Pirates gathering to back Varner

By Al Myatt
©2016 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.

When former East Carolina golfer Harold Varner III tees off on No. 10 at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte at 1 p.m. today for the Wells Fargo Pro-Am, he will have a group of followers wearing purple shirts.

Doug Groome, ECU Class of 1979, has been promoting support of Varner through the Charlotte chapter of the Pirate Club.

Groome has been a long time supporter of athletics at his alma mater, organizing the Virtual Bowl as a fundraiser at the conclusion of an uncharacteristic 1-10 football season in 2003.

There has been nothing virtual about Varner's play on the PGA Tour thus far this season. He's been the real thing.

The 2012 ECU graduate in marketing has won $807,863 on tour in 2016, making the cut 10 times in 17 starts with three top-10 finishes. He is currently 71st in the FedEx Cup rankings.

Varner booms it, averaging 302.8 yards driving, 19th on tour.

He was tied for eighth in the rain-shortened Zurich Classic in New Orleans, which was completed Monday.

Varner hails from nearby Gastonia, graduating from Forestview High School. New Pirates football coach Scottie Montgomery, who graduated from Burns High, is from the same neck of the woods.

"I want to play well in front of the people I love," Varner said in anticipation of support from family and friends this week.

Groome and company will be there to show him some love in return.

"We hope to follow him like a huge Purple blob," Groome said.

ECU fans are encouraged to join Varner's gallery and wear their purple.

PAGE UPDATED 05/04/16 03:18 AM.

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