Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 15, 1990 TAG: 9007130381
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV12 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JEFF MOTLEY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
By the seventh hole, Grant had pulled even; but the seventh may have been the one that has turned Grant, a Radford High graduate, from pretty good to very good.
The seventh is a par 3 with water on the left. Grant's tee shot went for a swim; by the time he had finished the hole with a double-bogey, his opponent had birdied and taken a three-shot lead.
"I really thought going into the final round that it would be between me and the other guy for the win," Grant said. "Then when I hit that tee shot in the water at seven, I kept thinking about that shot all day. I never hit another good shot that afternoon and wound up finishing like sixth or seventh."
Grant has since become more relaxed and has fine-tuned his game to its highest level ever.
Less than a month ago, Grant won the Greater Blacksburg Open and two weeks ago finished second in the State Amateur.
"Being the runner-up in the State Am was my biggest accomplishment in golf even though I didn't win," Grant said.
But things weren't always good for Grant, and he blames his temper and his nerves for that.
"When I was younger I would get all mad and throw my clubs around and act like a baby when I hit a bad shot," he said. "I probably blew a lot of tournaments because I would get so nervous.
"After that really bad day in the Sun Belt, my coach [Jack Bell] asked me if I had learned anything. What I have realized is that every shot is not going to be perfect. Bad shots are going to happen. When they do, I just have to forget it, go on and make my next shot count."
The VCU senior wasn't highly recruited. Virginia Tech golf coach Jay Hardwick never even contacted Grant. But Grant understood being snubbed by the Hokies.
"I was fairly consistent in high school because I finished fairly high in the regionals and the state tournaments, but I never won any," Grant said. "I'm not upset that Tech didn't try to recruit me; I guess it was their choice. I don't know if I would have gone there anyway. I already had good friends at VCU and that was a big reason I went there."
College golf is a different game, Grant has found: "I was practicing every day as long as it wasn't raining. There was no off-season. The pressure is tougher, too, because every player on the course is capable of shooting a very low score."
Grant began his junior year expecting to be no higher than third on the team, but sub-par performances from others Grant an opportunity that he made the most of.
Grant, who turns 21 Wednesday, says school is important, but golf is his life. He is majoring in golf management and has hopes of playing professionally after college - maybe on the PGA tour or on others he's looking at.
"I don't know if the PGA tour is a realistic goal, and right out of college is really difficult," Grant says. "It is rare that a guy goes straight to the PGA. There is the Hogan tour in Florida and there is a tour in South Africa. . . ."
But for now, Grant is putting the pros and college on hold to enjoy the summer. He's playing in Blacksburg Country Club's Member-Guest this weekend and is using the rest of the time to practice.
"I just love to play the game now," Grant says.
by CNB