Stewart Cink Considers Himself a Native Georgian
September 17th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
East Lake Country Club and the neighborhood are special places for Cink. The course is where his golf game began to mature when Cink played for Georgia Tech from 1991-95. Back then, the East Lake Club course glistened, but the neighborhood did not. The story of its resurrection, led by Atlanta developer icon Tom Cousins, is well told, and appreciated by Cink. “I remember being there when nobody wanted to be there,” said Cink.
Next Wednesday, just a day before the championship begins, Cink will conduct another of what he calls his “little clinics” for kids. These began years ago with “kids of the community, kids who didn’t have any place to go.” Perhaps their parents were at work, or perhaps gone. These were kids who needed someone to rescue them. Golf would help.
“The real story of East Lake is these kids,” Cink said, “and what they’ve been able to do. I’m still part of it.”
Cink’s British Open playoff victory over Watson is golf’s defining moment this season. Watson’s missed short putt on 18 prevented him from winning a sixth Open and his first since 1983. Cink swept Watson easily in the four-hole playoff, earning him the title “Shrek of the Links” in next morning British papers, which he considered just good-natured ribbing. “I don’t think I had anybody rooting against me, but they were all pulling for Tom Watson, their hero,” Cink said.
As for the Claret Jug that came home to Duluth from Turnberry, so far it has been filled with Guinness, Harp, Coca-Cola, water and champagne. “It’s been dry now for a few weeks,” he said. “Maybe it’s time to fill it up!”
The Atlanta Press Club thanks Coca-Cola as presenting sponsor along with the Georgia Link Public Affairs Group and Dewberry Capital as program sponsors. Their financial support made the luncheon possible.
The next Press Club luncheons are Thursday October 8 with Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Tuesday October 13 with CBS Correspondent Byron Pitts and Wednesday October 14 with Pulitzer Prize winning author Taylor Branch. All three luncheons will begin at noon at The Commerce Club, 34 Broad Street in downtown Atlanta.
APC Board Member
Steve Burns another guest of the Cink luncheon wrote about the golf pro:
http://humanclippingservice.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/golfer-cink-is-shrek-in-britain/