ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- The question caught Dan Horner by surprise. He’d just picked up his friend at the airport when the passenger asked, “So, where are we playing?”

Horner didn’t think his friend would have any desire to play that day. Maybe later in the week, after he’d rested and unpacked from his work trip. He'd been on the road 15 of the past 17 weeks. But, no, Zac Blair wanted to play right away. Horner and Blair drove from the airport to the course, adding another 18 holes to the countless number they’ve played together.

Blair’s zeal for the game hasn’t weakened since golf transitioned from a passion to a profession. Rest is important in a sport that is played year-round. TOUR players talk about the importance of getting away from the game during the weeks they aren’t competing. Blair, 25, can’t relate.

When he’s home, he’s the ringleader who arranges the tee times and games with friends from Utah’s tight-knit golf community. Blair plays almost daily, often more than 18 holes. Three rounds in one day isn’t unheard of. He also can be seen competing in small tournaments around Utah; he won last year's Sand Hollow Open one week after his season ended at the BMW Championship.

When he’s at a TOUR event, he'll occasionally sneak in a round at a course other than the tournament site. His travels helped him play many of the country’s top courses, including Pine Valley and Cypress Point, last year.

“The kid has a motor,” said Horner, one of Utah’s top amateurs. “His enthusiasm is pretty contagious.

“The most tired I am from playing golf is when he’s back in town during off weeks. I play a lot of golf, and I get to the point where I’m like, ‘I’m done. I can’t go anymore.’ He wants to play the next day and I’m like, ‘I need a break or I’ll hurt myself.’”

Horner traveled to Las Vegas to watch Blair compete at the recent Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. The moon was visible when Blair finished his first round at TPC Summerlin, and an early tee time awaited the next morning. Blair was the one who wanted to go play the lighted par-3 course at nearby Angel Park, though.

Blair’s passion isn’t just for playing, though. He’s also an architecture aficionado who draws his own golf holes and reads books from classic architects like Alister MacKenzie and C.B. MacDonald. Blair aspires to build a course in Utah. He’s helping his father Jimmy, a member of the Utah Golf Hall of Fame, renovate a course in their home state.

“I grew up around (golf) with my dad playing on a bunch of different tours and owning and running golf courses,” said Zac, who finished 59th in last season’s FedExCup as a TOUR rookie. “It’s just something that we did together. I enjoyed it and still enjoy it.”

Zac is 17th in this season's FedExCup after finishing third at last week's Sony Open in Hawaii, a career-best performance that put his bountiful energy in the spotlight. Television cameras captured the ceaseless shuffling of his feet while he stood over shots and his colorful commentary while his ball was airborne.