Wednesday, July 17, 2002
|
Wednesday, July 17, 2002 |
|
Local junior golfer to play in Optimist International Junior Golf Championship
By MICHAEL
BOYLAN
Tommy Gibson is 12 years old and heading into eighth grade at Rising Starr Middle School this year. But first, he has a golf tournament to play in. Gibson was the winner of the local Optimist Club Junior Golf Tournament at Flat Creek Club in Peachtree City, which qualified him for the state tournament at Forest Hills in Augusta. He won that tournament as well and is heading down to Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., tonight to play in the Optimist International Junior Golf Tournament. Gibson has been paying golf since the age of four. His father, Tom, a golf pro and current general manager of Whitewater Country Club, introduced him to the sport and he has been playing ever since. The younger Gibson has played in over 40 golf tournaments and has a plethora of trophies. While living in North Carolina, Gibson was named Player of the Year on the Coastal Junior Tour in Wilmington. His family moved to the area last November and Gibson was itching to find a tournament to play in. He entered the local Optimist Club tournament in June and ended up tied with another player at 76. The two golfers ended up playing in a sudden death playoff and Gibson won by a stroke. At Forest Hills, Gibson was the winner at the end of the tournament with a 71, which qualified him for the international tournament at the PGA National Resort and Spa, which starts this weekend. Gibson accompanies his father to work every day and plays golf with a group of friends. His day begins at 7:30 a.m., which is quite an accomplishment, considering it is summer vacation after all. Gibson credits the friends he plays with for the improvement in his game. "The competition is really good," said Gibson. "I play with people like Seth Bales, Wade Holland, Colton Fouts, Gabe Foster and Matthew Beall. It is a lot of fun and the only way to get better is to keep playing and being challenged." His father is also a major influence on his game. "He is a technically sound player," said Gibson's father. "Right now, we're working on his mental strength, so he can stay focused and not get too upset when shots don't go his way." Gibson's father has taught many players during his career, including the LPGA's Christy Kerr. Gibson would love for golf to take him to the PGA someday, like his favorite player, David Duval, but he plans on going to college first and either attending Georgia Tech or the University of Miami. His advice for those just picking up the sport is to practice really hard. "It is a tough sport to learn, but once you learn the basics, it becomes more and more fun," said Gibson.
|
