Kevin Sutherland's tie for 73rd last week in the Humana Challenge might not seem like a big deal to a veteran PGA Tour player, but considering it was his first tour event since May – and it was pain-free – it was significant.

Sutherland hadn't played in a tour event since the 2011 Players Championship a few weeks after injuring his neck tripping over a driving-range cord. He went months without picking up a club, even wondering if his career might be over, the pain was so severe. But nature took its course and his body healed itself.

"Zero pain," Don Baucom, Sutherland's longtime coach, said of the week in La Quinta. "No Aleve, no Motrin, no nothing."

Sutherland, 47, playing this year under the guidelines of what the PGA Tour terms a Major Medical Extension, has 15 tournaments to earn $378,473 and retain his fully exempt status for a 17th consecutive season. He earned $10,808 last week.

Sutherland is feeling so good, Baucom said, that he plans to play in all five events on the West Coast swing.

The injury-induced break wasn't all bad, the coach said: "He's been grinding for 16 years; he needed some time off."

Breakthrough win

Elk Grove's Hunter Rappleye, 17, won his first national junior tournament, finishing with flair at a 36-hole Future Collegians World Tour event over the weekend at Bayonet in Monterey. Trailing by one shot with four holes to play, Rappleye birdied two of the final four holes and won by two shots.

Kevin Rappleye, Hunter's father, attributes his son's poise under pressure to being the youngest of five kids.

"Gotta survive," Kevin said.

Grant and Cameron Rappleye, Sacramento State seniors, are planning to turn pro next year, if not sooner, Kevin reported.

Granite Bay's Brandon Baumgarten and Cameron Park's Corey Pereira tied for sixth in the FCWT event. El Macero's Ben Corfee shared the tournament's low round of 1-under-par 71 Sunday – on the heels of a first-round 88.

Ah, golf.

Juniors can play for $5

Golfers ages 7 to 17 can play at 15 Sacramento-area courses for between $2 and $5 in 2012 through the NCGA Foundation's Youth on Course program.

The easiest way to become a Youth on Course member is to complete an online life skills and values curriculum (go to www.ncga.org to sign up and see a list of participating courses).

The online program takes about two hours. The cost is $12 and includes Northern California Golf Association membership.

Et cetera

• It's been a volatile couple of months for course superintendents in the Sacramento area. Changes, forced and otherwise, have been or are being made at Diamond Oaks, Haggin Oaks, Morgan Creek, Plumas Lake, Wildhawk and Woodcreek. And that's just public courses, and the ones we know about.

• The Haggin Oaks Golf Super Shop team will again share its experience at the annual PGA Merchandise in real time. The 12-person crew, armed with smartphones and i-Flip digital cameras, will be highlighting new products via blogging and Twitter from Orlando, Fla., today through Saturday. The hub of the activity is at www.golfinthecityblog.com.

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Call The Bee's Steve Pajak, (916) 326-5526.

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