[NU Sports] LUKE DONALD--The NU Jinx

[neonrye at aol.com]

True story from today's Third Round at the Barclay's Classic in Westchester County, NY--a few miles from my home:
 
I was able to go to see the tournament today, having been invited this morning by a friend (when my son's soccer game Upstate was cancelled due to unplayable field conditions).  I hadn't been to this event since I was a teenager--when it was called The Westchester Open--and I saw Arnold Palmer play 18.  
 
It was a great day today, with cool conditions, and the course was not that croweded, so the fans could really see the players up close.
 
I bided my time and told my friend I had to go see my fellow alum, Luke D.  We finally caught up with him on the 14th hole.  As he comes off the green after a par, I shout out "Go 'Cats", he looks up and gives me a half-smile, half-smirk (My friend thought it was the latter, but his son goes to Michigan, so he is biased, and we watched the NU-UM game together last Fall when it was on Sat. night TV.).  I continue with my NU stuff, saying "Do it for the Purple & White."  He then walks up to the next hole a par-3 and puts the ball in the bunker to the left of the hole.  We can't really see him putt, as we are below the elevated green, but I know he misses a couple and I'm feeling pretty down.  I then get to the green after his group walks off and learn that he got a Double Bogie.  I think I messed up his game.  I'm feeling like I knocked him from contention, as he goes from 2 shots off the pace to four back.  Oh, the guilt.......
 
Paul Levinson
Jinx the 'Cat
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