MyTurn
by JIM DUCIBELLA
Blown Away
First Tee product Gerry Jones relishes opportunity to play with Phil Mickelson
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warming up in front of who-knows-how-
many spectators.
“There were ropes and people every-
where,” he said. “It was kind of surreal.
Two professionals turned their heads
when they saw me and I imagined they
were thinking, ‘Is this some new rookie
on Tour?’”
Jones was just finishing a television
interview inside the starter’s tent when
Mickelson approached and introduced
himself. That may be when the magnitude
of his situation reached its zenith.
And that’s how the day went, just a
couple of regular Joes playing golf and
shooting the breeze about this, that and
the other.
Jones said one of his favorite subjects is
physics. Mickelson said it was one of his,
too. They shared their love for science, and
science fiction.
Both proclaimed their favorite movie
to be the 2014 sci-fi thriller “Interstellar,”
where Matthew McConaughey leads a
team of explorers who travel through a
wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure
Gerry Jones and Phil
Mickelson chat at the Wells
Fargo Championship. “I love
seeing a player of his abilities
also be interested in math
and science,” Mickelson said.
“It was unbelievable; I was like, ‘I’m
actually with Phil Mickelson and I’m about
to play with him,’” Jones said. “For me, it’s
still quite amazing.”
Jones pulled a ceremonial tee shot, hit
from the tips, to the left. Butterflies, he
admitted. Moments later, however, he
striped the tee shot he hit from the ama-
teurs’ tee. Mickelson took note.
“He said, ‘You have a nice swing there.’
And I said thank you, told him a little about
me, where I’m from,” Jones said. “He was
telling me stories about when he was young-
er and getting his pilot’s license and about
his dad being a pilot for an airline company.
“He definitely made it very comfortable
for me.”
V I R G I N I A G O L F E R | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 17
humanity’s survival.
(OK, I had to look that
last part up.)
“Before we knew it,
we were talking about
cosmology and stuff
walking down the fair-
way,” Jones said. “We
talked about other
things than golf. It was
one of the very few times you get to actual-
ly know a professional golfer.”
Oh, yeah, the golf. The format was Cap-
tain’s Choice, which included Mickelson’s
shots. Jones didn’t recall how many of
his shots Mickelson’s team used, but he’s
salting away in his memory vault the fact
that they used his birdie 3 on a hole where
Mickelson could only manage par.
The Jones family stayed for the tourna-
ment, and followed Mickelson during the
first round. On one hole, Mickelson walked
by and saw Jones standing just outside
the ropes.
“Hey, Gerry,” he called. “How’s it going?”
Given what you’ve read, is there any
doubt how he answered?
vsga.org
G
erry Jones is the ideal
yardstick to use if you ever
want to measure the value
of good parenting and the
First Tee program.
Jones, whose first name
is pronounced “Gary,” was started in golf
by his dad when he was 3. At 5, he began
attending the First Tee of Hampton Roads
in Virginia Beach. Now 16, he is a scratch
golfer, excellent student, accomplished
violinist and works with young kids at the
facility that helped him become the play-
er—and person—he is.
Just ask Phil Mickelson.
Yes, that Phil Mickelson.
The two played a round together
during the pro-am of the Wells Fargo
Championship in Charlotte in May.
Mickelson, a 48-time winner worldwide,
came away impressed with Jones’ game
and everything else about this young
Suffolk resident.
“Gerry blew me away,” Mickelson said.
“Not only does he have a lot of game, but
he’s an interesting person to talk to. I love
seeing a player of his abilities also be inter-
ested in math and science.”
Home-schooled youngsters from Suffolk
aren’t just handed the opportunity to play
golf with a three-time Masters champion.
How did this happen?
Jones saw that Wells Fargo sponsored
an essay contest titled “Succeeding
Together.” He wrote about the team that
has guided and supported him through
life—his mother, father and the people at
First Tee. His essay won, and he had the
choice which professional he would play
beside in Charlotte.
“I just thought it would be pretty cool if
I could do this,” he said simply, explaining
why he entered. “The whole thing proves
you can have a lifelong memory.”
That memory actually began on the
practice range. Jones had a noon tee time,
so most of the morning players were off the
range, leaving Jones as the only amateur