Andy Miller hoping to follow fathers footsteps

Andy Miller didn't care how long it took him to reach the PGA Tour. His father told him he had enough game to compete against the best players in the world, and that was good enough for him.

No one can argue with Johnny Miller on this one.

His 23-year-old son is among 22 Tour rookies who will make their 2003 debut Thursday in the Sony Open, the first full-field event of the year.

``I'm not quite as brash as he was, but I'd like to be compared to him,'' Andy Miller said. ``Hopefully, I can start knocking the pins off the greens.''

Miller doesn't have his father's blond hair, and time will tell how much of his game was inherited. But the kid shares one trait with the former U.S. Open and British Open champion: He's not about to back down.

Miller's ranking out of Q-School, where he earned his card with two strokes to spare, is usually good enough to get into the Sony Open. He booked his flight, reserved a room, then learned he was the seventh alternate.

``I said, 'What the heck, I can qualify for free. I'm going to Hawaii,''' he said.

Miller showed up at Pearl Country Club on Monday, shot 7-under 65 and claimed one of four qualifying spots for the Sony Open.

That's the same tournament where two years ago another son of a Hall of Fame player -- Gary Nicklaus -- made his debut as a PGA Tour member. Nicklaus nearly won the BellSouth Classic that year, but had to return to Q-School in 2001 and didn't make it out of the second stage this year.

Except for Young Tom Morris, most sons have not enjoyed the same success as their famous fathers. Miller is the latest to try to change that.

He doesn't have the credentials of some of the other young stars at Waialae Country Club, such as former college champion Charles Howell III, two-time Australian Open champion Aaron Baddeley or even Sergio Garcia.

Miller is even further away from Ernie Els, who is coming off a record score (31-under) and eight-stroke win at the Mercedes Championships and will try to become the first player since Steve Jones in 1989 to win the first two PGA Tour events of the year.

But Miller has game, not to mention confidence.

He was disqualified from Q-School in 2001 when he banged his putter against his foot after missing a short putt, then tapped in before realizing his club was slightly bent and no longer conformed.

With no place to play, the four-time All-American at Brigham Young University took advantage of limited chances. He tied for fourth in Utah on the Buy.com Tour, then two weeks later won the State Farm Open on the developmental tour.

His most exciting event was Q-School. Miller hit into the water on the 17th hole of the final round to drop to the cut line, then responded with a perfect drive and a par to secure a place on the PGA Tour.

``Q-Schools are so difficult to get through, but I always had the outlook that my game was good enough,'' Miller said. ``That's where my dad plays a huge part. He's been out here. He knows these guys. He's played with them. He watches them every week.

``He said I was good enough.''

One of those players his father watches as an NBC Sports analyst is Tiger Woods, who will miss at least the first five months of the season recovering from knee surgery.

Andy Miller was asked how far the gap is between him and Woods.

``I'd have to play with him to see,'' Miller said. ``He wins all these tournaments, and it seems like he's better than anyone else, but I'd like to find out for myself.''

The words sounded like they came from his father, who always thought he was the best during the 1970s, when he won 18 times, including his magical 63 in the final round at Oakmont to win the 1973 U.S. Open.

Andy is the fifth of six children, and jokes that his father's career took a nosedive as soon as he was born.

He rarely gets through an interview or conversation without being asked about his father, but he embraces the celebrity.

``I love the fact I'm Johnny Miller's son,'' he said. ``My dad has been a great father, a great teacher. There are so many good parts about it, I just don't see the negatives.''

Jack Nicklaus played a full season in 2000 when his son first earned his card. Don't look for Johnny to step down from the booth any time soon.

Since turning 50 in 1997, Miller has played only two Senior PGA Tour events because of bad knees, a bad back and tennis elbow in his right arm.

The only time they were at the same tournament was at the U.S. Open -- Andy did the playing, Johnny did the talking.

The son didn't disappoint. He not only made the cut at Bethpage Black, he had an ace on the third hole of the final round and tied for 62nd.

So, is Miller just as harsh with his commentary when it comes to his son?

``Maybe moreso,'' the son said. ``He's more critical when I do good.''

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