Insider: Lovemark focused on his own expectations

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Stan Badz/PGA TOUR

Lovemark topped the Nationwide Tour's money list, winning $452,951 in 2010.

When Jamie Lovemark wants to get away he heads to a favorite fishing hole -- and he leaves his cell phone at home.

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Video: 25 of 2010: Lovemark

Lovemark, who at 22 was the youngest Player of the Year ever on the Nationwide Tour, doesn't like the distractions of modern technology to interfere with one of his favorite hobbies.

"I love to fish, and I think more people are finding out that when I don't answer my phone I'm either playing (golf) or fishing," said Lovemark, a former star at Southern Cal who took to the Nationwide Tour this season like a fish in water.

Lovemark was consistent throughout the long season, winning once in 22 events and finishing inside the top 10 nine times. He had a 69.41 scoring average and earned just over $450,000, the fourth-highest total in Tour history.

With all of those accomplishments behind him Lovemark can now look ahead to the PGA TOUR in 2011.

"I think mostly throughout this past year I improved as I went along and I was working on a lot of things with my swing coach, Sean Foley," Lovemark said. "I improved a lot on being consistent and I did a better job of controlling the golf ball."

Lovemark is most proud of his body of work throughout the season. His lone victory came in the Mexico Open Bicentenary when he hit what many consider the shot of the year in a playoff. His second shot to the par 5, a 6-iron from 235 yards, landed 3 feet from the pin. He made the eagle to beat B.J. Staten on the first playoff hole.

"It's very nice to know that I improved over the course of the year and I want to continue to improve as my career goes along," said Lovemark, who is fully exempt on the PGA TOUR for 2011 -- including an invite to THE PLAYERS Championship.

Lovemark, who will turn 23 on Jan. 23, has been saddled with the "can't miss" label throughout his amateur and short pro career. He says he's learned that trying to live up to others' expectations doesn't do him any good.

"I think there will be (high expectations)," said Lovemark, who lost in a playoff at the Frys.com Open on the PGA TOUR in the fall of 2009. "I have high expectations and the people around me have those as well but I'm not worried about what other people might be thinking... I just want to go out and play well and go from there."

Lovemark doesn't mind sharing some of his goals for 2011, which include moving up in the Official World Golf Ranking so he can qualify for majors and the World Golf Championships.

"I want to play in the majors," he said. "But to do that I'm going to have to be consistent and I want to be ready to go right out of the gate."

There were several highlights to Lovemark's season on the Nationwide Tour, which included being No. 1 on the money list for a season-high 11 weeks. He led during the final seven weeks of the season and preserved his spot at year's end by tying for seventh in the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island.

What set him apart on the Nationwide Tour was a solid short game and plenty of length off the tee. He was No. 1 in sand save percentage and was fourth in final-round scoring average. He ranked 12th on Tour in driving distance, too.

The list of former Nationwide Tour money leaders since 1990 includes players such as Tom Lehman, Stewart Cink and Zach Johnson. It's a good bet that Lovemark will make his mark on the PGA TOUR.

"That was my biggest confidence boost," Lovemark said about his victory on the Nationwide Tour. "My game is really in good shape and the Nationwide Tour really prepares you well for the PGA TOUR. I think one of the big differences might be the courses on the PGA TOUR may be more penalizing, but I'm looking forward to the challenge."

Another factor working in Lovemark's favor was the daily grind of traveling, playing golf and navigating his way during his first full year of being a pro golfer. He says that learning about how to pace himself while traveling was something he learned in a hurry.

"It will be a work in progress," Lovemark said about his rookie year on the PGA TOUR. "I want to get better every day. I'll be up against the best players of all time out there, so it should be a lot of fun."

John Dell has covered golf for the Winston-Salem Journal in North Carolina for the last 17 years. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.