Greyling, Tryon seek major bounce backs

• By Randall Mell
• Jun 14, 2011 4:10 PM ET

BETHESDA, Md. – Ty Tryon is back in the national spotlight.

Though he’s only 27, he’s looking forward to reminiscing with an old friend in a practice round at the U.S. Open.

Tryon and Christo Greyling, teammates at Lake Highland Prep in Orlando, Fla., are hoping to play together Wednesday as a warm-up at Congressional Country Club.

It’s a notable reunion of the one-time “can’t-miss kids” who are still fighting to make it.

“Back in the day, we wouldn’t have thought it would take this long to play in a U.S. Open together,” Tryon said.

Tryon advanced through a Monday qualifier into the Honda Classic when he was 17 and became the youngest player in 44 years to make the cut in a PGA Tour event. Five months before that, Greyling Monday qualified for the PGA Tour event at Callaway Gardens.

Though they took different paths after graduating from high school, their stories parallel each other.

While Tryon became the youngest player to earn a PGA Tour card at 17, he fell short of the giant expectations that came with his feat. He’s spent a decade developing on mini-tours and is making his way on the Nationwide Tour this year. Greyling went the college route to Georgia, but he’s struggled as a professional and plays mini-tours around Pittsburgh, where he lives today.

“It’s wild we both made it here together this week,” Tryon said.

Tryon, who played a practice round with Sergio Garcia on Tuesday, said he’s regaining lost confidence.

“I’ve learned a lot on the journey,” Tryon said. “I think I’m a better player today. I’m more mature. I’m more calm. I don’t take disappointment as hard as I used to. If things aren’t going well, I can forget about the struggle. I feel like my confidence is better. I have a good bounce-back tendency now.”

Tryon will be looking to give the bounce back a major boost at Congressional this week.