LITTLE ROCK — Seth Sullivant's first hole in one will be more memorable than most.
As a result, Sullivant, a 17-year-old senior at Mountain Home High School, probably owes Donald Trump a drink. But at least he didn't get fired.
Sullivant made a hole in one during a practice round for the U.S. Junior Amateur and got to meet celebrity Donald Trump in the process.
It went down something like this.
Sullivant won a spot at the U.S. Junior Amateur in sectional qualifying at the Country Club of Little Rock last month. But his second consecutive trip to the U.S. Junior Amateur became a little more memorable during the practice round.
When they first arrived at Trump National Golf Club's New Course in Bedminster, N.J., for the practice round, Sullivant saw Trump as they were getting out of the van. A few hours later, he was having his picture made with the business magnate, socialite, author and television personality.
Mountain Home's Brad Simons, who will be a sophomore at Middle Tennessee this year, served as Sullivant's caddie. And as they stepped to the tee on the sixth hole, no one in the group was sure what to hit.
The par 3 measured 270 yards, but the pin was tucked way in the back.
"All of the pins were tucked in crazy positions because theydidn't want people to trample where the play was going to be later in the week," Sullivant said. "It was probably 285 yards, and everybody in our group had to hit driver."
Sullivant hit a cut shot with his driver and saw the Titleist Pro V-1 golf ball hit in the middle of the green. He turned and walked away.
His playing partner said he thought the ball just went in. Simons wasn't sure. So they got out the laser range finder to check. It wouldn't register that far.
"I thought there was no way. But we walked up there and, sure enough, it was in the hole," Sullivant said.
Sullivant's dad, John, thought with the length of the hole, it had to be playing as a short par 4.
As they made their way to the seventh hole, John looked up and saw Trump riding in a golf cart with New Jersey Gov. John Corzine.
He got Trump's attention and told him: "My boy just tore up your golf course."
"I still thought it was a par 4. He told me that was the firsthole in one on that hole," John said. "I couldn't believe it."
John said Trump was very nice. I guess he could have used his catch phrase from the television show The Apprentice and said, "You're fired."
Instead, he went with golf's tradition that anyone making a hole in one has to buy a drink for everyone in the clubhouse.
"He said, 'You just tell that boy that I hope he's got lots of cash because there's a thousand thirsty people out here,' " John said. "It was funny."
Sullivant, who is a member at Big Creek Golf and Country Club in Mountain Home, finished third last year in the Class6A state high school golf tournament. He'll be a contender again this year.
He didn't fare well at the U.S. Junior Amateur with it's bad weather conditions, tying for 127th and failing to reach the match play.
But he came away with a great memory, later talking with Trump and getting his picture taken with him.
"He just said congratulations," Sullivant said. "It would have been nice to actually make the cut, but it was still a great week. And this was definitely a highlight."
Perhaps that makes him hired.
Sports, Pages 17 on 08/27/2009