OT: Former XU golfer Andy Pope T24 in Illinois Open

[Mr. Neutral]

http://ilpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/ilpg ... rboard.htm

Dan Olsen (T84) is a former Nationwide and PGA tour player, and I played a round in GA (when I was down there for the Masters in '06) with John Wright (T109), who's one of the best amateur players in the state. I didn't know that at the time; I thought he was just another guy taking lessons from the same guy I was. I was stunned to see him blowing it 40-50 yards past me. If I had known he was that good when I played with him, I wouldn't have felt so bad about being the short hitter in the group. (Our 3rd guy played on some European tours, so I was clearly low man on this particular totem pole.)

Mike Small (T4) is the Univ. of Illinois golf coach, who's played in 5 of the last 6 U.S. Opens, and other PGA events.

[muskieman]

Aren't you supposed to be down there coaching the young man? Tell him I said you were the '70's version of Tiger.

[Mr. Neutral]

I'd be ecstatic to play like a 70-year old Tiger!

[muskieman]

Is that false humility I hear?

We know that MOR and you were just given a bad break, or you and MOR would have been the Arnie and Jack!

[Mr. Neutral]

No false humility here re my golf game. I can shoot a 77, then go out and shoot a 95, and everything in between. I'm sure MOR is infinitely more consistent, along with just better, than I will ever be.

[muskieman]

No false humility here re my golf game. I can shoot a 77, then go out and shoot a 95, and everything in between. I'm sure MOR is infinitely more consistent, along with just better, than I will ever be.

If you do that the other way around they call you a sandbagger.

I was in a tourney at the Hot Springs country club (Arkansas) more than few years back and a few days before the tourney I had been up for 24 hours , I was pulled out on the course instead of sleeping...a few drinks later and a temperature in the high 90s with about 90 plus humidity and I shot my first ever score over hundred. The boys thought they had an easy mark. The day of the tourney I shot a nifty 71....should have been a 69 but blew the last few holes. They still swear that I was a ringer and refused to play me for years. Never shot the plus 100 or the 71 again.

[Mr. Neutral]

http://ilpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/ilpg ... rboard.htm

Andy Pope had a tough final round (77) and finished T43, but at least he's still out there competing. Hope to hear more from him in the future.