Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 10, 1994 TAG: 9404100097
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Randy King
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Well, Snyder may have to refigure, depending on what transpires this weekend in Augusta, Ga.
"If Larry Mize wins the Masters," quipped Snyder on Friday, "everybody and their brother will find this place."
Mize, two shots off the lead entering today's final round of the Masters, has committed to a guest appearance at the first Liberty University-PGA Celebrity Classic to be held at Water's Edge, located near Penhook on Smith Mountain Lake.
The 1987 Masters champion will play the course's signature hole - the par-3 7th, which includes an unique island green - with each of the 26 four-member teams in the captain's choice affair. Each team also will have its picture taken with Mize.
Tournament organizer and Liberty golf coach Frank Landrey lined up Mize's appearance through his longtime friend, Rik Massengale, who still plays sparingly on the PGA Tour. Mize is donating his entire $10,000 appearance fee to Massengale's Christian College Golf Fellowship organization.
"I'm hoping to turn this into a yearly deal," Landrey said. "I'm hoping and praying that we can get players like Bernhard Langer, Scott Simpson and Corey Pavin in the future."
Massengale, whose PGA career was slowed by a back injury in 1980, will play the par-3 11th hole with each group.
As of Friday afternoon, there were only a few openings left in the tournament, which costs $1,000 per team or $250 per player. In addition to a Sunday practice round and tournament prizes, each contestant will receive two 1994-95 Liberty basketball season tickets.
Mize, 35, entered the Masters with four career tour wins and nearly $4 million in prize money. He is best known for his 140-foot chip-in that beat Greg Norman on the second hole of a playoff in the 1987 Masters.
\ HOT DONNA: The LPGA Tour has found a way to stop Donna Andrews - take the week off. When the tour resumes this week in Atlanta, Andrews leads the LPGA in wins (two), Rolex Player of the Year points (18) and Solheim Cup points (196.72). The Lynchburg native ranks second in money-earnings ($202,100), top-10 finishes (three) and eagles (three); third in rounds played under par (13); fourth in scoring average (71.14) and driving accuracy (.878); sixth in greens hit in regulation (.720) and ninth in birdies (67).
\ ON THE MOVE: K.C. Jones, former head professional at Hanging Rock, has surfaced as general manager at Chestnut Creek Country Club at Smith Mountain Lake. . . . Jay Reid, former assistant pro at Hunting Hills, has taken a head pro's job at Rain Tree Golf Club in Charlotte, N.C. . . . Former Blacksburg Country Club head pro Jimmy Williams is now working as teaching pro at Cox's Range in Blacksburg. . . . Kathy Dodd has resurfaced at Drive-A-Way Range, recently purchasing the combination golf range-baseball batting cage facility. Dodd, who ran the facility in the 1980s, said she soon plans to hire a PGA pro, who will offer playing lessons. Dodd also said she plans to return as a regular competitor on the local women's tournament scene this summer.
\ COLLEGE FRONT: Ferrum begins defense of its Division II-III Virginia Intercollegiate title today at the Lower Cascades in Hot Springs. The 36-hole tournament concludes Monday. Ferrum's Stuart Smith, who played his high school golf at Cave Spring, is the defending individual champion. . . . Virginia Tech holds its eighth Spring Swing today, an annual fund-raiser for the Hokies' golf team that has sold out for the eighth time. Tech coach Jay Hardwick said in the event's first seven years it has raised some $56,000 for golf scholarships. This year's honorary chairman is former Tech coach and administrator Bill "Moose" Matthews. . . . Former Northside stalwart Eric Early has played a huge role in Hamden-Sydney's quick start in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference race.
\ SAND BLASTS: Chestnut Creek officials have submitted a request to the Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame for membership. The Hardy-based club's request has been tabled until next year by the Hall of Fame board. The Hall of Fame added Water's Edge as its 10th competing member last fall. . . . Ole Monterey spokesman Paul Willard said asphalt paving of the course's cart paths will be the first order of business in the club's improvement plan for 1994. . . . Snowshoe (W.Va.) Mountain Resort's new course, Hawthorne Valley, has been rated one of the top 10 public layouts in America by Golf Magazine. The challenged 7,044-yard mountain course designed by Gary Player opened last July.
Keywords:
GOLF
by CNB