In the last week, three local players tested their game against players of likewise skill in three different tournaments. Ann Cowan went to the Annual State Tournament by W.O.G.A., Jordan Williamson, who plays the Long Shots Tour, played in the Emerald Falls Classic, and Joby Gray played his first U.S.G.A. qualifier in Norman Oklahoma.
Ann, coming off her win in the Southern Women's Amateur in Atlanta, GA, could not get past her first match in this year's state tournament. Jordan won his first tournament this season and is currently ranked7th in this amateur tour (click here), and Joby gave a great exhibition of ball striking and control from tee to green at the Jimmie Austin golf course (playing just over 7,000 yards), but his putter failed him, ending up with a pair of 75's that does not reflect, even remotely, how close he was to grabbing a spot in the finals coming up in the state of Washington (click here for results - note, as of the moment of this posting, the results at Jimmie Austin have not been posted).
In perspective, Elk City is the host of many golf tournaments and activities, but, like many courses around the nation, there is more activity in team events promoting camaraderie, than in individual tournaments. So, it is great to see when your local golfers go test their skills in other places with players of likewise skills, for the sake of pure competition. Hopefully we hear more about our local players testing their skills and representing Elk City, in these great events.
Luckily enough, these three people are not the only ones from Elk City who seek to play in individual events or events played under the Rules of Golf elsewhere, Craig Martin and Dr. Craig Phelps come to mind. Martin plays all over Oklahoma and Dr. Phelps has played in the "Amateur Tour" (Golf Channel) and every year plays in the "World Handicap Championship" in Myrtle Beach (3,600 golfers with verified handicaps). In the end, all of these golfers help keep golf just a game... Thank you all!