Can’t help it.
It’s Army-Navy week and to a kid who grew up at Annapolis and spent hundreds of hours at the Naval Academy, this is serious stuff.
So today we give a seaman’s salute to Lt. Billy Hurley III, U.S. Navy, retired.
He’s the first graduate from any service academy to play on the PGA Tour. First to win on the PGA Tour. He captured the 2016 Quicken Loans and that has afforded him a two-year exemption. He needs it.
Hurley had a sub-standard season last year, finishing out of the top 125. He earned $719,579 which would make him the highest paid officer in the U.S. Navy but on the PGA Tour, it puts you into the “struggling” category.
This cross-over fall season wasn’t much better. Hurley missed the cut in four of the five events.
But this week it’s all about Hurley, the former Midshipman. He lives in Annapolis and is a welcome visitor at the academy.
He’s an inspiration.
In this age of thuggery in the NFL and NBA, Hurley’s example is a breath of fresh air.
He’s a guy everyone can look up to, a complete role model.
It’s not easy for him on the PGA Tour, his driving distance average is 276.9 which means he’s basically three yards longer than Lexi Thompson from the LPGA Tour.
Hopefully his season will improve with the New Year and he can find that second PGA Tour win.
In the meantime — Go Navy! Beat Army!
2 Comments
beege
you have to root for Billy. by the way Tom the Army/Navy game is not the most significant college football game of the year every year–it simply is the most important—everyother rivalry can depart if we are left with army navy things are o.k.
bg
Tom Edrington
My absolute favorite from the time I was old enough to watch and understand….