Lonnie Nielsen's last few days have been unlike any he's had as a big-time professional golfer.
"This is the first time for me doing this as a defending champion,'' Nielsen said Thursday, the day before he was to tee it up as the reigning champion of the Commerce Bank Championship on the Champions Tour.
Nielsen played on the PGA TOUR full-time from 1978-83 with his best finish a tie for fifth at Quad Cities in 1979. He then became a club pro and was successful on the New York State PGA circuit, winning 32 times from 1984-2003.
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