PINE BLUFF’S MCNULTY LEADS WINNING TEAM AT COLEMAN’S TOURNAMENT

By Josh Tinker/COMMERCIAL SPORTS EDITOR

Wes McNulty reckons he’s been playing the golf course at Pine Bluff Country Club for 25 years. But he’s never played a round like the one he played Friday afternoon.

Sure, the Pine Bluff-native has won just about every major tournament put on by the Arkansas State Golf Association. But Friday, McNulty had an audience. Not only was McNulty playing on a team with former NBA star Dennis Scott, he was playing against many other celebrities, including former Washington Redskins players Tony Peters, Glen Coffey, and Vernon Dean. Former NFL players Jackie Harris and Ceasar Belsar were in attendance as well.

McNulty didn’t let the extra attention phase him, as he led Team Perkins, a team captained by Arkansas-Pine Bluff athletic director Skip Perkins, to a 16-under 55 to win first place in the second flight of the Second Annual Monte Coleman Celebrity Golf Tournament.

Joining McNulty on Team Perkins were James Perkins, brother to the athletic director, Dean Chambliss and Curtis Lawson, Skip Perkins’ college tennis coach at North Carolina Central University.

“I just loved watching them make putts all day long,” said McNulty, of his teammates. “They putted really good today. They made all the putts. I don’t think I had to putt three times all day. We had a blast. We hit a lot of good shots.

“Dean hit it wonderful today. I hit some good approach shots. I hit it close to the flag and they made some putts. I didn’t even have to get out of the cart.”

Other winners include Team Crumblin — who shot a 58 to win the morning flight. Team members were: Leon Crumblin, Rufus Jackson, Frank Bryant and Joe Blanks.

Team Davis, comprised of Ethel Davis, Brenda Hall, Felisha Lee and Dorothy Bridgeman, shot a 64 to win the women’s flight Thursday.

And though the score put up by McNulty’s team would have beat all-comers, being the best was only part of the fun.

“I don’t usually get to play a whole lot of tournaments just for fun,” he said. “I enjoyed playing with those guys today. Everyone I met was very gracious and they all seemed to have a good time. That’s what it’s all about.”

No one seemed to have more fun than Scott, who played 11 seasons in the NBA, including seven with the Orlando Magic. As the team’s celebrity, he didn’t play in the event, but served as a sort of cheerleader with Skip Perkins. The duo, who have been friends since both were youths in Washington D.C., followed the foursome in a golf cart. When the winners were announced at the following reception, Scott shouted it was because of his “great coaching.”

Scott added that he decided not to play because of the quality of players like McNulty that were on his team and because he hosted an NBA draft party for the Atlanta Hawks the night before.

“I’m not a big golfer like a lot of the retired players,” said Scott, adding that the only time he prefers to play is at such events. “I’m not one of those die-hard players, but what I like most about it is four or five guys getting together for four or five hours, hot sun, cool day whatever the circumstances may be, and having the male camaraderie.”

That support of friends brought others out as well. Jackie Harris, who has returned to his hometown after playing 12 seasons in the NFL, said his friendship with UAPB football coach Coleman is the reason he attended.

“Monte Coleman and I, we’re great friends,” he said. “Anything I can do to support him or support UAPB athletics. It’s another thing you can do to really try to move this city forward and this athletic department forward.”

Overall, Coleman called the event “a great success.”

“The first flight went out without a hiccup. The second flight went out without a hiccup,” he said. “(Thursday) with the ladies went off without a hiccup.

“The expectations that we had coming into it, the aftermath exceeds the expectations.”