16 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, August 14, 2006
-SPORTS-
He may be a wanderer, but
McKay is on track for success
By H. Jose Bosch
Daily Sports Editor
Between shots on the golf course,
Bill McKay, Jr. lets his mind wander.
"Probably just a song," said
McKay of what he's thinking
between shots. "No particular
song, maybe just something I heard
recently."
His casual approach to golf is
apparent in the way he answers
questions - indifferent and low
,jcey. But don't be fooled, this kid
can play.
That's what happens when you're
surrounded at a young age by woods
and irons, instead of plush toys and
Lincoln Logs. Growing up, McKay
followed his father and grandfather
on the golf course, chipping and
putting around the greens while
they played. McKay said it was
*nainly his father that helped culti-
vate his love for the game, and that
love has translated into recent suc-
cess.
In 2004, as a captain, McKay led
his Grand Blanc High School golf
team to a state championship while
also collecting an individual state
title for himself.
One year later, he shot a course
tecord (-6) 66 at Fieldstone to
become the youngest player ever to
qualify for the Buick Open Cham-
pionship, held at his home course
(Warwick Hill Country Club) in
Grand Blanc. He even tied with
the likes of Tiger Woods and Paul
Azinger after shooting a first round
71 (he missed the cut after the sec-
ond round). This year he made a
return trip to the Buick Open on
a sponsorship exemption and even
though he didn't fare as well the
second time around (he shot +17 in
two rounds), his credentials speak
for themselves.
Hismind may wander, but he's
always in the game.
"You get out there and you
practice and you spend a lot of
time pushing yourself and staying
out there until it's dark outside,"
McKay said. "You just want to keep
on visualizing that position where
you've got the chance to win a golf
tournament and hopefully you can
perform at that moment."
McKay's success can not only
be attributed to his work ethic, but
also his ability to tune out the out-
side pressures that may affect other
young golfers (his toughest critic,
he claims, is himself). Lucky for
him he won't have to worry too
much about outside pressure at
Michigan. That's because no one
has even noticed the Michigan
men's golf team recently.
Since McKay was born in 1988,
the golf team hasn't won a confer-
ence title. More alarming is the fact
that the team has only finished the
season ranked nationally once (No.
25 in 1997) since 1969, 19 years
before McKay was even born.
For now, McKay is just like any
other incoming freshman. Asked
how anxious he is to attend Michi-
gan and begin golfing for the Wol-
verines, there was a rise in McKay's
voice and a grin could be heard
from across the phone line.
"Oh, I can't wait," McKay said.
"I'm still counting down the days
until I head up (to Ann Arbor) for
welcome week."
And once he hits the links in Ann
Arbor, there's no question what
song will be wandering through his
head between shots.
"Hail to the victors valiant ..."
Notes: Michigan golfer Tim
Schaetzel has earned a qualifying spot
for this year's U.S. Amateur Champi-
onship in Chaska, Minnesota.
The Atlanta, Georgia native shot
a four-under-par total of 140 over
36 holes at his sectional qualifier in
Duluth, Georgia. His performance
was good enough for a second-
place tie, earning him one of the
sectional's five qualifying spots.
The U.S. Amateur Champion-
ships are held from August 21-27 at
the Hazeltine Golf Club in Chaska.
0-LINE
Continued from Page 13
if you give a coach a chal-
lenge: The NCAA rules committee
voted in February to establish a uni-
versal instant replay system for Divi-
sion I-A. As part of the new system,
coaches can now challenge one play
per game.
The only problem is figuring out
when to use it.
Carr seems willing to challenge
any questionable call that could
impact the result of the game, even if
it comes early in the contest. He said
it would be difficult.for any coach
to hold onto their challenge in that
situation.
"If it's going to give you the foot-
ball, you're going to be able to main- .
tain possession of the ball or score
... then you've got to use it," Carr
said. "Because you may very well
pass it up and look back and say if
I had asked for a review there, it
could have been the difference in
the game."
Carr added that he thinks coaches
should he able to keen their challenge
if the originalsruling ishoverturned,
but efforts to shorten the length of
games led the NCAA to limit coaches
to one review.
Anytime, anywhere: This sea-
son's Michigan-Ohio State game
will kickoff at 3:30 p.m., the first
time the rivals have played outside of
their traditional noon or 1 p.m. slot
in recent memory.
That late start reflects a trend
in the Wolverines' schedule. Just
three of the eight games for which
times have been announced will
start at noon.
"If they want to play at 6 a.m.,
we'll be there," Carr said. "If they
want to play at midnight, we'll be
there. It doesn't matter what the con-
ditions are. We'll be there, and we'll
compete."
Even so,the factthatexpanding tele-
vision contracts dictate when games
are played and often push back start
times - something Carr referred toas
"the invasion of television" - clearly
frustrated him.
Last season the Wolverines went 1-
1 in their night games, losing to Wis-
consin and heating Northwestern.
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