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Allred able to distance himself from rest Jason Allred tried to dispel some of the rumors. Those objects streaking across the sky aren't golf balls he's launched. And you don't need a Sherpa, a llama and a day's food supply to get to one of his drives. Humble to the core, the golf star tried to pooh-pooh such notions, which have been floating around Rogue Valley Country Club this summer. However, his denials would have carried more weight if he weren't making them from a weight room. "I was telling that to some of the guys at the club. They've been coming up to me and asking about some of these drives. I have to laugh. I tell them I should leave town and let the rumors start flying, then people would really think I'm good." Actually, they already think so, and for good reason. Allred's game is rounding into form as he prepares to try to qualify for the U.S. Amateur Championship. He will play 36 holes of qualifying Tuesday at Thorntree Country Club in De Soto, Texas. If his play of late at RVCC is any indication, his prospects appear good. Last week, he set the course record from the black tees, shooting a 64. He also had a 65 and 66 about the same time. As impressive as those scores are, it was tales of his length from largely reputable sources that created a buzz. On the 603-yard 12th hole, Allred hit two 1-irons to get to the fringe. On the inside No. 2 hole, an uphill, 308-yarder, he teed to the middle of the green. On the par-4 sixth and 15th holes, he was on or pin high with his drives. On the 516-yard eighth hole, he flew his tee shot to the 200-yard marker, then got roll. "He's hitting it so far it's mind-boggling," says RVCC head pro Jim Wise. "He's just got a great arc. He's long and lanky, and he's got a new Taylor Made driver that he just pounces on." Allred has added 40 to 50 yards to his drives, says his father, Gene, who played with his son on Thursday when he shot 37-30 for a 67, then played another nine and shot 30 again - giving him back-to-back nines of 60 from the blacks. There are several reasons for Allred's added distance: His swing is better, he's been lifting weights for about a year, he likes the new driver and he's using the hottest ball on the market, the Titleist Pro V1. In particular, working out has given Allred a new outlook. "I shied away from it before because I thought it would screw me up," he says of risking the loss of flexibility. "But I'm doing everything, the bench press and the whole works. "It's almost a psychological feeling. I'm feeling more fit, and it's improved my posture, my mannerisms, the way I go about everything." His program is heavy on reps, lighter on the amount of weight. "I'm so tall and skinny," says the 6-foot-3, 180-pounder, "that I could lift for a while and not be in trouble." His spirits also have been lifted. Though he's had what would be considered a hugely successful college career in most quarters, the burden of great expectation seems to have dulled the luster. It is, after all, hard to top winning the U.S. Junior Amateur title at age 17 on national TV, which he did the summer before his senior year at Ashland High in 1997. Weeks later, he played deep into the U.S. Amateur, losing in the round of 16, 1 down. No matter what he did at Pepperdine - three-time all-West Coast Conference selection, NCAA championship appearance as a sophomore, No. 2 on the Waves in stroke average last year at 72.98 and, just recently, chosen an academic All-American - it would be difficult to measure up. Expectation comes from outside, certainly, but also from within. "Sometimes it's a challenge for me not to put so many expectations on myself, but I still do," Allred says. He's taken a hands-off approach to the game this summer, spending a lot of time with his family, including a three-week raft trip through the Grand Canyon that ended a couple of weeks ago. Allred has played only one tournament this summer, shooting three 72s and a final-round 68 to place 21st in one of the biggest amateur tourneys in the country, the Northeast Amateur. He also took a hands-off approach to a putting stroke that had become uncooperative. Rather than increase practice and get more and more technical, he spent less time on the putting green and rediscovered his feel. "The higher the level of golf I've played, the more I've learned that putting is where it's at," he says. "That's what wins tournaments and keeps you in there when you're not playing well." With his newfound distance and regained putting stroke, he's excited about upcoming challenges. First, the U.S. Am qualifying. He didn't have to qualify in '97, based on his junior title, then skipped it altogether in '98 as he prepared to enter college. The following year, he qualified for the tournament but didn't make it to match play after two rounds of medal play. Last year, he played well in qualifying but not well enough to advance to the tournament. The day after playing 36 holes in Texas, he'll tee off in the Western Amateur in Michigan, rated one of the best in the country. "I feel like I'm close to playing great golf," says Allred, "and I feel like I can compete with any of those guys out there." He'll go to great lengths to prove it. Have a local golf story idea? Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.