May 18, 2002

WILLIAMSBURG, VA — Matt Davis was pumped up as he stood on the first tee Thursday.  After nearly finishing double, double, triple bogey on Wednesday afternoon in the tournament practice round, he was leading the field in golf apparel.  Nothing was going to stop him for starting this major championship with fire.

At the tee box, pointing at his newly Carl Spackler designed golf shirt, Matt Davis straightened up to say, "Nice shirt huh!".  Continuing with a grin, "My mom made three shirts including Tiger red on Saturday."

Instead, he got the shock of his golfing life.  "Isn't there a S in Williamsburg", Brian Flanagan asked him.  "Well Yes!" replied Davis.  "I think you are missing a S", Flanagan replied.

"There should be a two-stroke penalty for stupidity like this", remarked CEO, Jamie Myers.  Davis did not take his hat and throw it angrily at the ground.  He did not even grab the his driver and toss it off the tee box.  As if he was in shock, he thought it was cool.

"At that moment, I felt like I had been kicked in the teeth," Jay Dilks said.  "It wasn't even my shirt."  A day that had begun with such promise for the fading 31-year-old amateur now appeared on the verge of ruin.  With so many players looking for an early lead, giving up the mental game sunk Davis on the spot.  "The first few holes I felt really lousy. I got plugged on the fourth and everything seemed to be going against me," he said. "At that time, I felt like picking it up and walking in."

Davis said it was his responsibility to check the shirt for errors before leaving his mom's house.  "You want me to stand here and make excuses?" Davis said. "There is no excuse. The buck stops at me. My fault, but if I win the Horses Ass Award, the trophy will go on my mom's store window."