Tommy Gibson

is 12 years old and heading into eighth grade at Rising Starr Middle School

this year. But first, he has a golf tournament to play in.

Gibson was

the winner of the local Optimist Club Junior Golf Tournament at Flat Creek

Club in Peachtree City, which qualified him for the state tournament at

Forest Hills in Augusta. He won that tournament as well and is heading

down to Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., tonight to play in the Optimist International

Junior Golf Tournament.

Gibson has

been paying golf since the age of four. His father, Tom, a golf pro and

current general manager of Whitewater Country Club, introduced him to

the sport and he has been playing ever since. The younger Gibson has played

in over 40 golf tournaments and has a plethora of trophies.

While living

in North Carolina, Gibson was named Player of the Year on the Coastal

Junior Tour in Wilmington. His family moved to the area last November

and Gibson was itching to find a tournament to play in.

He entered

the local Optimist Club tournament in June and ended up tied with another

player at 76. The two golfers ended up playing in a sudden death playoff

and Gibson won by a stroke. At Forest Hills, Gibson was the winner at

the end of the tournament with a 71, which qualified him for the international

tournament at the PGA National Resort and Spa, which starts this weekend.

Gibson accompanies

his father to work every day and plays golf with a group of friends. His

day begins at 7:30 a.m., which is quite an accomplishment, considering

it is summer vacation after all. Gibson credits the friends he plays with

for the improvement in his game.

"The competition

is really good," said Gibson. "I play with people like Seth

Bales, Wade Holland, Colton Fouts, Gabe Foster and Matthew Beall. It is

a lot of fun and the only way to get better is to keep playing and being

challenged."

His father

is also a major influence on his game.

"He is

a technically sound player," said Gibson's father. "Right now,

we're working on his mental strength, so he can stay focused and not get

too upset when shots don't go his way." Gibson's father has taught

many players during his career, including the LPGA's Christy Kerr.

Gibson would

love for golf to take him to the PGA someday, like his favorite player,

David Duval, but he plans on going to college first and either attending

Georgia Tech or the University of Miami. His advice for those just picking

up the sport is to practice really hard.

"It is

a tough sport to learn, but once you learn the basics, it becomes more

and more fun," said Gibson.

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