Liberated Tommy Wynne Moves Away From Golf

Since Tommy Wynne arrived at Harvard College, he has stopped believing in Barry Goldwater, stopped attending Sunday School, and stopped thinking about becoming a professional golfer. "I've been liberated, so to speak," Wynne said.

One of five golfers representing Harvard in the NCAAs later this month, Wynne compiled a respectable 9-5 record but failed to place in the top five in either the Easterns or the Greater Bostons. "In my freshman year, I would have been disappointed by my performance this season, but somehow my orientation has changed-sports aren't that important anymore," Wynne said.

"In high school, I competed and won because it was the thing to do the All-American image. I enjoyed sports, but the overriding factor was the success in it all," Wynne said.

"After my first two years here, the enjoyment I received from playing football and golf became the main reason I stayed with it," Wynne said. "Practices became a drag and jocks became friends," he added.

Wynne grew up in Fordyce, Arkansas, where you were "a sissy or a social outcast if you didn't play football" and mothers brought you up to be All-Americans. He started playing golf at the age of five and four years later. When the hot summers rolled into the little town, he'd spend 12 hours a day on the golf course.

At the age of eleven he won his first match, the Camden, Arkansas Jr. Tournament. Before he arrived at Harvard, Wynne had added four more golf honors to his record.

Bruce LoPucki, Captain of the golf team, described Wynne as one of the best golfers in his freshman year. "I was scared everytime I had to play golf with Tommy," LoPucki recollected.

Wynne had his best season his sophomore year when he finished the season with a 10-4 record, playing in the number four position.

Last year, Wynne continued to play in the number four position but lost one more match than he had his previous year. "This year, I'm lucky that I made the team," Wynne said.

"I remember my freshman year when I almost transferred after hearing that Harvard was going to drop football (it turned out to be a false Dart-mouth press release). Now I'm glad I stayed. I've found out that there are a lot of other things besides sports-my interests have broadened," Wynne said.