"Oh, and as for the name, it's a nickname his aunt
gave
him when he was two months old. His real name is
Richard."
His aunt must be found and brought before the
Council...
--- Jeff Todd <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Gator Todd steps up as Bama heads into postseason
>
> By Christopher Walsh
> Sports Writer
> May 18, 2005
>
>
> One would think that the son of a University of
> Alabama
> legend would constantly be asked about his football
> heritage.
>
> But that's not the case for Gator Todd. Instead,
> almost
> everyone asks him about his name before anything
> regarding his father or his proficiency on the golf
> course.
>
> Perhaps that will change somewhat this weekend when
> the
> freshman will help lead the Crimson Tide in the East
>
> Regional of the 2005 NCAA Division I Men's Golf
> Championships.
>
> In order to advance to the championships (June 1-4,
> at
> Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md.)
> eighth-seeded Alabama needs to finish in the top 10
> out
> of 27 teams competing at Golf Club of Tennessee in
> Nashville.
>
> "It's going to be very competitive," Todd said. "The
>
> East Regional is usually the toughest. We're going
> to
> have to play really well, but I think we're up to
> it."
>
> Even though it's only his first season, Todd has
> been
> one of the players helping carry the Crimson Tide,
> which
> is looking to overcome a last-round setback at the
> recent SEC Championships to finish ninth.
>
> He and fellow freshman Mark Harrell managed to both
> place in the top 25, with Todd tying Auburn's Lee
> Williams for 12th overall (71-71-79 -- 221).
>
> "I felt like the whole year I've played two good
> rounds,
> but couldn't finish a tournament," Todd said. "One
> day
> would kill me. I don't think I've played my best yet
>
> this year, but our team has really stuck together.
> It
> seems like we've taken turns playing well. We've all
>
> pitched in well."
>
> Actually, during the six spring team events, Todd
> has
> led the Tide with a 74.94 stroke average, and four
> times
> he's placed in the top 12.
>
> The other four golfers competing in all spring
> tournaments were junior transfer Thomas Hagler
> (75.11),
> Harrell (75.17), senior Clint Provost (75.61) -- who
>
> last year shot a UA career low round of 65 in the
> SEC
> Championships -- and freshman Joseph Sykora (76.89).
>
> "I'm sure he'll be very excited," Tide coach Jay
> Seawell
> said about Todd. "He just needs to put those wild
> thoughts out of his head and do what he does best.
> He
> needs to let the game just happen. All coaches say
> that,
> but it's true.
>
> "He sees the finish line before he gets there. He's
> worried about winning the tournament on the first
> hole
> on the last day. I think he's learned a great deal."
>
> Todd has done that learning in a relatively short
> period
> of time. Todd, who grew up focusing on baseball and
> basketball, didn't start playing golf until he was
> 14
> and quickly found a new passion. At Coffee High
> School
> in Florence, he was named an American Junior Golf
> Association All-American, ranked in the top 25
> juniors
> nationally, shot 67 in the first round of the 2004
> Class
> 5A state championship and was named all-state.
>
> But coming to Alabama had much more to do with
> Seawell
> than his family.
>
> "He just really turned the whole program around,"
> Todd
> said. "I think he's the best coach in the country.
> From
> a players' standpoint, he makes you think that you
> can
> do it. He thinks a lot about short game, which is
> the
> main thing about scoring."
>
> This weekend will mark the Crimson Tide's 14th NCAA
> Tournament appearance and ninth regional since 1991.
> Its
> best finish was third in 1975 (led by Jerry Pate),
> though Seawell coached Augusta State to a
> fifth-place
> finish in 2002 before leaving for Alabama.
>
> With the conclusion of the academic year, the team
> has
> been concentrating solely on golf and surviving one
> of
> three regionals. The keys? Hit the fairways, avoid
> big
> mistakes and get off to a good start.
>
> "I couldn't get the ball to drop all year," Todd
> said
> about his putting. "If we can just get a couple of
> guys
> playing well it will probably feed off on the other
> guys."
>
> Incidentally, Todd's father, Richard, is the former
> Alabama quarterback who lettered from 1973-75 before
>
> being a first-round draft pick by the New York Jets
> in
> 1975. He introduced his son him to golf.
>
> "He's obviously a legend somewhat and I'm proud of
> that," Todd said. "He's been to every golf
> tournament I've
> ever played. I don't see him ever missing any of my
> tournaments at all."
>
> Oh, and as for the name, it's a nickname his aunt
> gave
> him when he was two months old. His real name is
> Richard.
>
> Reach Christopher Walsh at
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] or at (205)
> 722-0196.
>
> BREAKOUT BOX
> East Regional
>
> (In order of seedings)
>
> 1. Georgia
>
> 2. Georgia Tech
>
> 3. Florida
>
> 4. Duke (Atlantic Coast)
>
> 5. Wake Forest
>
> 6. Tennessee
>
> 7. Georgia Southern
>
> 8. Alabama
>
> 9. Clemson
>
> 10. Georgia State
>
> 11. Coastal Carolina
>
> 12. East Tennessee State
>
> 13. Indiana
>
> 14. Central Florida
>
> 15. North Carolina
>
> 16. Louisville
>
=== message truncated ===
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