8B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2004
Golfer Ward discusses turning professional
GOING DEEP
The men's golf team will turn to Kevin Ward for experience and leadership this season. The Jayhawks will play this weekend in Jonesborough, Tenn., at The Ridges Intercollegiate tournament.
SHANE KUCERA
skucera@kansan.com
Fifth-year senior Kevin Ward has dreamed of playing on the PGA Tour since he was 13 years old.
This summer, Ward took strides toward reaching that goal.
In two months, Ward won the 96th Amateur Missouri Championship, the Kansas Golf Association Four-ball Championship and the Kansas Amateur Match Play Championship.
If Ward keeps his game at the top and his strokes to a minimum as he did all summer long, the Kansas men's golf team can look forward to improving upon their fifth-place finish at last year's Big 12 Championship and winning tournaments along the way.
This week Ward shares what he has to say about golf and much more:
For the last two years, I've just known that playing golf is going to be my career so I don't worry about school.
I see people stressing out about grades or getting upset about a test and I just kinda laugh. It's not that I don't care about school, I just don't take it as serious now that I know I'm going to be golfing.
I haven't paid for anything in four years now. Anything from balls to shoes to clubs to clothes — pretty much anything I need for golf or for working out is paid for.
■ When I'm playing my best golf, I'm pretty close to the best player on the team — when everyone is playing well they're damn good.
"I don't know if being on the golf team
helps to attract women,but us guys, we do just fine."
Kevin Ward Kansas golfer
I play with Titleist irons, Titleist wedges, and a Taylor Made driver right now. If you keep winning it's hard to change clubs.
■ I transferred from Wichita State because I just didn't like the school down there. This program has been better than theirs in the years past, and I just did
n't want to be down there. I love the competitiveness of the players that are here.
I don't know if being on the golf team helps to attract women, but us guys, we do just fine. I don't know what it is, maybe it's because we dress nice or have nice cars or something like that.
I'd like to see the people that don't think golf is a real sport try to play 36 holes in a day and see how tired they are. Some people don't realize how hard it is.
I think it's OK that there are a few private clubs that don't allow women to golf.
Sometimes they can hold people up, and when women are not around you can golf with your shirt off.
think it's OK that there are a few private
clubs that don't allow women to golf. Sometimes they can hold people up, and when women are not around you can golf with your shirt off."
Kevin Ward Kansas golfer
too far. Sometimes guys are quoting scripture and praising God for everything that happens and I'm just not like that.
I'd consider myself a spiritual person for sure. I think God plays a role in my life and with golf, but some athletes take it
I spend about five hours a day golfing. Somewhere around 40 to 45 hours a week I'm on the golf course.
Kucera is an Omaha, Neb. junior in Journalism
I really hate the guys on the Oklahoma State golf team. Sometimes you want to ring their necks, but that is kind of because they're good.
because they go a Men of KU
If there were a Calendar I would definitely be in it.
Ward's first chance to defend home territory here in Lawrence will be at the Kansas Invitational starting Sept. 20.
Dolphins replace Williams
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Dolphins acquired Lamar Gordon from the St. Louis Rams on yesterday in exchange for a third-draft draft pick in 2005.
DAVIE, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins may have found a replacement for retired running back Ricky Williams.
The deal was contingent on Gordon passing a physical. He arrived at the team's training facility yesterday afternoon.
lacty yet yesterday.
The 6-foot-1, 228-pound Gordon was the third-string back in St. Louis behind Marshall Faulk and first-round pick Steven Jackson. But he certainly will move up the depth chart in Miami, where the Dolphins have struggled to replace Williams since he abruptly retired a week before training camp.
"He's a real good runner, and whenever he got in the game he was always successful," said Dolphins right tackle John St. Clair, who played with Gordon in St. Louis. "He's got size on him, but at the same time he's quick and can hit the holes hard. I have nothing but good to say about him. He's a good addition. He's a hard worker and he never complains."
never complaints.
Coach Dave Wannstedt decided this week to have Travis Minor, Sammy Morris and Leonard Henry share snaps in Sunday's season opener against Tennessee. The trio combined for 59 carries for 152 yards (2.6 yards per carry) during the preseason behind an oft-maligned offensive line.
Wannstedt said he didn't expect Gordon to do much in the opener.
"The only thing that gives us a maybe chance is that he's coming from a very similar system that we run," Wannstedt said.
If you pick the winning teams, and beat The Kansan sportswriters, you could win free textbooks from UBS, Wheat State Pizza gift certificates, and a T-Shirt!
Read Jonathan Kealing's picks in Friday's Kansan. Winners will be published in Tuesday's Kansan.
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o Kansas vs. Toledo o
Texas Tech @ New Mexico
◎ #21 Maryland vs. Temple
21 Maryland vs. Texas
Baylor vs. Texas State
Boston College vs. Penn State
Northwestern vs. Arizona State
o #12 K State vs. Fresno State o
○ TCU vs. SMU ○
○ #12 K-State vs. Fresno State ○
○ TCU vs. SMU ○
○ Memphis vs. UT-Chattanooga ○
○ UNLV @ #22 Wisconsin ○
Ole Miss @ Alabama
○ Notre Dame vs. #7 Michigan ○
Division III
VOL.
Washburn vs. Emporia State
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