North grad moves up on pro tour

Tyler Duncan is glad to be back in the United States this weekend.

The Columbus North and Purdue graduate is in Broussard, Louisiana, for the Web.com Tour’s Chitimacha Louisiana Open. He played his first five tournaments of the year in South America.

“It’s awesome,” Duncan said. “I got here and was in a rental car and driving down the highway, and it was a great feeling to be back.”

Duncan had the best finish of his professional career two weeks ago when he took second in a Web.com Tour event in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

“I was kind of doing everything well,” Duncan said. “I was hitting it well, putting well. Everything was kind of working together.

“It was a great experience to be playing in the final group on Sunday and being in the moment,” he said. “It was great to be able to play well under that kind of pressure.”

After playing in Mexico in two weeks, Duncan will be back in Indiana two weeks later for a Web.com Tour event at Victoria National in Newburgh. He went into the weekend ranked No. 25 on the tour money list.

“I’m excited,” Duncan said. “I haven’t been back there since the holidays, and I’m looking forward to coming back and spending time with family and friends.”

The second-place finish in Brazil has allowed Duncan an exemption to the Web.com Tour for the rest of the season.

“It’s a huge relief to know that I have plenty of time ahead of me and plenty of events to play well,” Duncan said. “It’s kind of nice to have that freedom.”