With the Myrtle Beach Classic in full swing, fans will notice something interesting in the pairings. There are two Byrds, and for this one, it is a father-son duo. Jonathan Byrd will be playing with his son Jackson Byrd for the first time. This will be quite an experience for the two and could also be the start of Jackson’s pro career.
Who Is Jackson Byrd?
The son of Jonathan Byrd, Jackson Byrd, is already competing in PGA events at only 17. He was, of course, introduced to the sport at an early age along with his siblings. According to the AJGA, Jackson is currently ranked the No. 2 junior golfer in the country. In the fall, he will be starting his freshman year at Clemson. Where his father went, and his uncle Jordan Byrd is the head coach.
Jonathan Byrd Is Excited
Jonathan Byrd is excited for this, saying that it was “a bucket list item”. He then reminisced on how, when Jackson was younger and started playing, he started noticing how his skills improved. He sees a lot of potential in his son’s abilities, even saying how much more advanced Jackson is than he was at the same age in a conference before the Classic.
“I would say he’s much more advanced than I was at 18 from a just skill level. I win half the time, he wins half the time. We have a pretty good match these days, but I’m leaning more on experience, and he’s leaning on just kind of raw youth.”
Jonathan Byrd took the time to note how Jackson is driving 30-50 yards more than he used off the tee.
The Byrds At Myrtle Beach
Both Byrds got into Myrtle Beach through a sponsor exemption. They were in the same waves, but they weren’t in the same group. Yet Jonathan Byrd still thinks it will be a great experience for Jackson. He goes on to say that he felt some pressure to hang on to be able to play with his son. He also wants to be able to play with Jackson again one day at a tournament, and wants to hold out longer to see it happen again. Jonathan Byrd also had one more thing to add about his son competing in Myrtle Beach. He is hoping that this means one day soon, Jackson is hoping he will be able to start his own professional career.
“I hope he gets the opportunity to do this as a profession because I think he’s very talented, and he doesn’t need a whole lot of help from dad anymore. I just have to let him run.”
Opportunity For Jackson
Father-son duos are a bit rare, but they do happen often. There are plenty of players who were introduced to the sport by family members. JC Snead was introduced to the sport by his uncle, Sam Snead. Charlie Woods, the son of Tiger Woods, is currently working on the start of his golf debut at the age of 15. Unfortunately, both Byrds have been cut from the Classic on Friday, but it’s still a good experience for Jackson. It could be that within the next couple of years, Jackson Byrd will join the rookie lineup and earn a Tour card.
Main Photo Credit: © Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
