For those who are not aware, Masters champion Sergio Garcia was the beneficiary of some Longhorn mojo on the way to his unexpected first victory in a major Sunday at Augusta National.

Garcia is engaged to 31-year-old Angela Akins, who has ties to the University of Texas through golf and football.

Akins, after transferring from TCU, played golf for the Longhorns her junior and senior years. She is now a reporter for the Golf Channel.

Her dad Marty, meanwhile, was a three-year starter at quarterback for Darrell Royal, and was named first team All-America in 1975. Royal called Akins the best all around athlete he’d ever seen or coached.

Marty, a retired attorney and one-time college golf coach, has apparently played a significant role in boosting Garcia’s mental approach to the game. Now that Sergio has finally broken through, don’t be surprised if he adds more majors to an already impressive resume.

If Garcia follows through on his planned wedding to Angela following the British Open, he’ll be marrying into quite a football family. Her grandfather, Ray Akins, was a legendary Texas schoolboy football coach in Corpus Christi whose grandson is New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees.

CHIP SHOTS

Roddy Weatherly of Groves authored him seventh hole in one Tuesday at Henry Homberg Golf Club. Weatherly used a pitching wedge from 118 yards on the 17th at Homberg. Witnesses were Dennis Walsh, Charles Cooksey and Todd Bryson …

In the Monday Senior 50 plus two-ball game at Babe Zaharias, the team of Cap Hollier, Adam Noel, Dillard Darbonne and Cole Lee scored a sweep. They won the front in minus-6 and the back at minus 4.

The Super Saturday Senior two-ball at Zaharias saw the team of Craig Fontenot, Bim Morrow, Mike Hollier and Dan Flood win the front with minus-5. On the back, the foursome of Javier Torres, Don MacNeil, Lee and Wes McGuire prevailed with minus-3.

In the Friday Senior two-ball at The Babe, the team of Benny Sharpe, Russ Gloede, Charlie Leard and Ralph Childress took the front with minus-4. On the back, the team of Tom LeTourneau, Noel, Tony Trevino and a ghost player finished first with minus-1.

The Thursday Senior 55 Plus game at Zaharias was played in a Select Drive, Best 3 ball format. On the front, the foursome of Rick Pritchett, E.T. Robiceaux, Billy Thillet and Harold Wilkinson won with minus-3.

There was a two way tie on the back between Pritchett’s team and the team of Noel, Gary Fontenot, Paul Brown and Paul Duplantis. Closest to the pin winners were Pritchett (2A, 7B), Thillet (2B) and Earl Richard (7A).

Because of work on the greens, teams played the front nine twice. They hit from the red tees the first time around and the white tees the second time, That’s why the big discrepancy in front and back winning scores and the A and B on closest to the pin.

The Wednesday DogFight at Zaharias was won by the foursome of Gloede, Leard, John LeBlanc and Larry Rogers with 15 points. Placing second with 13 points was the team of Pritchett, John House, Thillet and Jobie Irvine.

Closest to the pin winners were Benny Sharpe (12A), Bill Draughon (12B), Ron Overstreet (15A) and Larry Reece (15B).

Nederland exes Shelbi Vincent and Reid Whaley helped the University of Houston-Victoria to a third place finish last week in the St. Gregory Spring Cavilier Classic in Shawnee, Okla.

Vincent posted a 36-hole total of 163 (83-80) to place fifth overall out of 32 players while Whaley finished at 192 (102-90). For her efforts, Vincent was named the Red River Athletic Conference Female Golfer of the Week for the second consecutive week.

An always special fundraiser tournament — the Groves Knights of Columbus Scramble benefiting the Estelle and Allen Fetters Center for Mentally and Physically Challenged Adults — has new meaning this year.

The 10th annual event, set for April 29 at Babe Zaharias, will be preceded with a tribute to the late Jimmy Fetters. Fetters, the head professional at several clubs in the area during a life devoted to helping golfers, especially young ones, passed away last year.

Format for the tournament is a four person scramble. Entry fee is $240 per team, or $60 for individuals, with all golf fees covered and food and drinks provided. Following the tribute to Fetters, there will be an 8 a.m. shotgun start.

Entry blanks are available at Babe Zaharias. Anyone with questions should contact Leroy Falcon at 962-5047 (home) or 960-2475 (cell). Questions can also be addressed to Mike Melancon at 962-4755 (home) or 289-1781 (cell).

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