Patton Kizzire having breakout season on Web.com Tour

Patton Kizzire laughs at the thought of the old him. Something in the not-so-distant past that seems slightly foreign to him now.

“How would I describe myself … fiery, how’s that?” Kizzire said. “I learned to be patient, which is truly a learned behavior for me. Trying too hard and getting upset can really hinder your ability to perform. Being patient and confident, keeping my focus has worked for me.”

Almost everything has worked for Kizzire this season on the Web.com Tour, where the Auburn product and Tuscaloosa, Ala., native has turned into a force to be reckoned with headed into Thursday’s Air Capital Classic at Crestview Country Club.

Kizzire, who spent last year on mini-tours, leads the Web.com money list with $254,699 and has seven top 10s in 11 starts. Take into account Kizzire has yet to win a tournament and it’s a scary proposition for the competition, with 54 of the top 55 on the Web.com money list in Wichita this weekend.

“I always want to be the best,” Kizzire said. “I’m starting to believe in myself a little more every week, just chipping away at it, trying to improve a little bit in all areas. It’s not frustrating for me that I haven’t won yet … I look at like it’s encouraging, like I believe in myself enough to put myself in a position to win.”

Kizzire, who turned pro in 2008, credits the turnaround in his game to a change he made in his life several years ago, moving from his college town of Auburn, Ala., to Sea Island, Ga.

In Sea Island, stability and competition rule the day for Kizzire.

“Just trying to do the right things to become more of a professional, to put the focus on my career, on my job, which golf,” Kizzire said. “My management group is there, and they provide a lot of support. My trainer is there, my swing coach is there.

“I enjoyed living in Auburn, and I guess I had to kind of get that out of my system before I could move on. (Auburn) is a place where a lot of my motivation comes from, it’s a place that made me want to get better.”

Kizzire started to see improvement quickly after moving to Sea Island, a luxurious , resort-lined community. He finished second 11 times on the mini-tours last season before breaking through with a couple of wins.

“In Sea Island, the guys you play with you feel like you’re in a tournament almost every day,” Kizzire said. “You always compete, and when you’re always in that frame of mind, when you’re playing with guys a lot further along than you, it starts to show in your game.”

Kizzire, who is 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, isn’t exaggerating about playing with guys a step ahead. It’s not uncommon to find himself squared up with PGA stars Zach Johnson, Harris English and Davis Love back home.

“You beat one of those guys, that does a lot for your confidence,” Kizzire said. “The guys I play with, the good ones, they have the right frame of mind on the course. They have a lot of confidence in themselves. Now, they beat me a lot when we’re home, but just playing and competing with them was kind of how I started growing my confidence.”

Kizzire played the Air Capital Classic one other time, in 2009, and played a practice round at Crestview on Tuesday afternoon.

“You see how he is, what his mental approach is, and it’s just impressive,” said Kizzire’s caddy, Curt Peterson. “One hole finishes, he clears the slate, and moves on to the next hole. Totally focused.”

“There’s a lot of excitement with this tournament, it’s a great course and it’s in great shape,” Kizzire said. “The wind provides a bit of a challenge, but I think everyone is ready to get started.”

This story was originally published June 24, 2015 at 3:11 PM with the headline "Patton Kizzire having breakout season on Web.com Tour."