At Show-Me State Games, grandmother, grandson connect ... · At Show-Me State Games, grandmother,...

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COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN At Show-Me State Games, grandmother, grandson connect through golf By Elizabeth Maluta July 22, 2012 | 5:26 p.m. CDT Pat Carl, right, and her grandson, Aidan Liu, grab their irons for the next hit during the Show-Me State Games Parent-Child division of the golf competition Sunday morning at A.L. Gustin Golf Course. About participating in the Show-Me State Games with her grandson, Carl said, "It's a big connection. Aidan and I both love sports." | Pinar Istek At Show-Me State Games, grandmother, grandson connect through golf http://www.columbiamissourian.com/a/151399/at-show-me-state-g... 1 of 5 1/29/13 8:48 PM

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Page 1: At Show-Me State Games, grandmother, grandson connect ... · At Show-Me State Games, grandmother, grandson connect through golf By Elizabeth Maluta July 22, 2012 | 5:26 p.m. CDT Pat

COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN

At Show-Me State Games, grandmother,grandson connect through golfBy Elizabeth Maluta

July 22, 2012 | 5:26 p.m. CDT

Pat Carl, right, and her grandson, Aidan Liu, grab their irons for the next hit during the Show-MeState Games Parent-Child division of the golf competition Sunday morning at A.L. Gustin GolfCourse. About participating in the Show-Me State Games with her grandson, Carl said, "It's a bigconnection. Aidan and I both love sports." | Pinar Istek

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Page 2: At Show-Me State Games, grandmother, grandson connect ... · At Show-Me State Games, grandmother, grandson connect through golf By Elizabeth Maluta July 22, 2012 | 5:26 p.m. CDT Pat

Aidan Liu, 12, hits the golf ball during the Show-Me State Games Parent-Child division of the golfcompetition Sunday at A.L. Gustin Golf Course. Aidan came to visit his grandmother for a week fromNaperville, Ill. Phil Mickelson is Aidan's favorite golfer. | Pinar Istek

Aidan Liu, 12, prepares for his next hit during the Show-Me State Games Parent-Child division of thegolf competition Sunday at A.L. Gustin Golf Course. He started playing golf when he was 6 years old. | Pinar Istek

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Page 3: At Show-Me State Games, grandmother, grandson connect ... · At Show-Me State Games, grandmother, grandson connect through golf By Elizabeth Maluta July 22, 2012 | 5:26 p.m. CDT Pat

Pat Carl, 61, hits the ball during the Show-Me State Games Parent-Child division of the golfcompetition Sunday morning at A.L. Gustin Golf Course. Carl has been playing golf since she was50. | Pinar Istek

Aidan Liu, 12, right, and his grandmother, Pat Carl, look in the distance to see where the golf balllanded during the Show-Me State Games Parent-Child division of the golf competition Sunday atA.L. Gustin Golf Course. The two were the winners of their category. | Pinar Istek

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Page 4: At Show-Me State Games, grandmother, grandson connect ... · At Show-Me State Games, grandmother, grandson connect through golf By Elizabeth Maluta July 22, 2012 | 5:26 p.m. CDT Pat

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Pat Carl and her grandson, Aidan Liu, competed in the Show-Me State Games Parent-Child division of the golf

competition Sunday. They won in their division. ¦ Pinar Istek

COLUMBIA — Before this year’s Show-Me State Games, Pat Carl made a promise to her grandson.

“I told him I would do nothing to mess my back up.”

Carl and her 12-year-old grandson, Aidan Liu, participated in

last year’s games, but a bad back prevented Carl from swinging

the club the way she wanted.

“When we were playing those nine holes we were talking about

coming back and playing better next year,” Carl said.

Sunday marked the pair’s chance at redemption. Carl and her

grandson competed in the Mother/Son 12 and under division at

A.L. Gustin Golf Course. The duo won the gold medal,

surpassing last year’s silver. Despite improving on last year,

Carl and Aidan's competitive nature leaves them wanting more.

“We didn’t really feel like we played well (today),” Carl said.

“We won but we felt like we could have played better.”

Carl enjoys the time she gets to spend with her grandson, who is

visiting for the week from Naperville, Ill.

“One thing I like to do with my grandsons is I like to have things

that are special for us,” Carl said. “I want things that are special

just for me and them. This is something different and special

that just him and I can do.”

Aidan has been playing golf for six years but has only been able

to get out on a course two times before this weekend. He also

plays soccer and basketball, but golf is the game that he shares with his “Mema.”

“It’s fun to play sports and to play with her and have some competition,” Aidan said. “I get to

spend time with her and I rarely get to do that because we are in different states.”

When they do get together, Carl says they are "very in-sync."

“We play really well together, we’re very supportive of each other,” Carl said. “He’s laid back when

he plays with me”

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Page 5: At Show-Me State Games, grandmother, grandson connect ... · At Show-Me State Games, grandmother, grandson connect through golf By Elizabeth Maluta July 22, 2012 | 5:26 p.m. CDT Pat

On Sunday, some shots didn’t make it too far and some putts were missed, but the support never

faltered.

“Focus on your shot. Take your time,” Carl said.

Aidan stepped up to the tee, took three practice swings, three deep breaths, lined up his club and

sent the ball off the tee with a loud crack, then watched it cut through the air.

“Oh, it’s perfect,” Liu said, as he watched the ball drop to the ground.

“Oh, Aidan, that’s a great shot,” Carl said.

While not every shot was accurate or perfect, the pair made sure to keep each other laughing with

sarcastic remarks about shots that didn’t turn out how they had hoped. Both aimed to improve on

their performance from the year before, but Carl felt some added pressure.

“I want to play well in front of him,” Carl said. “He plays really well and he’s extremely strong so I

really have to be on my toes to play half as well as he does. I really want to look good in his eyes.”

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