Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 24, 1994 TAG: 9404240199
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
At least, Ryan Ketron hopes so.
Ketron, the William Byrd senior who has dominated the area's junior golf scene the past two years, announced this week he will be attending Campbell University on a combination academic-golf scholarship.
Ketron's decision had to come as good news for Camels coach John Crooks, a former Roanoker who has since transformed the Buies Creek, N.C., school into a golf mini-power.
"I think Campbell will be good for me," said Ketron, whose eight tournament wins the past two years include the 1992 Group AA state championship.
"They have a strong program down there, plus Crooks is the kind of coach who can really help elevate my game. I talked to my instructor [Roanoke Country Club head professional] Phil Owenby about Crooks, and Phil seems to think that he really can help me with my course management."
Despite his impressive junior record and sparkling grades, Ketron didn't attract a wave of attention from area college programs.
"I think the rap on me was that I didn't play in enough national-type events," Ketron said. "But it's not easy to get in those kind of tournaments. I tried to get in about seven the past year and got turned down in every one. So what are you supposed to do?
"Yes, I thought I'd get more offers. I talked to Virginia Tech, but I wanted to get away from this area. Virginia coach Mike Moraghan called recently, but by then I already had decided to go to Campbell. Moraghan said, `Well, I'm sorry I didn't talk to you earlier.' "
Crooks, who won the 1984 Hall of Fame title while living in Roanoke, was tipped off on his latest recruit by RCC member Jack Tuttle.
"That got Crooks looking at me last November," Ketron said. "Then I went down to Pinehurst [N.C.] and played well in the Donald Ross tournament [finishing third in a strong field]. I talked to Crooks there, and that's when I started thinking seriously about Campbell."
The Camels won the Big South championship the past two years. Campbell will move into the Trans-America Conference next year.
"They've got a great course there and the weather is better than up here," Ketron said. "Hopefully, I will be able to play well on the college level.
"One of these days, my dream is to play professionally. Play on the PGA Tour . . . to me that would be the greatest thing on earth to ever do."
\ LOCAL TOURNEY WRAP: Hanging Rock teaching pro Chip Sullivan fired a 7-under-par 64 to blow away the field by three shots in Monday's Dogwood Pro-Am at Meadowcreek Golf Course in Charlottesville. The 64 was the lowest competitive round ever recorded on the two-year-old, 6,030-yard course. . . . Sullivan and Roanoke amateur partners Robert Floyd, Tim Gliniecki and Chris Lawson collaborated for a 7-under 135 total to capture second place team honors in the Middle Atlantic PGA's season-opening event at River Bend Country Club in Great Falls. Sullivan was second in the pro scratch division.
The Roanoke-section squad composed of teams Chris Clemens-Jake Allison (73-69), Ned Baber-Dan Keffer (74-70), Jack Allara-Charlie Turner (75-75) and Barry Graham-Jeff Lynch (78-75) finished second among 12 entries in last weekend's VSGA Regional Team Matches at Stoney Creek in Wintergreen. The Northern Virginia-section team won the 36-hole four-ball competition by nine shots. . . . Bob Moyers and Jim Kite will defend their title in the VSGA Senior Four-Ball Championship, to be played Monday and Tuesday at Williamsburg Country Club.
Mike Smith is the only local on the Virginia roster for next weekend's Virginia-West Virginia team matches at The Homestead. West Virginia won the competition last year, but trails in the overall series 7-3. . . . The entry deadline for the VSGA's 4-Ball Championship at Fincastle Country Club in Bluefield on May 21-22 has been extended to May 4.
\ TOUR TIDBITS: Johnny Miller and Larry Nelson, winners of the U.S. Open when it was played at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club in 1973 and 1983, have accepted full special exemptions from qualifying for this year's tournament, scheduled June 16-19 at Oakmont. . . . Former U.S. Amateur champions Deane Beman and Labron Harris Jr., and 1993 British Senior Open runner-up Tommy Horton have accepted special exemptions for the 1994 U.S. Senior Open, to be played at June 30-July 3 at Pinehurst, N.C. They join former U.S. Am champs Jay Sigel and Bob Dickson, who were granted special exemptions earlier.
\ SAND BLASTS: The Liberty University-PGA Celebrity Open, featuring PGA Tour pro Larry Mize, starts at 9 a.m. Monday at Water's Edge in Penhook. . . . VSGA tournament director Richard Smith said the State Junior Boys' championship, scheduled for Aug. 1-3 at Blacksburg Country Club, won't be affected by the recent fire that destroyed most of the clubhouse. . . . Brookside, the popular Williamson Road par-3 course, has been put up for sale by owner Pete Dodd. . . . PGA Tour players Lanny Wadkins and Davis Love III, and television golf analysts Gary Koch and Ben Wright are scheduled to be among the guests for a roast honoring 1993 AMF Signet Open champion Vinny Giles on July 5 in Richmond. Tickets will go on sale to the general public starting May 15. Tickets, which are $100 per person, can be ordered by calling the Sports Backers at (804) 285-9495.
by CNB