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CLEAR Temp: 51 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Monday, August 5, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Cyberchef E The People Golf Job Network Headbone Zone Wellness Connection Movie Times Newspaper in Education Oregon CarZone Outdoor Journal Personals Prime Times Real Estate Tempo A & E TV Times W3 Magazine CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Destinations Automotive Communities Employment Entertainment Publications Real Estate Recreation Shopping Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Jobs @ Mail Tribune Email Story to a Friend July 27, 2002 Tee Talk Allred honing his skills on Gateway Tour By TIM TROWER Mail Tribune It didn’t take Jason Allred, who has been a professional golfer for a little more than a month, to figure out the big differences from collegiate competition: One, it appears everyone is capable of going low. Two, if you don’t play well, they don’t even let you finish the tournament. Three, if you do play well, they give you money. Allred, a recent graduate of Pepperdine University, is honing his skills on the newly formed Gateway Tour, a minitour sponsored by the computer company that appears to provide maximum benefit to its players. Played primarily in the Phoenix-Scottsdale area of Arizona, the tour gives players who aspire to the PGA Tour a competitive place to hone their skills as they prepare for qualifying school this fall. Though it’s a first-year endeavor, reviews are glowing because the central location alleviates travel associated with many tours, there’s a generous prize fund, it’s played on fine courses and the organizers are attentive to details. The top three placers in each tourney earn $25,200, $14,000 and $9,000, respectively, for three-day events. Later in the summer, tournaments expand to four days and the prize money will jump, with winners earning $36,000. The season-ending Tour Championship winner will get $70,000. "A lot of these guys out here have been around for a long time, like on the Buy.com and other minitours, and all of them say this is a great tour and very well-run," says Allred, who grew up in Ashland. "For minitours, it’s definitely one of the top ones in the country." In order to compete on the tour, players had to pay a $17,500 entry fee. Nearly 170 of them did. Allred, who has backing from private sponsors but has yet to solidify his "team," has played five events and made the cut in two of them. After missing the cut twice out of the chute, he finished tied for 18th July 11 at McCormick Ranch Golf Club and pocketed $1,615. After another missed cut, he tied for 41st Wednesday at Talking Stick Golf Club and made $605. "I think I’ve almost gotten in my own way a couple of times," says Allred, "because I start thinking about the cut line. I don’t want to just make cuts, although you have to play well to make the cut, so that’s good. But I figure if I get close to the lead, I won’t have to worry about making the cut." Turning professional has been only part of an eventful couple of months for the 22-year-old. In addition to graduating, Allred helped Pepperdine finish eighth in the NCAA Championships, won the inaugural Byron Nelson Award recognizing the accomplishments of a top senior collegiate golfer, spent two weeks in Ireland with his Waves teammates and became engaged, setting a December wedding. Then he turned pro. "I was excited to move on to the next step, as far as golf is concerned," he says. "I’m excited to be out here." At each level he reaches, Allred rediscovers the importance of the short game. Judging by statistics, his length allows him to overpower some holes, but hitting par 3s and chipping and putting occasionally keep him from charging up the leaderboard. In his five Gateway tournaments, Allred is 16 under par on the par 5s but 12 over on the par 3s. He’s 2 over on the par 4s. His scoring average of 71.33 for 12 rounds is a full stroke below what he averaged at Pepperdine as a senior. This week, hampered by a bogey and a double bogey on the front side, he shot a 74 the first day on the Talking Stick South Course. "It seems like every round I’ve had a couple of bad holes," he says. On Day 2 at the North Course, he bounced back with a 67 that included four birdies on the front. At even par for the tournament, he came in just under the cut line. In the final round on Wednesday, a 1-under 70 proved to be his most consistent round of the week, but he spent some cash by bogeying two of the last three holes. "To be honest," says Allred, "I felt like I’ve been playing really well, even in the first couple of tournaments, so it was a little frustrating. Maybe I expected too much right away. There are a lot of quality players out here, more than I realized when I first started." In three days this week, there were 13 rounds of 65 or better. A week earlier, Chris O’Connor — who wound up third — shot 60 in the second round at Whirlwind Golf Club. "And I guess he had a 15-footer on the last hole for a 59," says Allred. "That’s pretty darn good." The tour runs into September, and Allred believes he’s on the proper course. "I feel very confident in my abilities," he says. "More than anything, I’m just excited about improving. I feel like I’m getting a lot better. I want to get ready for Q school in the fall and someday compete at the highest level." Have a local golf story idea? Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search M Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy web master feedback A D V E R T I S E R S