Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 18, 1990 TAG: 9007180014
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Bussey shot a 1-over-par 73 Tuesday in the first round of the Roanoke Valley Women's Golf Association championship. That was 19 strokes better than her final round in the Hall of Fame tournament.
"You never want to be embarrassed, but I've done that before in 15 or 16 years [of tournament golf]," said Bussey, defending champion in the RVWGA tournament. "I just came over here today not wanting to do anything foolish."
Bussey was all business as she birdied two of the first four holes at Hunting Hills. She takes a seven-shot lead into today's second round at Blue Hills. The tournament concludes Friday at Roanoke Country Club.
Bussey's closest pursuer was Dot Bolling, who decided to buy a new set of woods on the eve of the tournament, then changed her mind and used a set she had discarded four years ago.
Bolling, the 1988 champion, got a preview of Bussey's game in a practice round Friday at Hunting Hills.
"I wasn't going to keep score," Bussey said. "I try to focus on the course during a practice round, but we ran into some girls from Hunting Hills and had a little match. I shot a 75."
Three-time champion Audrey Najjum was in relatively close pursuit of Bussey on Tuesday before she faltered, with two double bogeys and a bogey on the last five holes. She was tied with Mildred Wegmann for third after an 81.
An eight-shot deficit isn't insurmountable, Najjum said, "but it means I've got a lot of work to do."
Another three-time champion, Penny Stallins, missed her 8 a.m. tee time and will not be eligible for the individual championship.
"I got up at 4 [a.m.] to see my roommate off to Mississippi," Stallins said. "I set the coffee maker, but I forgot to reset the alarm clock. I've been taking some medication to help me sleep because of muscle contractions, and evidently it works.
"I'm sick that I didn't make the tournament. I knew when I woke up at 7:45 that I'd blown it. It was too late to panic."
by CNB