In the swing of things...

Oakmont’s recent hosting of the US Open Golf tournament made a big splash in June with big names such as Tiger Woods showing up to play. But we have our own golf course phenomena right here in our neck of the woods, and he’s a real Tiger, too.

Tiger Hubbard of Lower Burrell has competed in over 18 official tournaments, winning one of them. Earlier this year, he was in Quincy, Illinois where he competed in a Championship sponsored by Pepsi, and just returned from Stow, Ohio. He actually competes on the US Golf Tour.

Tiger with LPGA Star Paula Creame

OK, in the interest of full disclosure, it’s the US Kids Golf Tour. And the Illinois tournament was the Pepsi Little Peoples Championship, now in its 34th year, which brings top golfers from all over the world, each in their own age group. Tiger—his official real name—also takes part in the "The First Tee of Pittsburgh." His mom and dad, Barbara and George Hubbard, are also both devoted golfers. George says his wife was pregnant in 2001 and they were thinking of naming their son after Tiger Woods. When Woods won a golf championship around the time their son was born, there was no question; there would be a Tiger Hubbard.

Now if you’ve done the math, that sound is probably your jaw hitting the floor. Yes, Tiger is a six year old who won his first tourney at age five against kids seven years and younger. His first official tourney was when he was four, and he started lessons when he was three. (Tiger is still a student with that local golf pro, Scott Koontz of Stoney Creek Golf Center.) Hubbard says Tiger, when he was under a year old, began playing around with his parents’ golf clubs and has been swinging ‘em since.

Who knows where this young golfer will go in his life? All I can say is, “Go get ‘em—yep, you guessed it—Tiger!”

Photos courtesy of George Hubbard