Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 20, 1993 TAG: 9308200024
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Unknown in many circles before firing a tournament-record 8-under-par 63 on Wednesday at Blue Hills, Naff backed it up Thursday with a 2-under 71 at Hanging Rock to dust the field in qualifying.
Naff's 36-hole total of 134 eclipsed the old qualifying record of 137, set by current Roanoke professional Dicky Linkous in 1989. Naff finished eight shots ahead of his nearest competitor, Denton Willard of Salem.
"Right now, I believe Mr. Naff is the man to beat," Willard said. "He's on a roll and he's going to be very hard to handle."
Naff, a 37-year-old Roanoker who plays out of Botetourt Country Club, said he has never played better. His timing has been as impeccable as his game.
In two rounds, Naff made 13 birdies and an eagle. After finishing the front bogey-double bogey Thursday, the long hitter rebounded by shooting a back nine of 5-under 31.
"I can't believe I've shot what I've shot," said Naff, who is playing in his first Valley Am. "I'm just playing way over my head right now."
Naff, who said he has never had a formal lesson, credited Blue Hills pro Billy King for his newfound success.
"Billy gave me a tip last week," Naff said. "He told me last week to ease up a little bit on my swing, hit a little more club, and my score Scores in Scoreboard. would drop by five shots. So far, he's right."
Still, Naff isn't about to call this tournament his. He knows 1992 champion Don Foster, who was exempt from qualifying, still is lurking - somewhere.
"I'm sure not the favorite," Naff said. "Don Foster and [fourth-place qualifier] Mark Funderburke have to still be the two favorites in match play. The best thing about winning this is that I don't have to see Foster until the final match, if I get there."
Naff will face 65-year-old Rufus Spiers in his first-round match this morning at Countryside.
"There's no way [Naff] can take me seriously," Spiers said, seeming to relish the challenge.
Foster gets Bill Proffitt, the last man to make the field. Proffitt qualified at 157.
In contrast to the record numbers posted at Blue Hills, Naff's 71 was the only subpar round of the day on Hanging Rock's trouble-filled, tree-lined layout. Willard, who was 3 under before finishing double bogey, birdie, double bogey, shot 73 and qualified at 142. Ohio transplant Alex Stanek (76) was third at 144, and Funderburke (76) was fourth at 145.
In the 50-and-over seniors division, first-time competitor Ray Holley shot 147 to take the qualifying medal. Holley, the 55-year-old brother of former Roanoke Country Club pro Wayne Holley, had a 79 on Thursday on the heels of a brilliant 68 at Blue Hills.
"That was the first time I've broken 70 in competition," Holley said of his opening round. "I played in this thing two years in the open division. I wasn't going to play this year until Wayne mentioned I was old enough for the seniors. I was able to get early starting times where I could still make work. That's the only way I could play."
Paul Housman, who had a 76 to tie Jim Hunter for the low senior round Thursday, qualified second at 150. Ray Barton, last year's runner-up, and 1992 champion Reggie Clark were third and fourth at 151 and 153, respectively.
The open division will play two rounds of match play today, paring the field to 16 players. Two more rounds will be played Saturday, with the 36-hole finale set for Sunday. The seniors will play one round of match play today, one Saturday and the 18-hole final Sunday. All three days of match play will be held at Countryside.
by CNB