There’s a new name atop the leaderboard of the U.S. Open and it’s one unfamiliar to most golf fans: Roy McAvoy. McAvoy is a golf instructor from West Texas who qualified for the U.S. Open with two spectacular rounds last week. The former youth golfing star captured the attention of fans and the CBS TV crew with a blistering front nine that paved the way to a U.S. Open record 62 Friday.
None of the legends of the game, be it Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, or Tiger Woods, ever shot a 62 at the U.S. Open, but an instructor from West Texas did. Making matters even more stunning is the horrendous 83 McAvoy shot in the first round.
Sources tell LBS McAvoy’s poor first round is the result of some bad advice from his caddy. Apparently McAvoy was hung over after a long night of drinking prior to his first round. His caddy told him he plays better drunk and he forced him to drink shots all night. Once the alcohol was out of his system, McAvoy showed everyone the promise he displayed as a youth.
McAvoy instantly became a fan favorite for his fearless nature on the course Friday. The Texas pro will attempt any shot, regardless of how difficult it may be. For the second consecutive day, he tried to hit onto the green on 18 and ended up taking a drop out of the water hazard. It was a mistake John Daly also made, but one co-leader David Simms avoided.
McAvoy and Simms actually have a history together. They opposed each other as youths in Texas (Simms is from Houston), and the rivalry became even more personal when McAvoy began dating Simms’ ex-girlfriend. With two rounds to go in the tournament, the personal issues between the men provides a side story to what’s becoming a historic U.S. Open.
This post is a part of the Friday Film Festival at Larry Brown Sports. All contents of the story are purely fictional and based entirely off the sports movie, Tin Cup. To learn more about the movie, go here
