Tournament provides chance for former teammates to reunite

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Over the years a lot of money and personal possessions have changed hands in bets on the golf course between four former golfers from Hopkins County Central High School, but many memories have resulted as well.

For golfers G.R. Chandler, Michael Dugger, Clint Sharber and Clay Williams, Saturday’s 40th annual Eli Barron Golf Tournament is a chance to reunite and relive the glory days of playing together in high school.

“It’s nice, it’s a good time,” Williams said. “It brings us back to the way we were when we were little.”

Williams shot 71 in Saturday’s opening round and trails Lexington’s Adam Legate, who fired a five under par 68, by three strokes. Defending champion Andy Roberts of Owensboro is again in the hunt after putting a 70 on the leaderboard. Jimmy Riddle and Jerry Price find themselves tied with Williams.

Dugger graduated in 2001, Williams and Sharber both graduated in 2002 and Chandler in 2003.

The foursome spent just one year together on the high school team, but they made it count by qualifying for state as a team.

Although the golfers are seven years removed from that mutual achievement, it’s still understood every summer they will golf together in the Eli Barron.

Chandler now lives in Florida and Dugger in South Carolina.

Dugger said since his move it’s been difficult to find the same comfortablity with others on the golf course.

“It’s tough when you get out (of town), living in new places,” he said. “You like to play with people you’re competitive with and enjoy playing with and those two are kind of hard to find sometimes.”

Before everyone got older and moved though, the four friends would meet on the course for late evening sessions.

Chandler lived off hole 16’s old tee box and Sharber lives off hole four. They would meet Dugger and Williams at hole five, who lived off its tee box.

“We all would meet on (hole) five since everybody lived close and we would play in the dark sometimes,” Williams said.

Now years later, the friends made their way around the course on Saturday. They made small side bets, congratulated each other, or even gave one another a hard time if it deserved.

After a solid front nine, Williams lost his touch a bit on the back, but not his sense of humor.

Williams knocked down his second shot on the par four 15th hole within six feet of the pin and said, “I can three-putt from there.”

Dugger hit from about the same spot and also found the green, saying he was “in the zone,” afterward.

On the next hole, Dugger continued his hot streak with a solid drive.

“I’m going to play another 18 after this, recalculate my score,” he said.

Earlier, when the group was on the 13th, Sharber nailed a nearly 40-foot putt for the foursome’s only birdie on the hole.

When asked about the putt after the round, Sharber said it was basically like hitting a prayer and he needed to make the putt.

Sharber drew some heat from his friends when he admitted to making a 70-foot putt in his career.

“Listen to this guy,” Dugger said.

While nothing too dramatic happened on hole nine during the group’s round on Saturday, the hole seems to be full of stories from years past.

During one occasion, before the group arrived at the course, Dugger agreed to sell Sharber a pair of Oakley glasses, but the price was not set in stone.

“We were playing for the price and he was going to charge me $50,” Sharber said. “One hole, I said let’s cut the price in half if I beat you or I’ll pay more. I won that hole.”

By hole nine, the duo agreed to go all-in. Sharber took the hole and a free pair of sun glasses.

Williams and Chandler, however, have their own memorable moment from the hole.

“One time on nine, G.R. hits a 60-footer,” Williams said. “I said I bet you $50 you can’t do it again, and he drains it. I said double or nothing you can’t do it again, and he hits it again.”

Chandler laughed after Williams recounted the tale.

“That was a good day,” Chandler said.

Recounting the memories after day one of the golf tournament, everyone agreed the event will be something they always take part in together.

The memories are important, but the friends also hope to contend for Sunday’s title. After day one Williams paced the group with a 71. Chandler and Sharber tied with 74 and Dugger finished with an 86.