Local golfer spends private time with Mickelson

Being a good putter helped earn Cumming resident Rhand Williams a trip to the Deutsche Bank Championship and some private time with Phil Mickelson.

Williams was one of three national winners of the “Phil’s Drill” contest sponsored by Odyssey. The promotion centered around Mickelson’s familiar putting drill of hitting a series of three-foot putts that encircle the cup. There were 7,500 participants who made at least eight of 10 putts and were entered into the drawing. Williams, who was 10-for-10, had his name selected.

“When I got the e-mail I thought it was a hoax at first,” said Williams, who carries a 6.2 handicap at Windermere and Olde Atlanta.

Williams and his wife, Michelle, were flown to Boston for a day of sightseeing and got a chance to meet with Mickelson the next day, minutes after he had completed a pro-am round with New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

“We were only allotted 10 minutes, but he spent 45 minutes with us,” Williams said. “It was a great experience. We talked about a lot of different things and he came across like he was genuinely interested. After meeting him I became a real Phil Mickelson fan.”

Professional

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said last week that the Champions Tour is very close to announcing its date for the new 2009 Atlanta tournament to be played at TPC Sugarloaf. A statement could come as early as the week of The Tour Championship. … The Nationwide Tour has set April 13-19 as the dates for 2009 Athens Regional Foundation Classic at Jennings Mill. Robert Damron is the defending champion… .

Russ Davis of Cherokee Town and Country Club won the E-Z-GO Georgia PGA Senior Chamionship at The Frog in Villa Rica. Davis shot rounds of 68 and 72 to finish at 4-under 140. Daryl Batey of Charlie Yates, Chuck Knebels of Hawks Ridge and Bill Spannuth of Legacy Links tied for second at 2-under.

Amateur

Brenda Pictor of Marietta and Ginette Spinucci of Stone Mountain, competing together for the first time, shot 8-under to win the Georgia Women’s Team Championship at Sea Palms Resort at St. Simons Island. Danielle Davis and Julie Criss, both of St. Simons, finished one shot behind.

College

Golf World has released its first college rankings. Among Division I men, Georgia is No. 2 and Georgia Tech is No. 10. In Division II, Georgia College is No. 6, Clayton State is No. 14 and Armstrong Atlantic is No. 24. In Division III men, Oglethorpe is No. 4, Emory is No. 11 and LaGrange is No. 21. In Division I women, Georgia is No. 6.