
DATE: Wednesday, July 9, 1997               TAG: 9707090578

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   73 lines

MERRITT WINS FIRST FLIGHT TOURNEY HE BEAT SOUTHWORTH BY 2 AS THEY JOIN 10 OTHERS IN QUALIFYING FOR EASTERN AMATEUR.

Stephen Merritt's putting stroke is about as unconventional as could be imagined.

First, he uses an elongated putter, having jammed a driver's shaft into a Ping Anser about eight years ago.

Then, he takes it to extremes by putting side-saddle, a la Sam Snead.

The only way it could get any stranger looking would be if he stood on one foot.

He nearly does, planting his right foot mere inches from the ball and rising onto the toes of his left foot.

If it works, why change?

Merritt backed up his opening-round 4-under-par 66 with a round of 72 for a 2-under 138 total Tuesday to win the First Flight Tournament of the Eastern Amateur by two shots over Michael Southworth.

Merritt and 11 others who shot 149 or better for the two days earned spots in the main draw of the 41st annual Eastern Amateur, which begins Thursday at Elizabeth Manor Golf and Country Club.

``I used to play a lot when I was a kid,'' said Merritt, a 40-year-old certified public accountant from Chesapeake who manages Nike Tour player Joe Daley's finances. ``Then I went into the Navy and when I came out I developed a terrible case of the yips.

``I tried the long putter, I tried cross-handed, but I couldn't make any putts. About 20 years ago I lost a match in the New York State Amateur to a guy who putted like I do now, so I gave it a try.

``Believe me, you don't want to see me putt the conventional way. I don't know if I've perfected this, but I don't `Gag it like a maggot' like I used to.''

Merritt, in fact, putts pretty well.

He drained a 30-foot, par-saving putt at the par-4 eighth Tuesday after making birdie putts of 12 and 8 feet at the fourth and fifth holes, both par 4s.

The only true putting glitch of his two days came at the ninth, where he three-putted for double bogey. In fact, that was about the only glitch of his two days.

Southworth, who had opened with a 67, never edged past Merritt Tuesday and his chance of catching Merritt on the home holes died at the par-4 17th when he drove into a fairway bunker and made bogey.

Merritt, who made routine par at the 17th for a three-shot lead, played for a conservative par at the home hole, which Southworth reached in two and two-putted for birdie.

Southworth, a 1986 graduate of Kellam High in Virginia Beach who describes himself as a Beach nomad when it comes to golf - ``I play all the public courses there'' - had his own unusual look that nearly matched Merritt's putting stroke. Six days ago, he shaved his head. And although he plays without a cap, the tan on his dome has yet to catch up with the rest of him.

``I think I had Stephen thinking about it at the 17th tee,'' Southworth grinned. ``But that's OK. I'm just happy to be in the main show.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo

BILL TIERNAN/The Virginian-Pilot

Michael Southworth of Virginia Beach tries to coax a birdie putt to

fall at the 5th hole during Eastern Amateur qualifying Tuesday. He

settled for a par.

Color Photo

BILL TIERNAN/The Virginian-Pilot

Stephen Merritt, a 40-year-old certified public accountant from

Chesapeake, offers a putting stroke that is about as unconventional

as could be imagined. ``Believe me, you don't want to see me putt

the conventional way,'' he said. ``I don't know if I've perfected

this, but I don't `Gag it like a maggot' like I used to.'' KEYWORDS: GOLF