
DATE: Friday, July 4, 1997                  TAG: 9707020239

SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS     PAGE: 08   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   85 lines

CHURCHLAND'S JENNIFER KAY WINS EASTERN AMATEUR SCHOLARSHIP GOLF SUCCESS HAS PAID OFF FOR HONOR STUDENT HEADING FOR WILLIAM & MARY.

Jennifer Kay, a June Churchland High graduate who gained fame locally last summer when she became the first girl to win the Portsmouth City Park Junior Golf Tournament overall title, will receive the third annual Eastern Amateur Scholarship Award.

Kay joins Charles Padrick, the 1995 recipient, as a scholarship award winner from Churchland. Heather Jeffries, who earned the 1996 scholarship and just completed her first year at James Madison University, graduated from Western Branch.

Kay will attend William & Mary this fall.

Each year proceeds from the Eastern Amateur, which runs Monday through July 13 at Elizabeth Manor, helps fund a $1,000 college scholarship for a graduating area high school golfer.

``It helps give more purpose to the Eastern Amateur,'' award chairman Gene Luke said. ``We can help someone continue their education and at the same time promote the sport of golf.''

The presentation to Kay will be made at the annual awards ceremony at the conclusion of the tournament.

Kay, an 18-year-old lifelong Portsmouth resident and a two-time letter winner on the Churchland High golf team, took up the sport six years ago and was instructed by her father, Bill, and a cousin, K.E. Yelverton. Her first taste of success came in 1993, when she placed second in the girls division of the City Park tournament.

Kay then won the event the next two years before breaking through last August to defeat 28 boys and capture the overall title.

``I think I was more surprised than any of them,'' Kay said.

Her 156 for 36 holes was 19 strokes better than her girls-division-winning score of the previous year.

Also an outstanding softball player, Kay spent eight years in the Churchland Girls Softball League, seven as a pitcher, and was a five-time MVP.

Kay finished at Churchland with a 4.16 grade-point average and graduated among the top 10 in her class.

In addition to her Eastern Amateur scholarship, Kay was also awarded the Presidential Award for Educational Excellence and the Tandy Technology Scholar Award.