Player Features

Chris Walls
Florida Player Keeps One Eye on the Table, One Eye on the Tube

As first-time competitor Chris Walls of High Springs, Fla., prepares for his next match in this year’s U.S. Amateur Championship, it’s likely that he’ll have more than the next match on his mind. You see Chris’ love for his favorite football team - the Florida Gators - is outweighed only by his desire to be the U.S. Amateur Champion. So much so that you won’t find Chris practicing or mentally preparing between matches, instead you’re more than likely to find he and his wife, Debbie, glued to the television watching for an update on the Gators. For Debbie, her love for the team is only outweighed by her love for her husband, as she decided to forgo attending the big homecoming game to be in Conn. to support him. “Today is the first home Gator game I’ve missed in the past 30 years,” said Debbie, “but it’s worth it!”.

Florida did go on to win against the Vanderbilt Commodores 35-17, while Walls went on to finish in a very respectable 13th Place.