Martin Finally Gets to Play

The next chapter in the Casey Martin saga begins today at the $220,000 Greater Austin Open on the Nike Tour, where the 25-year-old disabled golfer plays his first event since winning his right to ride a cart and play pro golf.

Martin tees off at 10:30 a.m. PST in a threesome that includes former touring pros Robin Freeman and Mike Sullivan, not to mention nationwide media coverage.

Martin, who won the first Nike Tour event this year while riding a cart, missed the cut in his only other Nike Tour appearance in late January.

The former Stanford teammate of Tiger Woods said he hopes he is able to play the PGA Tour regularly.

“I think I have a lot of potential,” he said. “But there’s a lot of great players out here. So I have to keep my focus on just trying to get better. Whether that means I’ll be one of the best players out here, I don’t know.”