22 Year Old Amateur Lee McCoy ties
tournament low score with a 66
McCoy, 22, lived in one of the subdivisions here in Innisbrook until he was 17, when he moved to Georgia for his senior year of high school.
He said he has been coming to this tournament for “eons,” riding his bike behind the 14th green, chaining it to the fence and sneaking inside the property.
Not old enough to drive a cart, he was dropped off at the course in the late afternoon and on weekend mornings to find groups that didn’t have a fourth.
“It was incredible to grow up here and just to get some experience on this golf course early in my life,” he said. “It’s a tough test and kind of taught me to grind early.”
McCoy moved to his family’s home in Cartersville, Ga., to establish residency, which saved the school money on his golf scholarship. McCoy won the state championship that year.
At Georgia, he earned All-American honors and last year tied a school record with four wins, including three in a row during the spring. He also qualified for the U.S. Open, made the cut at the John Deere Classic and played on the Walker Cup team.
McCoy actually asked for a sponsor exemption into his hometown event last year, when he popped into tournament director Tracy West's office unannounced and pleaded his case. There weren't any spots available, but they extended McCoy an invitation last summer.
“He’s competitive,” Terry McCoy said. “He thinks he can win every time he tees it up.”
Said Lee McCoy: “I’ve known now for a couple of years that I had the game to compete out here, but getting out here and doing it and putting it on a scorecard is another animal.”
Portions of this story appeared at NBC and the Golf Channel Media
_____________________________________
Brought to You by PRonlineNews
