when he was 4.

These days John said he spends about an hour of quality golf time at the Desert Mountain Club weekdays and more time on weekends.

It remains to be seen whether Philip will ever dominate the PGA Tour the way Woods does now, though comparisons are inevitable because both were introduced to the game by their fathers before they could walk -- Philip in a stroller at Spanish Trail and Tiger in a high chair in the family's garage.

"We were there at Spanish Trail and I just had a great time," Philip remembered. "That's where I got started, I think.

"I was just sitting there getting a suntan, watching my dad hit balls, I think I just learned that."

The sixth grader at Tesseract Private School says physical education and math are his two favorite subjects. His interests outside of golf include playing football and basketball recreationally, but golf remains the closest to his heart.

"I like the competitiveness and the fun of the game," he said. "And the excitement."

If Philip ever does want to quit playing, his father promises it will be Philip's decision.

"I don't see that happening," John Francis said. "It would be a shame because he has so much talent.

"I like the fact that he is so focused on something instead of just hanging out or getting into trouble. There is so much junk out there these days, I'm just glad Philip plays golf."

To qualify, players must hit a ball inside a 10-foot circle from 75 yards away. Each ball landed in that area gives players one shot during the Oct. 29 semifinals, where participants will be aiming for a pin 165 yards away. The closest 15 balls to the pin will advance to the finals.

In the finals, players will be divided into five flights of three. Each participant will have 10 attempts to make a hole in one from 165 yards away. The three contestants who hit their balls closest to the hole during the semifinals will win $1 million if they make a hole in one during the finals. The other 12 finalists will be shooting for other prizes including luxury cars and motorcycles.

The contest is open to amateur golfers only. The cost is $1 per qualifying ball, $5 for seven balls, $10 for 20 balls. Proceeds will benefit Opportunity Village, the SNICYGA and The Las Vegas Sports Committee. Qualifying times are 5-9 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. Call 735-5862 for information.