Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 9, 1995 TAG: 9508090068
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Don't give up on that golf game yet, folks. There's still hope.
Don't believe it? Just catch Stefanie Reynolds' act this week at Roanoke Country Club.
Three years after picking up her first golf club, the 17-year-old Pennsylvanian threw a 1-under-par 72 at the girls' 15-18 field Tuesday in the first round of the Scott Robertson Memorial Tournament.
Reynolds' game plan is simple. Just keep subtracting on the scorecard.
"I shot a 106 the first time I played three years ago,'' Reynolds said. "The next summer I was in the mid-80s, then last summer I broke 80 for the first time. Now I'm in the 70s. I'm hoping for the 60s next.''
Don't get too excited, Reynolds does have some distinct advantages. She's young, and she has time to practice 10 hours a day, not to mention the fact she's an athlete.
"I've played about every other sport - basketball, soccer, swimming,'' she said. "Then my Dad signed me up for golf. Since, I've fallen in love with this game.
"How did I do it so fast? Well, I've got a great coach and I practice everyday.
"I know I'm doing well in this game. I'm just trying to not let it all go to my head.''
Reynolds' round was punctuated by a near hole-in-one at the 140-yard 18th. Her 6-iron hit the pin, with the ball landing and stopping on the lip of the cup.
"I thought it was in the hole when I heard the gallery make all the noise,'' Reynolds said. "Boy, an ace would have been nice.''
Reynolds, who finished in the low 30 out of 160 players at last week's U.S. Junior, leads New Yorker Amie Lehman by two shots. Defending champion Mallory Crosland of Bethesda, Md., is third, five shots back.
In the girls' 13-14 division, Jennifer Elsea of Columbus, Ohio, shot an 80 to take a one-shot lead on Jill Crowe of Ormond Beach, Fla. Tiada Lane of Alamorgordo, N.M., is two shots back in third.
In boys' play, big-hitting Matthew Anderson of South Boston fired his best competitive round ever - a 1-under 70 - to take a one-shot lead on a tightly-bunched field into today's second round of the 54-hole event.
Bryan Burns of Clarence, N.Y., Jaysen Hansen of Grand Ledge, Mich., Brian Nash of Athens, Ga., and Andrew Sanders of Cincinnati all shot 71.
Six players, including local hotshot Nick Varney, are at 72.
Anderson, a strapping 6-foot-3, 220-pound rising junior at Halifax County High School, tamed RCC's tight layout with minimal problems, mixing two birdies with only one bogey.
"That's definitely the best round I've played in a long time,'' said Anderson, who missed only three greens in regulation.
"Let's not get too excited yet, though. It's a little early to start thinking about winning this thing. All I can do is try to get the job done the next two days, add it up and hope it holds up.''
In the boys' 13-14 division, Michael Chandler of Dublin and Georgian Tommy Branch lead the way at 74. RCC member Trey Clower and Mike Merolla of Richmond are one shot back.
SAND BLASTS: Due to no-shows and late withdrawals, the first seven alternate entries made the boys' 15-18 field. Roanoke's Brian Whitaker and Bedford's Lee Fisher were among the lucky ones to get a reprieve. It was a particularly fortunate break for No.7 alternate Michael Evans, who made the long haul from Georgetown, Ontario, to play this week. ... Two-time Virginia Junior girls' champion Anne Cardea of Midlothian apparently has hit the golfing wall. Cardea, working on a long string of weekly summer events, withdrew after nine holes Monday, telling tournament officials she ``was burned out.'' A 9-over 46 on the front didn't help matters for Cardea, third here last year. ... The day's perseverance award goes to Edgar Allen Lott, father of girls' 15-18 entry Katherine Lott of Grosse Ile, Mich. The elder Lott fell down walking off the 10th tee - his daughter's first hole - and broke his wrist. After walking 18 holes, Lott, in obvious pain, asked a tournament official to take him to Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
by CNB