AWOL

By Joe McAdory

I’ll be out for a few days as I take a summer siesta and return July 9.

Auburn 10-year-olds duel at Bull Creek

By Joe McAdory

Turk Pettit and Addison Nix, both of Auburn, finished a stroke apart Thursday at Bull Creek in Columbus, Ga., with Pettit winning the U.S. Kids Golf 10-year-old boys division with a low round of 38. The group, the largest in the series designed for kids ages 6-14, is among the most competitive each week. Medalists from each age group are as follows:

GIRLS
8 and under
1. Brooke Dunaway, Columbus—69

9 and under
1. Chloe Wegeinka, LaGrange, Ga.—56

12 and under
1. Sarah Grace Drop, Phenix City—48

BOYS
6 and under
1. Jeffery Holloway, Columbus, Ga.—48
2. Gabriel Engberg, Montgomery—51

8 and under
1. Thad Clark, Ellaville, Ga.—39

9 and under
1. Dawson Popwell, Montgomery—37
2. B.J. Morrison, Dothan—45
3. Joseph McAdory, Salem—59

10 and under
1. Turk Pettit, Auburn—38
2. Addison Nix, Auburn—39
3. James Sadie, Montgomery—41

11 and under (18 holes)
1. Tyler Hoylman, Douglasville, Ga.—81
2. Jinbo Hal, Montgomery—84
3. Reid Lewis, Columbus, Ga.—109

12 and under (18 holes)
1. Beau Scott, Dothan—84
2. Walker Wise, Montgomery—87
3. Calum Masters, Dothan—98

14 and under (18 holes)
1. Will Johnson, Columbus, Ga.—89
2. Mason Bunn, Columbus, Ga.—90
3. Jason Barker, Tallassee—114

The tour, which encompasses golf courses from Columbus to Montgomery, and even one stop at Callaway Gardens, resumes July 6 at Indian Pines in Auburn. For more information, visit the national organization’s Web site at http://www.uskidsgolf.com

SC governor failed, must step down

By Joe McAdory

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford should not keep his job. As governor, he has the responsibility to the people of his state to at least not lie about his whereabouts, particularly with his staffers. As governor, he should be accessible at all times. I don’t care if the man needs a vacation, or a good time, as the most powerful elected official, he must be available where he can take prompt action if needed. What if one of us simply failed to tell our employer where we were for eight days?

As for Sanford’s future marital situation, I don’t care. That’s none of our business. I suppose Mrs. Sanford is a taxpayer and a voter, so she might fire him or at least banish him from their Pawley’s Island estate.

One more thing, it’s easy these days for folks to tear down a politician—especially one who outright lied to his constituents about hiking in the Appalachian Trail when he was enjoying the fruits of Argentina—but it seems ok, laughed at and joked about, that a former president could have an affair in the White House. What makes Mark Sanford worse than Bill Clinton? We don’t know if taxpayer funds were used by Sanford for trips to South America. If so, that could be the difference.

Gov. Mark Sanford: Future romance novelist?

By Joe McAdory

Below is an excerpt taken from an email sent from South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford to the woman in Argentina he admitted Wednesday to having an affair with:

“You have a particular grace and calm that I adore. You have a level of sophistication that so fitting with your beauty. I could digress and say that you have the ability to give magnificent gentle kisses, or that I love your tan lines or that I love the curve of your hips, the erotic beauty of you holding yourself (or two magnificent parts of yourself) in the faded glow of the night’s light - but hey, that would be going into sexual details ...

... while all the things above are all too true - at the same time we are in a hopelessly - or as you put it impossible - or how about combine and simply say hopelessly impossible situation of love. How in the world this lightening strike snuck up on us I am still not quite sure. As I have said to you before I certainly had a special feeling about you from the first time we met, but these feelings were contained and I genuinely enjoyed our special friendship and the comparing of all too many personal notes ...

Lastly I also suspect I feel a little vulnerable because this is ground I have never certainly never covered before - so if you have pearls of wisdom on how we figure all this out please let me know… In the meantime please sleep soundly knowing that despite the best efforts of my head my heart cries out for you, your voice, your body, the touch of your lips, the touch of your finger tips and an even deeper connection to your soul.“

What kind of garbage is this? Dudes don’t write that stuff. This man needs to eat a steak or something and rediscover his masculinity. Maybe watch an episode of Road House or buy a Harley. Sanford shouldn’t be a politician. It’s obvious he’s found his true calling as either a Harlequin novelist or the kind of poet that makes guys like me want to puke.

U.S. Kids Golf Tour scores here

By Joe McAdory

Saugahatchee Country Club hosted a U.S. Kids Golf Tour’s Auburn Summer series event last Thursday with a number of local youths earning medals. The Tour, which will hold its fourth event of the season Thursday at Bull Creek in Columbus, Ga., is comprised of eight events for boys and girls ages 6-14. The younger golfers play nine holes (some with tee boxes moved to the fairway), while the older, more accomplished players get in a full 18 holes.

Previous venues were Montgomery Country Club and Wynlakes in Montgomery. Future venues include Indian Pines, Auburn University Club, Callaway Gardens and Lagoon Park. U.S. Kids Golf is a national organization divided into a number of regional series. The state’s only other series is centered in Birmingham. Check out the organization’s link: http://www.uskidsgolf.com

The Auburn Summer Tour is headed by Todd Thompson, who also directs the prestigious Southeastern Junior Golf Tour (http://www.sjgt.com), which is headquartered in Auburn. The SJGT features some of the best teen-aged golfers in the nation.

Below is a list of last week’s top three finishers in each age division. Not all divisions had three competitors. Some had more.

BOYS
Six and under
1. Jeffery Holloway, Columbus, Ga.—53

Seven and under
1. Brandon Driver, Wetumpka—44

Eight and under
1. Thad Clark, Ellaville, Ga.—37

Nine and under
1. Dawson Popwell, Montgomery—40
2. Jack Blair, Auburn—52
3. Joseph McAdory, Salem—58

10 and under
1. Addison Nix, Auburn—40
2. Micah Saunders, Montgomery—43
3. James Sadie, Montgomery—44

11 and under
1. Tyler Hoylman, Douglasville, Ga.—80
2. Jinbo Ha, Montgomery—83
3. Gabe Holt, Bonaire, Ga.—88

12 and under
1. Beau Scott, Dothan—88
2. Calum Masters, Dothan—93

13 and under
1. Derrick Bass, Auburn—86
2. Jake Dean, Tallassee—111

14 and under
1. Chance Caylor, Auburn—87
2. Jacob Higgins, Tallassee—116

GIRLS
8 and under
1. Brooke Dunaway, Columbus, Ga.—70

9 and under
1. Mychael O’Berry, Hoover—38
2. Chloe Wegienka, LaGrange, Ga.—51

11 and under
1. Grayson Gladden, Helena—53

12 and under
1. Katt Crowdis, Gulf Breeze, Fla.—54