Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 14, 1993 TAG: 9306140317
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Shirley, who at 16 already has bagged her share of junior titles, added another line to her sparkling resume Sunday, winning the Hall of Fame at Hanging Rock Golf Club.
Showing composure that belied her years, Shirley rebounded from four consecutive back-side bogeys that cost her the lead. She parred the final three holes to beat veteran golfer Nancy Shuck by three shots.
On a day when steady rain made an already-tough Hanging Rock layout more difficult, Shirley had a 9-over-par 82 to finish with a 36-hole total of 158.
It was Shirley's first victory against much older, much more experienced competition. And it definitely won't be her last, Shuck said.
"Everybody's going to be playing for second as long as Lee's around," Shuck said. "This girl is going to be a great player. She is already, but she's going to be really great before it's over."
Shirley, who will be a senior in the fall at North Cross School, said it was special to beat many women whose names she has been reading for years.
"I look at this as a real stepping stone for me," she said. "I don't play a lot with these women, so it's hard to gauge where I stand. So it means a lot to beat such an experienced group of players."
It wasn't easy, though. Shirley, who began the round with a one-shot lead on Shuck, bogeyed Nos. 12-15, three-putting three times. Meanwhile, Shuck strung together four pars in the same stretch of holes to turn a three-shot deficit into a one-shot edge.
In the final three holes, it was the veteran, not the youngster, who collapsed. Shuck three-putted the par-5 16th for bogey, topped her second shot and three-putted the 17th for double bogey, then three-putted at No. 18 for another bogey.
"I had stayed in it by putting so well, then I three-putt the last three holes," Shuck said. "Hand it to Lee. She really showed composure for a kid her age. It was me who folded."
Dot Bolling shot 83 to finish four shots back in third. Marilyn Bussey was fourth at 165 and 1992 champion Sara Cole was fifth at 167.
Roma Stverak, who holed a 65-yard wedge shot for an eagle-3 at the par-5 10th, was sixth at 169.
Paced by Bolling and Shuck, Hidden Valley edged 1992 champion Countryside by two shots for the team title. It was Hidden Valley's third championship in four years.
by CNB