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23
Student golfer feels loss
of golf idol Stewart
Leann Alfred
The Pendulum
Jason Wilburn, an Elon se
nior, reminisces about his last time
on the green with the legendary
Payne Stewart.
Stewart was a professional
golfer whose life came to a tragic
end when he and four others died
while on board a private jet that
crashed in South Dakota.
Wilburn is close friends with
Stewart’s long time caddy, Mike
Hicks, who lives on the Mill Creek
Golf Course in Mebane, N.C.
Hicks and Wilburn have
known each other for six years and
^ have been playing golf together on
a regular basis for the past three
^ years when Wilburn signed on with
Mill Creek Golf Course as an assis
tant pro golfer.
Hicks and Stewart were busi
ness partners and have been friends
for almost 16 years, which Wilburn
says is significant.
“A long term relationship
between golfers and their caddies is
usually five to 10 years,” Wilburn
said.
Wilburn sees himself as be
ing very fortunate in having the
opportunity not only to play with
Stewart on several occasions, but
also to celebrate his U.S. Open vic
tory this past June.
“I actually drank champagne
out of the US Open Cup that night
after the tournament,” Wilburn said.
The day after Stewart won
the US Open, he had already sched
uled to host the Annual Tarheel
Skins Challenge, a benefit for the
UNC Children’s Hospital, recalls
Wilburn.
Stewart kept his commitment
and arrived in Mebane at 2 a.m. that
Monday morning following the US
Open tournament to play at the ben
efit at 8 a.m. which was Wilburn’s
first time meeting Stewart.
“He was an ambassador to
the game and was highly regarded,”
Wilburn said, “The few times that I
walked with him on the green, I
could see ,his beaming personality
on the golf course.”
Two of the biggest goals
Stewart had were to make The Ryder
Cup team and to win it, Wilburn
said.
“He did just about everything
he wanted to do as far as golf goes,
but it all ended too soon,” Wilburn
said.
Wilburn found out about the
tragedy in class on Monday, Oct.
25. His initial reaction to Stewart’s
death was, “No way,” and he imme
diately thought to call Hicks to see
if he was on the plane as well.
He called Mill Creek and they
confirmed that Hicks was not on the
plane, but rather in Texas awaiting
Stewart’s arrival.
Hicks was at the golf course
in Texas where Stewart was sched
uled to play, measuring yardage.
On Friday, October 29, there
was a memorial for Stewart. The
entire golfing community refrained
from playing golf on Friday in honor
of Stewart.
“In the future, there may be
golfers just as good as Stewart, but
they will not be the man or the
presence,” Wilburn said, “That is
irreplaceable.”
Most Elon College
Students...
rinjks
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Elon College Position Statement on Alcohol:
Elon's position on the use of alcohol is not one of prohibition but one of education and
accountability. While we observe the law, our primary appeal to students who choose
to drink is that they will make conscious and low-risk choices that do not diminish
their success and the success of others.
Most Of Us
This is part of an advertising campaign to inform Elon
College students about consuming alcohol in moderation.
Elon student achieves national
recognition for martial arts
Reid Albright
The Pendulum
The karate scene at Elon has
gone national. All because of Chris
Rich and his third place finish at
nationals.
Only a sophomore here at
Elon, Rich has
earned the place
of being one of
the top karate
contenders in
his division in
the entire na
tion.
Chris
reached Nation
als along with
another fellow
Elon student
Zach Harrison
who placed in
Nationals as
well.
Rich will
be representing
the U.S. at the
2000 World Chris Rich
Martial Arts
“Millennium” Games in Sydney,
AustraiUa. The games will be held
in the new Olympic Stadium, the
home of the 2000 Summer Olympic
Games.
Rich has achieved an amaz
ing two blackbelts in two different
styles throughout the fourteen years
he has participated in martial arts.
Both Shotokan and Judo blackbelts
are among Chris’ prized posses
sions.
Chris practices four grueling
times a week with wonderful in
struction fromProfessor Emie Cates,
who holds the highest achievable
rank in jujitsu, and Sensei Danny
Glover (not the actor), who has
played a foot soldier in the popular
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”
movie series.
When asked, Chris says his
mother was one of the predominant
figures that got him started with this
sport. “She has
supported me
from the begin
ning, and helps
in any way she
can.”
One of
Chris’s greatest
goals was his
victory in Na
tionals. “I over
came the ner
vousness and
stress of the
competition as a
whole and fo
cused on the
single matches.”
“Before a
tournament or
match, I like to
keep my mind
off fighting and socialize with other
people before I have to get serious
thinking about the match. I like to
keep a fun atmosphere instead of a
must-win atmosphere as well.”
Originally from Tryon, North
Carolina, Chris plans to major in
Environmental Science. Keeping
karate in his life is a goal of his, as
he hopes to open up his own martial
arts studio one day .Chris gives the
following advice to those who wish
to try karate for the first time or
continue in this sport: “ It is quite a
humbling sport because you know
there is always someone better.”
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