Marmion's Morton ready to compete on golf's biggest stage

One mere word draws awed reverence or gushing adulation from golfers and fans of the professional game.

Augusta.

Specifically Georgia's Augusta National Golf Club, since 1934 home to the Masters Tournament, the first of four annual men's "major" tournaments. Only the United Kingdom's Open Championship rivals the Masters in tradition, pomp and circumstance. Augusta National is on the bucket list of any semi-serious golfer to play or simply observe and admire.

That's why there was excitement in the air - and wafting scents from an extravagant buffet line - March 27 at Eagle Brook Country Club. The Geneva golf club hosted an open house to send off Marmion freshman Jimmy Morton to the Professional Golfers' Association Drive, Chip & Putt Championship at Augusta National on April 5 to kick off Masters week.

Maybe something more than excitement mingled among the 70-plus well-wishers, who included a table full of Marmion golfers.

"We're all jealous," kidded smiling Eagle Brook member Bob Harrington of Geneva, who's played with Jimmy and his father, also Jim, a fellow member.

"I want to go to the Masters, are you kidding me?" Harrington asked rhetorically. "I'd love to go to the Masters, let alone inside the ropes."

Jimmy Morton, Eagle Brook's two-time defending junior club champion and reigning junior-parent winner with his father, punched his ticket - and courtesy of the PGA those of Jim, Kathy and sister Marissa Morton - to the second annual Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals by advancing through three regional qualifiers last summer. Jimmy Morton's Marmion teammate, Nick Huggins, barely missed the cut.

"I don't really know what to expect because I've never really faced anything quite on such a big stage. I'm sure there'll be nerves," said Jimmy Morton, who will compete against nine other boys in his 14-15 age group. The field will drive and chip on a practice course but will putt on the 18th green used by the pros. The Golf Channel will broadcast the finals live.

Called a "pretty fierce competitor" by Marmion golf coach Doug Roberts at the Eagle Brook reception - during which club members gifted Morton a facsimile Masters green jacket and monogrammed golf bag - should Morton keep his nerve others will struggle to retain theirs.

"I'm excited and I'm nervous," said Kathy Morton, who had been informed of Drive, Chip & Putt by a couple out of Arlington Heights, Phil and Becki Pollacci.

"He's got a very good demeanor so I think he'll do well," she said. "He doesn't like to show any expression of nervousness but I'm nervous for him because it's a big event, you know, it's going to be on national television. So it'll be his first experience with that. We want him to do well but we're just happy that he's there and he's getting good experience no matter what."

By March 27 Jimmy had already played two rounds at Eagle Brook, shooting a 78 his second time out, 4 strokes off his best. Focusing on his backswing and staying down on the ball while chipping, since last fall he'd done off-season drills and took weekly lessons after school with Eric Pratali, the former club pro recently promoted to general manager.

"I just made sure I kept swinging a golf club," Morton said. "I kept it fresh, I guess."

Jim Morton, a 9-handicap to his son's 6, confirmed Jimmy works daily on his golf game. Roberts could also vouch for that, and noted the competition takes "skills, stomach and attitude."

Jimmy's got those down.

"He's not outgoing or anything like that, it's not like 'in-your-face' or anything, but I know he gets a lot of satisfaction out of winning - especially when he plays me," said Jim Morton, who on Monday will witness his second Masters practice round, having first visited in 1996.

In Augusta Jimmy Morton will pick on people his own size. Win or not he'll give it his best shot, and either way he doesn't turn 15 until April 20 so he's eligible to qualify for the 2016 competition.

"To me it's really just about the experience," Jimmy said before a rare slice - into a cake the size of a putting green, decorated with the Masters Tournament logo. "Just getting to Augusta is really like a win."

Postseason honors

The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association on March 30 finalized its coach of the year awards.

Among the Class 4A boys winners were: Geneva's Phil Ralston, St. Charles East's Patrick Woods and West Aurora's Gordie Kerkman.

The 4A girls coaches included St. Charles East's Lori Drumtra and Geneva's Sarah Meadows. Aurora Christian's Burney Wilkie was among the Class 2A selections.

Rasich gets his chance

Don Rasich was familiar with Rosary's interview process. A longtime girls basketball assistant coach at Aurora Christian and Hinckley-Big Rock, he went through it three seasons ago along with Jessie Terrell, who won the head varsity job.

Rasich had also applied for the head coaching job. Despite missing out he became Terrell's assistant and projected no sour grapes. The two "hit it off," Rasich said.

When in the wake of the Royals' first sectional title appearance Terrell resigned to spend more time with her husband, Marmion sophomore coach Adam Terrell, it came as a surprise namely to Rosary athletic director Mary Lou Kunold.

The search for a new head coach, however, was an easy one. Rasich was right there, eager to head a program Kunold started in the 1970s.

"I've wanted to be a head coach for quite some time, and for Mary Lou and Rosary I'm very appreciative. I'm looking forward to my first season," said Rasich, whose wife of 32 years, Suzanne, teaches at Aurora Christian, also the alma mater of grown daughters Kristen and Kimberly.

"I'm just thankful to get the opportunity," Rasich said. "I was very happy to be an assistant, that wasn't an issue to me. I love coaching basketball, coaching fundamentals, and whether I was head coach or an assistant I felt I had an impact on the girls. But I've got the opportunity now and I'm very excited about it."

Notably he impacted a Hinckley-Big Rock squad that won Class 1A titles in 2009 and 2010 with a cumulative record of 64-5. Rasich and Jerry Tokars were Greg Burks' varsity assistants. Rasich said he was "mainly the defensive coordinator" for those teams.

"He knows what it takes to get there," Kunold said, calling Rasich "a good X's and O's man."

He also knows the personnel, and vice versa.

"It's not starting anew and also taking all the kids to get on a new coaching philosophy," Kunold said. "We're not going to be losing a heartbeat on this."

Rosary will be losing quality seniors such as Quincy Kellett and Megan Conlin, but the returning group includes starters Taylor Drozdowski and Mary Kate Bakala plus players from an 18-4 sophomore team.

As head coach Rasich predicts only minor change from what Rosary did the last three seasons under Terrell. Maybe shooting a few more 3-pointers, perhaps running the floor a little more.

"We should be a fun team to watch," he said. "And of course, we're going to play defense."

doberhelman@dailyherald.com

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