By ED DUPREE

             SALISBURY – Elliot Gealy is in his comfort zone on the NGA/Hooters Tour and is ready to take his golf game to another level.

            The 27-year-old Salisbury golfer, in his fifth year as a pro, has jumped into first place in both money winnings ($61,338.83) and points (3093.17) after playing in 10 of the 11 Hooters events and finishing second in back-to-back tourneys.

            “You have to kind of take things as they come as far as the levels you play at,” said the former Clemson University golfer who is playing his third Hooters season. “I feel very comfortable on the Hooters Tour and, for some reason, I have a hard time on Nationwide letting myself play at that same level. I guess that’s just a learning process you go through as a professional golfer.”

            Gealy skipped the 11th stop on the Hooters Tour in Richmond June 12-15, and made it into Nationwide’s Northeast Pennsylvania Classic in Scranton, Pa., through the Monday qualifier. He had a 36-hole total of 143, missing the cut by three strokes.

            “Unfortunately I didn’t play as well as I would have liked in a Nationwide event. It’s hard. Basically, the difference is a little bit of mind-set,” he said.

            He hopes to get into more Nationwide events this season but, until that happens, he’s going to concentrate on his Hooters goals and on progressing toward that next level.

            “Last year, with bonus money, I made a little over $70,000. I am heading in the right direction. I would like to make over $100,000, if I could. That would be a really good year on the Hooters Tour, considering we don’t play for that much money. I’ll just take it one week at a time and, hopefully, I can have more chances to win,” said Gealy.

            He won $35,912 his first year as a Hooters golfer, then earned $58,671 last year, giving him almost $156,000 in three seasons. He’s progressed on the money list from 24th in 2001 to sixth in 2002 to the top spot.

            “That was one of my goals this year, to finish first in the money list, and I’m off to a good start the first half of the year. I just have to play solid the rest of the year, because last year I wasn’t able to do that. I played pretty good early and kind of fell off the rest of the year. It was kind of disappointing, so I’m looking forward to the last half of the year to try to have a full year of good golf,” he pointed out.

            Gealy is also hoping to win more than one tourney in a season for the first time. His first pro victory came on the TearDrop Tour in 1999, shortly after graduating from Clemson. His first Hooters triumph came at North Augusta, S.C., last year. He won the Michelob Light Classic at Albany, Ga., in March.

            “I’ve progressed on the Hooters Tour. The first year I was out there, it was more about just making cuts. Last year it was more about getting in contention to win. This year it’s all about winning every week. This year I’ve just gotten to a point where I feel very comfortable going out every week and preparing to win the golf tournament. I just hope I can get another chance at a higher level so I can really prove to myself more than anything else that I can play at that level and do it under the pressure out there,” Gealy explained.

            He feels his short-game consistency has been a big factor this season.

            “I’m usually a streaky putter, but this year I’ve been a little more consistent with putting. That’s probably a good reason why I am where I am. Short game, pitching and chipping: I’ve done a better job,” he said.

            Following the Hooters season, he’ll head back to PGA Qualifying School for the fifth time. He failed to get past first stage the first two years, but made it to second stage in 2001 and 2002. He missed the cut to advance to third stage by two strokes last year.

            “Q-School is just a different kind of atmosphere. If you can approach it as just another golf tournament, that’s the best way to do it, and you’ve just got to finish in the top 20. Q-School is all about the experiences you have. If you can learn from those experiences and do better the next year, that’s the goal. Last year I had a great experience. It was really painful and it hurt for a long time. That was tough, because I was close to changing my career and changing my life,” he said.

            So, when Q-School time rolls around again, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Gealy hopes to progress to the third stage.

            “Physically, I’m ready. I’ve been ready for a while. I’ve got to continue to gain confidence in myself throughout the year and get ready for the challenges I have, be it the Monday qualifier or be it through Q-School. I hope the progression works for one more year and I’m able to get to the finals and get my shot at getting on tour,” he said.