State Am Qualifier

The first part of June, Victor participated in his first "big boy" tournament. It was a qualifier for the Utah State Amateur Golf tournament. He was so nervous that he had a hard time sleeping. His friend was supposed to caddie for him, but slept in, so off we went (and no I did not caddie--how embarrassing to have a mother carry one's clubs, although I would have done so). I have never "walked" the course with him and am trying to be a better mother and supporter, although Victor did tell me to make sure I took pictures from a distance and that the flash was off--can't have any distractions from the crowd. It was fun. It was sunny, got into the low 80s and really quite ideal conditions. If I did this more often I'd drop some weight--five hours in the sun w/no breaks. Victor was nervous because he's a 17-year-old kid and only one of two teenagers who had signed up. No need to fear, he definitely did not embarrass himself. He was paired with a 40-something guy who has a son Victor's age who attends San Diego High School, a private Catholic school in Draper which recruits kids for athletics. Anyway, this guy lives in Draper and is a member of the country club in American Fork where this year's state am will be played. After the first couple holes, Victor whispers to me that he's a hacker (not Victor, this guy), puffing away on his cigs and sweating through his shirt. The other guy was a really nice guy, pretty quiet, but some friends showed up to cheer him on. He was in his later 20s. Victor shot a 36 on the first 9 (played great), but slipped on the last 9 (shot a 44), so 80 total. The other two guys shot 82 and 83, so Victor definitely did not embarrass himself. He missed the cut by 4, though. There were 67 men playing at this qualifier and the top 12 qualified. He'll try again next year.

The last picture is at the end of 18 with the guys shaking each others' hands and signing score cards. Victor got a nice compliment from the rich, country club guy saying that he (Victor) showed lots of maturity for a 17-year-old kid. I smiled. That's my boy!!