Much Ado About Nothing – Team 97’s Andrew Parker

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

Andrew Parker Poses for Photogs on the 11th Hole After Closing Out Stirling Bomar in Another Sunday Singles Match.

Team 97’s Steady Hand Has The World On His Shoulders

April 27, 2010
Head into the press tent after a Phi Alpha Cup round and what you’re likely to see on the Team 97 side is Steve Burr or Team Captain Andy Sands fielding questions from a host of pool reporters, many times making inflammatory comments about their opponents, or in Burr’s case, sometimes his own team. What you won’t see is a boisterous Andrew Parker looking to draw attention to himself or his consistently stellar PAC play. Instead, Parker will likely be sheltered away in a corner, talking quietly to a reporter from his hometown paper, The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

And that’s just the way he likes it.

Over the course of his distinguished Phi Alpha Cup career, Parker has put together the best record of all PAC competitors in history, although he has certainly padded his stats by being paired against Team 98’s Stirling Bomar in Sunday Singles matches. (Related Story)

But while Parker has demonstrated much success over his storied Phi Alpha Cup career, friends and fellow players are just as impressed by the way he conducts himself off the course and with his devotion to his family.

“In this day and age, everybody’s kids are being arrested or are hooked on chrystal meth,” said Parker’s teammate and long time friend Steve Burr. “Somehow Andrew has managed to keep his kids on the straight and narrow. It’s just one of those things you’ll never hear him brag about, but it’s still commendable.”

Parker’s two children, Kate and Addie, are 3 and 2 respectively.

Talk to Parker’s neighbors, and many of them do not even know he is an elite athlete playing golf at the highest level.

“Andrew is the neighborhood social chairman. Probably the best one we’ve had in Green Oaks in 10 years,” says next door neighbor Tim McNurley. “It’s widely known, you don’t miss a potluck dinner at the Parkers. The post-dinner Zenga games are legendary.”

Casserole bonanzas aside, Parker quietly goes about his range work with swing coach and pastor Bill Gibson 4 days a week and reserves the other 3 days for his family.

“It’s a life balance thing for me. I’ve got my family and my teammates. I don’t need the awards or the attention.”

And that’s just the way he likes it.