With the 2011 and National Signing Day firmly in the rear-view mirror, and spring practice still a few weeks away, what’s the head coach of a major college football program to do with his time?
If you’re Bob Stoops, you play on a Sunday in a PGA tour event in front of a national television audience, that’s what you do.
Paired with current PGA Tour pro and former OU golfer Hunter Haas, the Oklahoma head coach is tied for ninth after three rounds of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. While the Stoops/Haas tandem sits 10 shots out of the lead held by pro Padraig Harrington/European businessman J.P McManus, Stoops’ pairing did manage to post the lowest combined score of the day -- a 12-under 60 at Pebble Beach.
It was the first time Stoops had played the storied course at Pebble Beach and, if he was anything like myself, spent the first 14 or so holes in utter awe of the sheer magnificence of the course carved mere feet from the Pacific.
The head coach of the 2011 BcS champions wasn’t as fortunate cut-wise, however. Nick Saban, partnered with former Tide golfer Bud Cauley, finished tied for 70th at 12-under. The cut line to play the final round at Pebble Beach today was 18-under.
A member of Saban’s foursome, somebody you may have heard of, fared a little better; coming off a loss in the Super Bowl last weekend, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick salved those wounds somewhat -- writer’s note: no he didn’t, at all -- by teaming with Ricky Barnes to make the cut at 22-under.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, paired with some hack named Tiger Woods, made the cut as well. The Romo/Woods pairing is two shots behind Stoops at 19-under.