Air Cap notes: Former Alabama All-American set for pro debut in Wichita

Robby Shelton surveyed the scene around Crestview Country Club’s practice area Wednesday afternoon and quickly responded when asked if he felt like a stranger.

“I really don’t,” said Shelton, who will make his Web.com Tour debut on Thursday in the Air Capital Classic. “I know there’s a lot of stiff competition. But I know a lot of guys out here, so I feel very comfortable.”

The 20-year-old Shelton is three weeks removed from a stellar three-year collegiate career at Alabama. Shelton, a Wilmer, Ala., native, announced he was turning professional after tying for sixth at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore.

Shelton joined the Crimson Tide in 2013 as the nation’s No. 1-ranked junior golfer. He left Alabama as a three-time All-American with a school-record seven victories and produced the top career scoring average (70.44) in the program’s history.

Alabama won the NCAA title during Shelton’s freshman season at Prairie Dunes in Hutchinson. Another member of that team, Cory Whitsett, made his Web.com debut at Crestview two years ago.

“I’ve definitely turned the page and realize I’m not going back,” Shelton said. “It was sad leaving Coach (Jay) Seawell and the team, but I’m really excited to turn pro. It’s just a new chapter in my life.”

Shelton earned a spot in the Air Capital Classic through Monday qualifying at Auburn Hills. He was among eight golfers who shot 6-under 66 and survived a playoff to advance.

Shelton, who played on the 2015 U.S. Walker Cup team, has already been on the tour stage. He played in the U.S. Open two years ago at Pinehurst, then tied for third last summer at the PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship in his home state. It was the best finish by an amateur in a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson won the 1991 Northern Telecom Open.

Shelton made his third PGA Tour start earlier this month at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, missing the cut.

After a solid fall season, Shelton said he knew this spring would be his swan song at Alabama.

“Coach Seawell said that I was ready,” he said. “He’s coached a lot of people and he said I was as ready as any of them.”

So far, so good – Former BYU golfer Nick Killpack was complimentary of all things Wichita on Wednesday except the humidity.

And why not? His week started with an 11-under 61 to lead the field in Monday qualifying at Willowbend.

“It was there for the taking, but 61 is 61,” said Killpack, a conditional tour member who will make his first Web.com start of the season at Crestview. “Obviously, I putted well. I had a birdie look on almost every hole and made a bunch of them.”

But even after making the turn at 6 under, Killpack felt the heat when he failed to convert good birdie opportunities on his 10th and 11th holes. It became moot when he followed with a stretch of four consecutive birdies.

Killpack also made it through a Monday qualifier for the PGA Tour’s Sony Open in Hawaii in January. He said a good Monday can provide a boost for Thursday, but with limits.

“Any time you shoot that low, you have confidence,” Killpack said. “But you have to put it in a compartment because (Crestview) is a much different golf course, much more difficult. I’m not going to be trying to shoot 61 here, because if you do that, you’re going to make mistakes.”

All in the family -- There have been many father-son combinations on pro-am teams in the Air Capital Classic’s 27-year history.

For the second consecutive year, Ralph, Randy and Randall Vautravers were part of a three-generation team in the Marge Page Pro-Am.

“We had a great time,” said Randy Vautravers, Ralph’s son and the president of Rand Graphics. “My dad is 86 and still going strong. It was hot out there, but he handled it well, better than me.”

Randall Vautravers was on Wichita State’s basketball team for two seasons before finishing school at Kansas State. He recently went to work at Rand Graphics.

The Vautravers got the earliest start time, teeing off with Web.com pro Andrew Svoboda before 7 a.m.

This story was originally published June 22, 2016 at 5:23 PM with the headline "Air Cap notes: Former Alabama All-American set for pro debut in Wichita."