North Carolina State University Athletics
TIM PEELER: Clark, Pettersson Headline Annual State Cup
8/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
BY TIM PEELER
“Borrowed underwear,”
TMI, Tim, TMI too much information.
But Clark, the veteran PGA star, didn’t let a little airline snafu that delayed the arrival of his clubs, shoes, clothes and all his other personal accessories from his flight from the
There was never any question, however, that
“I don’t believe I would be in the position I am in now without Richard and the NC State golf program,” said Clark, the native South African who now makes his home in
“This is always a fun day, to come back where my career really got started,” said Pettersson, who now makes his home in
Pettersson is coming off a fifth-place finish in last weekend’s Wyndham Tournament in
Clark, who has been hampered throughout the season with a nagging neck injury, did not play in Greensboro, choosing to rest up for the season’s final sprint with a week in the Carribbean. Still, he also has three Top 10 finishes and has won more than $1.4 million this season.
By the time the day was over, Clark had located all of his belongings, just in time to leave
Neither, however, spent much time thinking about work they were having too much fun with Sykes, their former teammates and the dozens of sponsors and benefactors of NC State golf who participated in the event.
In the field was retired hockey great Ron Francis, who joined a Carolina Hurricanes’ foursome in the field. Francis, now the director of player development for the Hurricanes, has become well-acquainted with Pettersson over the last couple of years and was eager to meet
Francis said he hasn’t had much time to play golf this year, but he was happy to help the Wolfpack golf programs and take a break from his busy retirement schedule that includes scouting hockey players from around the world.
“This is about the sixth time I have picked up a club all year long,” Francis said. “I have been working a little too hard. But that is good. Even though I am retired and busy, when I wake up in the morning my body doesn’t hurt anywhere as much as it used to.”
Other returning players included Pinehurst instructor Kelly Mitchum, fresh off playing back-to-back stops on the PGA Tour. Mitchum, an All-America for Sykes and the Wolfpack in the early 1990s, qualified for his third consecutive PGA Championship and was also in the field at The Wyndham in Greensboro last weekend. Recent graduate Jerry Richardson, the reigning North Carolina Amateur champion, also returned to play in the event.
Sykes also welcomed back two former players who are now his rivals: Bowen Sargent is in his third year as the head coach at
The other players who participated in the event were Jason Moon, Uly Grisette, Mark Gauley, Gary Hill, Wesley Horne, David Sanchez, Steve Isley, Banks Wood, Joe Gay, Corky Kemp, Chris Mundorf and Cole Whitt.
Women’s golf coach Page Marsh also participated in the event, playing in a group with her father Leon Marsh and current player Lauren Doughtie. Two other Wolfpack women’s players, sisters Joanna and Julie Saleeby, played in a group with their father and brothers, Rob and Robin.
There were also groups including athletics director Lee Fowler, senior associate athletics director Nora Lynn Finch and Lennie Barton, the director of the NC State Alumni Association and a former Wolfpack golfer.
You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
