Boulder Creek grad competes in U.S. Open

MARC BUCKHOUT ~ MANAGING EDITOR ~ 6/22/2011
Scott Pinckney, a 2007 graduate of Boulder Creek High School, competed in the U.S. Open this weekend at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.
The Anthem resident, and recent Arizona State University grad, improved on an opening round 79 with a 4-over-par 75 on Friday. At 12-over-par Pinckney missed the cut, which was 4-over-par.
Boulder Creek coach Jay Kopas spoke with his former athlete before he left for Maryland.
“He was real excited to have qualified obviously,” Kopas said. “I just wished him well and said I was happy for him.”
Kopas said he distinctly remembers being a substitute teacher for Pinckney when he was a seventh grader at Anthem.
“He used to tell me he’d be a professional golfer back then,” Kopas said. “I just told him that was a good goal to have.”
After attending Sandra Day O’Connor High School as a freshman Pinckney transferred to Boulder Creek for his sophomore year. As a transfer he was ineligible to play as a sophomore for the Jaguars.
That didn’t stop the now 22-year-old from working on his game.
“He’d come down and sneak on the course to practice with us,” the coach said. “He was an example even though he wasn’t on the team. His work ethic was unbelievable. He’d video tape himself and was always asking for help in analyzing his swing.”
The following year the work would pay off as he finished as the state runner-up, a feat he would repeat as a senior when he helped the Jaguars to the program’s first state championship.
“He’s the type of kid that would come up to me before a match and ask me what I needed him to shoot that day,” the coach said. “I’d just tell him to play his best, but he’d pester me for a number. Whenever I came up with a number he’d inevitably say he could do better than that and he’d go out and prove it. He liked the pressure.”
Next up for Pinckney will be the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship which gets under way Monday in Salem, Oregon. The last Sun Devil to win the event was Chez Reavie in 2001. To follow the action go to usga.org/ChampEventSite.aspx?id=17179869204