Kevin Sherrington

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IRVING – The fates have not always smiled on the Nelson. If it's not the state of the greens or the dates or foul weather clouding coverage, it's fickle superstars passing up the tournament since its legend passed on.

But no matter what else, the spirit of Byron Nelson remains out here, as a 16-year-old boy can attest.

Carson Leslie played hooky Wednesday, though no one came looking for the Covenant sophomore from Dallas. When you've battled cancer as bravely as Carson has, the authorities cut you a little slack.

Of course, it helps when you have influential friends. Michael Young flew Carson and his family out for spring training this year. A friend of the family, Jeff Turner, took Carson to the Masters.

In fact, Carson enjoyed Augusta so much, Turner took him out for Wednesday's pro-am at the Four Seasons.

Turner had no idea what kind of access they might get to the pros. He talked it over with his friend, Bill McCann, a member of the Salesmanship Club, which puts on the Nelson and has raised more money for charity than any other PGA Tour event. McCann told him they might meet a few players, maybe collect some autographs. If McCann ever gives you the over-under, take the over.

On Wednesday, McCann escorted Turner and Carson to the players' locker room, where they ran into Corey Pavin. He talked with them for 15 minutes.

Tim Petrovic and Ricky Barnes pulled out hats and gloves and pens while Larry Brown, another red pants member, whipped up a couple of chocolate shakes.

Next door in the champions' locker room, Scott Verplank called Carson over.

"Sit down and talk to me a little bit," he said.

The pros didn't know Carson from Adam, but they needed no explanation. The bare head and gaunt frame spoke volumes.

So did the pros' warm response. Jesper Parnevik posed for pictures. J.J. Henry and Robert Allenby all but emptied their lockers. Allenby even went for drinks.

Next up: the driving range, where they met Scott McCarron, Kent Jones, Jay Williamson and a dozen more red pants. Williamson noticed Carson watching Chris DeMarco and Vijay Singh and suddenly turned host.

"I bet you'd like to meet Vijay," he said.

Next thing you know, Singh is asking Carson his take on golf, school, family and his fight against cancer, now entering its desperate stages.

McCann then carted his charges around the course and found Ben Crane, who invited Carson behind the ropes to caddie for his tee shot.

"And to think I had always thought about most pro golfers being too serious, too self-absorbed and unapproachable," Turner wrote in an e-mail, "hiding behind dark sunglasses and grinding it out on a Sunday afternoon in the heat of battle. I guess we think they must be like that all of the time.

"I was wrong."

He was wrong about Colleyville's Chad Campbell. Turner and Carson had watched firsthand at Augusta National as Campbell chased a Masters title he would lose in a playoff. Turner couldn't help but think of that as he watched Carson and Campbell talk about golf and high school and teenage stuff.

As he was leaving, Campbell apologized because he didn't have a hat or glove to offer. He promised he'd send something in the mail.

Carson had already had a great day, a day he would always remember, and no promises were necessary.

Besides, Turner figured, what were the chances?

He got his answer Thursday morning.

In a FedEx box at his office, Turner found a 2004 Ryder Cup cap. Scrawled all over it were the signatures of U.S. team members including Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Kenny Perry, Jim Furyk, DeMarco . . . and of course, Campbell.

Coming off the course Friday, Campbell smiled when told his package had been delivered. Otherwise, he wanted no special credit.

"It seems like something we always do," he said.

Maybe so. But the day made an impact on Turner, who said it had revived his faith in athletes and mankind in general.

"Byron Nelson would be proud," he said.

And Carson? He wasn't available for comment Friday. He'd gone fishing. Give the kid this much, he knows how to live.