Golfer still deeply rooted in Jefferson County

The complaints used to come into the newspaper fairly regularly -- every time Brian Gay was excluded from any spotlight on local pro golfers.

Louisville, Ga., wasn't letting go of one of its own, no matter how far removed from residency he was.

"They used to get pretty upset about it," said Joe Gay, Brian's father, who retired back to Louisville two years ago.

It turns out that Gay's roots in Jefferson County run pretty deep, even if the 37-year-old pro hasn't lived in Louisville since before he turned 10.

Pretty much the entire maternal branch of his family tree still resides in his mother Margaret's hometown -- Uncle Frank and Aunt Carol Jones; Uncle Stan and Aunt Jane Jones; Aunt Cindy Kelly; and cousins Brint Jones and Thom Kelly.

What's more, his grandfather, Joe Gay Sr. -- who moved his family to Louisville to work at the J.P. Stevens mill -- was struck by lightning and killed along with Louisville Academy band director Jerald Quinn on an otherwise glorious 1965 afternoon at Ogeechee Valley Country Club.

Those eternal connections are what led more than 40 folks from Louisville to drive down to Hilton Head Island, S.C., three weeks ago to see their local boy make good with a 10-stroke blowout victory over an elite field at Harbour Town Golf Links. The crowd of family and friends partied deep into the night from the country club to Marley's to a Mexican restaurant celebrating Gay's long-awaited guaranteed berth into the Masters Tournament.

"It was absolutely thrilling," said Gay's aunt, Jane Jones. "None of us could have been anywhere except Hilton Head. We stayed up as long as he stayed up celebrating."

For Gay and all of his Louisville fans, that invitation to the nearby Masters has been too long in coming. Gay was a celebrated amateur who competed in a Walker Cup, was a medalist at a U.S. Amateur, was a three-time All-American at Florida and the only two-time Southeastern Conference champion. A productive pro career was pretty much presumed, as were frequent trips to Augusta National Golf Club.

"That was the tournament," Gay said of his career goals. "It's always been my favorite and the best tournament in the world as far as I'm concerned."

But Masters deadlines always proved to be a little cruel on the kid from down the road. While locals like Franklin Langham, Charles Howell and Vaughn Taylor were getting to realize childhood dreams at Augusta National, Gay kept getting stopped short of the gate.

"I've had a lot of heartache not getting in that tournament," Gay said after finally punching his ticket with a qualifying tour win 15 years after turning pro.

In 2001, Gay got passed at the wire by Billy Andrade and missed a Masters invite by one spot on the money list.

But 2008 was a particularly cruel year. He won in his 293rd tour start in Mexico in March, but the opposite event wasn't deemed a worthy qualifier. He started the FedEx Cup playoffs among the top 30 only to miss the first cut and get swept down the standings.

Then in the fall series finale at Disney, Gay was ranked 30th on the money list but missed the cut. He got passed again on the final day by one spot by Ken Duke.

"Last year was my best year ever and it ended on a sour note," Gay said. "But I had to kind of just let it go and just focus on the good year I had and not worry about it."

That close to competing in three Masters already, Gay was left frustrated by the event he's most wanted to play since attending his first Masters practice round when he was 8. He vowed never to play the course until he qualified for the Masters.

"It was tough answering questions from people and lots of people thinking I should be in and why aren't you in," he said. "I definitely felt like I deserved to be there."

So Gay wasted no time in booking his place in the 2010 Masters. Sick of deadlines, he made the first opportunity count when he obliterated everyone in winning the Verizon Heritage by a record 10 strokes.

"I won the week after the Masters so I'll wait 51 weeks," Gay said happily. "That takes care of a couple of goals for the year. I may have to rewrite some stuff and focus on different goals for the rest of the year. I'm well on my way."

Gay resumes his career this week at the high-profile Players Championship with sights set on earning a spot on the U.S. team in the Presidents Cup. His second victory triggers a whole new outlook for him.

"I think so," he said. "It's validation. Winning for the second time in a great event on one of the best golf courses in the world. And winning by 10 is a little bit of a statement as well. It's nice."

And for his family still residing in Louisville, there's been no more complaints.

"I'm very excited about it because it's something every player wants when they start playing golf," his father said of the Masters bid.

"It's been so much fun for all of us," said his Aunt Jane.

Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com.