Gavin Keefe: Former Husky Rudy Gay a newcomer to the golf game

Rudy Gay is a natural on the basketball court.

He’s also a terrific athlete, helping him have a highly successful UConn basketball and NBA career.

On the golf course, he’s out of his element.

But he’s giving the sport a go.

“I’m just starting,” Gay said Monday before playing in the UConn Legends golf tournament at Greenwich Country Club. “A lot of my friends played it and I just wanted to see what it was about. And I ended up loving it, the competitiveness and how you compete against yourself, really.

“It’s fun.”

It’s been 18 years since Gay left UConn after two seasons and entered the NBA Draft in 2006. He was selected eighth overall by the Houston Rockets and then traded to Memphis. He’s also played for Toronto, Sacramento, San Antonio and most recently Utah. He’s played in 1,120 career games, averaging 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists.

He hopes to continue playing basketball. Right now, he’s exploring his options.

“I really haven’t given up on basketball yet,” said Gay, who’s a member of the Huskies of Honor. “I’m just staying in shape and seeing what happens. Eighteen years is a long time. It is what it is. I’ve had a great career. Basketball is still fun to me.

“Anybody who you talk to who is competitive says, ‘I could have done more.’ But I’m happy with what I’ve done.”

For now, Gay will work on his golf game.

Just don’t expect Gay to shoot any low scores at this point.

“I still suck,” Gay said. “What I’m figuring out is everybody kind of sucks a little bit.”

Does Gay find golf frustrating given his athletic ability?

“It is, but your competitiveness makes you want to be better at it, so that’s the good part about it,” Gay said.

He’s never played a round with his former UConn coach Jim Calhoun, who’s an avid golfer.

“For obvious reasons, I’m scared,” Gay said with a smile. “I’ll have flashbacks. He’ll start cussing me out again.”

Gay is joining the ranks of former UConn basketball players taking up golf.

Scott Burrell had the low score at the UConn Legends event. Ray Allen, Donny Marshall and Oliver Macklin also turned in respectable rounds.

Emeka Okafor also took part in the tournament, but hasn’t fully embraced golf.

“I’ve flirted with it for a number of years, but I haven’t quite made the transition yet,” Okafor said. “Everybody has their thing and golf is not quite mine yet. It doesn’t mean it won’t be later. I’ll put some time in, probably come up here in the next couple of years and we’ll see how it turns around.”

Give Okafor and Gay time and they’ll surely up their golf game.

Short putts

• The Elmridge Golf Course men’s club championship tournament is down to the final four in each flight.

In the championship flight, Mike Cassell will play Ron Allen Jr. and Vinny Urso will face Andy MacMahon in Saturday’s semifinals. Winners will meet in Sunday’s 36-hole final.

First Flight semifinals will pit Gary Sicard Jr. against Glen Blackburn and Randy Orlomoski vs. Bob Gebler.

In the second flight semifinals, Muzzy Morrone will take on MIke Classey and Jim Celico will meet Phil Votto.

• At Shennecossett Golf Course, Steve Chevalier earned medalist honors in qualifying action for the men’s club championship. After shooting a 68, he’s the number one seed in match play that begins on Saturday.

Chevalier, who’s from Groton, has won the title three of the last four years and five times overall. He defeated Michael Serio on the final hole last summer to capture the championship.

Serio, a previous winner, is back to challenge for the championship. Five-time champion Ken Wetmore and 2018 winner Michael Rege also are in the field.

• The Pequot Golf Club men’s club championship, a three-round, stroke play tournament, gets underway this weekend. Chris Trisciuzzi, a three-time winner, is the defending champion. He beat James Lathrop on the second playoff hole to win last year. Final round action will take place on Sunday, Aug. 4.

• The Great Neck Country Club duo of Matt Shea and Nick Hynes won the Manchester Country Club Four Ball One Day Tournament on Monday, combining for an 11-under 61 in the Tettlebach Division (54 and under). Dave Jones and Tony Susi of Mohegan Sun Golf Club tied for first at 6-under 66 in the Siderowf Division (55 and over), while Bill Hermanson (Black Hall) and James Lawler (Mohegan Sun) placed fourth at 5-under 67.

• Jack Dennis of Colchester tied for fourth with a two-round total of 144 (72-72) at the Connecticut PGA Champions Tour Classic, a junior event that ran Tuesday and Wednesday at Fox Hopyard Golf Club in East Haddam. Phillip Kim of Milford won the event with a 6-under 136 (65-71).

Norwich Free Academy’s Nick Wigfield tied for 14th at 155 (80-75) and East Lyme’s Jack Bucko tied for 18th at 156 (80-76). East Lyme’s Sebastian DeCosta finished with a 164 (78-86), Tyler Hollis of Norwich shot a 167 (78-89) and East Lyme’s Tyler Moore had a 168 (87-81).

Upcoming events

• The Nine Hole Old Lyme Junior Open, part of the Connecticut PGA Junior Tour, is set for Monday at Old Lyme Country Club. Shennecossett will host the Players Tour Finale on Aug. 15.

• The 90th Connecticut Open starts Monday at Shorehaven Golf Club in Norwalk.

• The 39th Connecticut Public Links Championship will run from Aug. 6-7 at Keney Park Golf Course in Hartford.

• The Norwich men’s club championship begins the weekend of Aug. 3-4, with the winner being crowned on Aug. 11 after four rounds of action. The women’s club championship will run Aug. 10-11.

• The Connecticut Assistant PGA Championship is set for Aug. 26 at Wethersfield Country Club.

• Please send golf results and information to g.keefe@theday.com.