Practice pays off for Duke Arkansan Ken Duke has all but secured his tour card for next season after a solid July.
Duke finished second last week at the U. S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee, Wis. He was 18 th at the John Deer Classic, fourth at the Buick Open and 27 th at the Travelers Championship. His only slip-up came at the AT&T National, where he missed the cut with the worst score in the field.
Still, he’s made the cut in 10 of his past 12 events.
“Meeting [swing coach ] Bob Toski in January 2006 has changed my life, changed my swing, and the consistency is night and day,” Duke said. “It’s just been great. It’s fun to play golf. Your’e not fighting it all the time.” Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State ) used to play a pronounced draw but Toski has helped him change that, advising him to play more of a cut shot. Duke finished atop the Nationwide Tour money list in 2006, but finished 37 th on the PGA Tour money list last year.
“I’ve worked hard on it,” Duke said. “It’s easy, but it’s not. You have to work hard and put the hours in.” McNulty eyes another Wes McNulty goes after his third major victory this summer when the Arkansas State Golf Association Match Play begins today at Harbor Oaks Golf Club in Pine Bluff.
McNulty has won the ASGA Stroke Play and the War Memorial Classic this summer. He finished tied for 14 th in the Maumelle Classic, considered one of Arkansas amateur golf’s four major tournaments.
McNulty, who won the match play in 1993, 2005 and 2006, leads the ASGA Player of the Year standings with 490 points. Arkansas Razorbacks golfer Allen McFerran is second with 395 points.
Nine of the top 11 players in the standings are in the field this week including McFerran, Freddy Wolfe, Tracy Harris, Eddie Craven, Eric Gibbs, Kirk Brown and Nathan Circle.
Play gets under way today with the qualifying round. Defending champion Ron Mangold of Pocahontas does not have to compete and will automatically be seeded No. 1 when match play begins Friday morning. Participants will have to play two rounds each Friday, Saturday and Sunday to win the championship.
Harbor Oaks last hosted the Match Play in 1999, when Little Rock’s Chris Jenkins won. At that time, the greens were still bentgrass. The course has since switched to mini verde. UALR ranked 11 th The National Golf Coaches Association recognized the UALR women’s team this week for finishing 11 th nationally with a combined 3. 608 gradepoint average.
Senior Sheridan Graham, junior Sara Wikstrom and sophomore Mallory Fraiche were named to the All-American scholar team. On the course, UALR finished second this year in the Sun Belt Conference. Busy week ahead It’s another busy week on tap in Arkansas.
On Monday, the U. S. Amateur will hold its local qualifying tournament at Harbor Oaks.
The American Junior Golf Association Junior tournament will take place Tuesday through Thursday at The Blessings in Fayetteville. Also scheduled those days is the Arkansas State Golf Association’s Junior Stroke Play tournament at Pine Bluff Country Club.
The Arkansas Women’s Golf Association Stroke Play will then take place Aug. 1-3 at Stonebridge Meadows in Fayetteville.
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