‘Waldo’ shirts give Westbrook Christian boys good luck
Where’s Waldo?
That’s the question that might go through one’s mind upon seeing the uniforms for the Westbrook Christian boys golf team.
But there’s no question where the Warriors are when it comes to the leaderboards.
In their “good luck” uniforms dubbed “Waldo,” Westbrook Christian won his fifth straight Sectional Tuesday.
While donning the uniforms that looks similar to the attire of “Waldo” from the British series of children’s puzzle books, the Warriors have only lost once, finishing as a runner-up in the 2018 state Championship.
“They give us good luck,” Westbrook golfer Eli Edge said. “It feels good (to wear them).”
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The team almost didn’t get the opportunity to wear the uniforms. They were first ordered during the summer of 2017. The Warriors have not lost a sub-regional or in a sub-state since when wearing them.
The same members of the team played through the 2021 season and kept the jerseys as keepsakes, with only Cove McHugh owning one.
“We had to go back and get jerseys from them to let these guys wear them this year,” Coach Rob McHugh said. “Those shirts have always been a superstitious thing for them. They don’t lose in those shirts.”
Once Rob McHugh contacted his former players, they got them to agree to give the shirts to this year’s team.
But there was one condition.
“They wanted them back,” said the longtime Westbrook Christian Coach, who has focused more on the girls team this season.
“They took mine without my consent. My mom gave it to them,” former Jackson Jacksonman said.
Bowman, who was a member of the team last season, said he wants his shirt back after the season. He shot 78 at the state tournament, tying for eighth in Class 3A.
“It started out as a joke,” Bowman said. “But then we started playing well. Then we decided we have to wear them all the time.”
The Westbrook Golfers did not disappoint. Edge won a one-hole playoff to defeat Sylvania’s Logan Wilks. The two had tied with a 78 at the end of play.
“It feels good to do it (in these uniforms),” Edge said. “… I hadn’t made a putt all day. Then I made one in the Playoffs. That was nice.”
Cove McHugh finished tied for third at 79. The Warriors beat out Piedmont by 58 strokes for the Sectional title.
“It’s just consistent,” Cove McHugh said of the shirts. “They just bring us good luck.”
The Warriors have been dominant of late at golf. They won state Championships three straight years from 2015-17.
Greg Edge, who is in his first year as the boys Coach, was happy to keep the run going.
“I think it says a lot about some traditions that got started before and (the) successful golf program at Westbrook Christian,” Greg Edge said. “Just trying to keep it going. It honors the guys that used to wear these uniforms.”
Last season, Westbrook finished in third place at the state Championships on the first day. The plan was to wear the “Waldo” shirts on the second day, but it was rained out. The Warriors were 23 strokes behind Houston Academy.
“I definitely think we would have played better if we had the ‘Waldos’ on,” Bowman said. “We were a little behind, but you never know what will happen when you have ‘Waldos’ on.”
Once the season ends, Rob McHugh will return the jerseys and be on the hunt for new ones to keep the tradition alive.
Contact Ehsan Kassim at 256-300-5313 or ekassim@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim.