Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 26, 1993 TAG: 9309260028
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: E11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Randy King
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Roanoke father-son combination shot 10-under-par 278 to win the recent Lefty-Righty National Championship at Cedar Rock Country Club in Lenoir, N.C.
"It eases the pain of us both losing in the Valley Am final," Mark said. "Hell, this was bigger than [the Valley Am]. This was a national deal."
The Funderburkes won the crown when the host club's Danny Anderson and Marylander Jim DeBusk bogeyed the second hole of a sudden-death playoff. The tournament included 80 two-man teams from across the country.
"It was super-big at one time," said Gene, a 60-year-old left-hander who has missed playing in the tournament only once in 31 years.
"It's still pretty-good size. Normally, we wouldn't have won it because I didn't help Mark that much. I might have cut him a hole or two, but without him we're not in the race. He did most of the work. Shoot, he practically beat 'em by himself."
Mark, 36, is a club champion at Blue Hills. He lost a 1-up decision to Rodney Naff in the Valley Am Open Division final, the same day Gene dropped a 3-and-1 decision to Gibby Winfield in the Seniors Division final.
"That may have been my last chance," said Gene, a two-time Valley Am Seniors winner. "I need a super seniors division. But Mark has plenty of time left. I think he'll win one before he's done."
In other golf:
\ LOADED FOR GOLDEN BEAR: During his six-hour round Tuesday at Hunting Hills, Fuzzy Zoeller was asked what is golf's biggest problem?
"No doubt, it's slow play," said Zoeller, one of the PGA Tour's few quick workers. "You should be able to play a round of golf in three, 3 1/2 hours, no problem.
"Jack Nicklaus is the greatest player to ever play the game, but I think he's done the game much more harm than good. I blame him for much of the slow play you see on courses today. Nobody ever took that much time to play until Jack came on tour."
\ SETTING THE PACE: A proposal to help reduce slow play has been developed by the USGA and will be distributed to golf associations throughout the country for implementation at clubs.
The plan offers a formula for "USGA Pace Rating" of courses. Pace Rating, in effect, will establish tee times for 18 holes, based on the following formula: 1, length of hole, including distance from greens to tees; 2, time spent on and around the greens; 3, obstacle difficulty (hazards and other perils); and 4, consideration of situations where carts are restricted to paths.
The formula is based mostly on yardage and slope rating, which clubs already possess. It is expected that most clubs will have a Pace Rating of four hours or less.
\ CLUB LAURELS: Chris Clemens amassed 12 birdies while edging Mike Smith in Roanoke Country Club's 36-hole club final. . . . Scott Prince upset Valley Am titlist Rodney Naff in Botetourt Country Club's 36-hole championship. . . . Hall of Fame champion Bobby Penn (8-over 227 for 54 holes) finished third in the Hanging Rock club championship behind Ted Comer (222) and Robert Floyd (225). . . . Brandon LaCroix, 13, won the Hunting Hills junior club title for the second consecutive year. Chris Case was runner-up. . . . Tuesday's complete Champion of Champions scoreboard: 74 - Ted Comer (Hanging Rock); 75 - Greg Caldwell (Hidden Valley), Scott Prince (Botetourt); 76 - Mark Funderburke (Blue Hills), Clemens (Blue Hills), Marvin Thews (Hunting Hills), David Lee (Ole Monterey); 79 - Dan Shervey (Waterfront); 81 - Mark Humphreys (Countryside); 84 - Jim White (Water's Edge).
\ SAND BLASTS: Robert Floyd, son of professional golfer Raymond Floyd, took an official visit to the University of Virginia during the Sept. 17-18 weekend. Floyd, considered one of the top golf prospects in the country, is said to be leaning toward Duke and Virginia over North Carolina, Louisiana State and Florida. His older brother, Ray Jr., is a freshman at Wake Forest. . . . Donna Andrews' recent hot streak, which included her first LPGA victory Sept. 12, has moved her into the tour's top 10 in winnings (10th, $291,933); scoring average (ninth, 71.61); birdies (eighth, 252); sub-par rounds (seventh, 39); and driving accuracy (second, .815). . . . Don Assaid teamed with guest Jerry Green to win the recent Equitable Invitational-American Red Cross tournament at Hanging Rock. Assaid and Green advance to play in the National Equitable Invitational finals Thursday through Oct. 3 in Ponte Vedra, Fla. The tournament raised more than $2,000 for the Midwest flood-relief program. . . . Vikki Valentine, the 1991 women's State Amateur champion who turned pro in the summer of 1992, is the new women's coach at William and Mary.
by CNB