Far-Putting Rebel Fan to Get New Car Saturday

By Katelyn McKinney
Hottytoddy.com intern
kamckin1@go.olemiss.edu

When Mary Ann Wakefield bought tickets for her and her daughter to see the Ole Miss Rebels take on the Alabama Crimson Tide last Saturday, she only thought she was going to watch a basketball game.

However, the 84-year-old Ole Miss basketball fan walked away the owner of a brand new car after sinking a putt 94 feet across the full length of the court.

“It was pure luck,” Wakefield said. “I couldn’t even see the hole, so when I putt it I said ‘Dear God it’s up to you.’ I putt it easy because I knew it was a hardwood floor.”

Wakefield has only been a resident of Oxford for 16 months after moving here to be closer to her daughter. Not holding season tickets, she chose this one game to attend.

“I wasn’t planning on going to game,” Wakefield said. “My daughter showed up from St Louis and had never been to the Pavilion or to Ole Miss live basketball, so we got tickets and there were only two tickets left in the section, so I bought them … If it hadn’t been for her, I wouldn’t have gone to the game.”

Wakefield signed up for the putting activity when she was walking around before the game. After signing some papers, Wakefield was chosen to putt the golf ball across the court.

“I was in shock,” Wakefield said. “I couldn’t believe it. I waved to my daughter on the other side of the court. It was a wonderful experience because everybody was so excited. When I went back to my seat, the whole section stood up and cheered for me. People were taking pictures of me; I felt like a celebrity.”

The tentative plan is for Wakefield to receive the Nissan car during halftime of the Ole Miss basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 29. Tip-off against the Vanderbilt Commodores is at noon.