Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 13, 1995 TAG: 9508150003
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
During the past weekend in Ypsilanti, Mich., Craft proved he knows how to handle the flat stick, winning the amateur division at the Professional Putters Association National Championship.
The 20-year-old Roanoke College sophomore shot 62-under-par 226 for the 144-hole tournament in beating a field that included five state champions. Craft's total was only 10 shots off the winning professional division number posted by PPA Hall of Famer Bill Kirby.
``I've always been a good putter,'' Craft said. ``There was just something about the putter I really liked. I had a putter in my hand a long time before the other golf clubs.
``I took a golf lesson once, but I never quite got into the golf scene. I thought maybe I'd pick up, get better and get into it a little. Never could, though.''
The 1993 William Byrd High School graduate started puttering around 10 years ago. He has been hooked ever since.
``I started on a weekly basis and really liked it,'' said Craft, whose best round is 23 (15 under). ``I won a few local tournaments and went pro for a year in 1992.''
Craft found the going tough as a pro. Not only was it expensive to travel from tournament to tournament, but he found himself in a pool full of sharks.
``Those guys were just too good,'' he said. ``I just didn't have enough experience. You have to shoot in the low 20s every round just about.
``Most of those guys started playing a lot earlier than I did and they have that extra experience. Right now, I think that's the only difference. I'm definitely going to give the pro tour another shot when I think I'm ready.''
For the next year, Craft will have to settle for being the nation's top amateur.
``It sounds good to me,'' he said.
BUSY WEEK: The Roanoke Valley Golf Association holds it two biggest tournaments back-to-back this week.
The RVGA City-County Junior Championship will be played Monday (Blue Hills) and Tuesday (Countryside).
Top contenders for the 17-and-under title include Mark Baldwin, Jacob Jarrett, Justin Young, Jason Orlando, Tommy Lesperance and Ray Harrell. Defending champion Brian Agee is ineligible after turning 18.
The 16-and-under division should be a battle between Brandon LaCroix and Matt Chandler.
The Roanoke Valley Amateur Championship begins Wednesday with first-round qualifying at Blue Hills. Second-round qualifying is Thursday at Hanging Rock.
The low 31 qualifiers join 1994 champion Adam Harrell at Countryside on Friday for the start of match play. Countryside also plays host to the final rounds of match play Saturday and Sunday.
Besides Adam Harrell, other contenders among the 58 entries filed as of Thursday included 1993 champion and '94 runner-up Rodney Naff, '92 champion Don Foster, '93 runner-up Mark Funderburke, plus perennial title threats Tim Chocklett and David Hagadorn.
In Seniors (50-and-older) play, 1994 champion Gibby Wingfield and division newcomer Bill Proffitt head the list of 18 early entries.
DALY DOSE: John Daly occasionally flirts with the out-of-bounds stakes off the course, as well as on it.
Daly, who had his head shaved after winning the British Open in July, had this advice on team unity for U.S. Ryder Cup captain Lanny Wadkins:
``I think it would be intimidating as hell if all 12 of our guys showed up with shaved heads. People think I'm crazy for shaving my head. Can you imagine all 12 guys doing it?''
FOX-PUSS RECAP: While favored David Partridge coasted to his second consecutive title, winning by three shots over runner-up Greg Bales of Richmond, the play of Salem's Mike Gardner down the stretch did not go unnoticed.
Gardner, a 2-handicapper at Hanging Rock, had seven birdies in a nine-hole stretch from Nos.8-16 in the final round to shoot 1-over 73 and finish in a tie for fourth at 225. Gardner's birdie binge included Nos.8-12.
Roanoke's Jack Tuttle also supplied some late theatrics, holing a 155-yard approach shot for eagle-2 at the 18th. Tuttle's final-round 73 was enough to win the fifth flight.
While Gardner and Tuttle left Lynchburg smiling, Richmonder Vinny Giles had checked out of the Hill City much earlier. The six-time Fox-Puss champion withdrew after Friday's first round, in which he was assessed a two-shot penalty for practice putting after finishing a hole.
After being told he was being assessed the penalty, Giles, who shot 77, refused to turn in his scorecard and informed officials he was heading home.
SAND BLASTS: Giles and Galax's Tom McKnight were the biggest names who failed to make the U.S. Amateur field in qualifying Monday at Petersburg Country Club. Two Virginia Tech players - Curtis Deal and Sean Farrell - joined Virginia's Jimmy Flippen and North Carolina resident Mark Gauley as the four qualifiers. Roanoke's Jake Allison, who made the field last year, failed to qualify. ...
Roanoke's Lee Taylor had quite a roller-coaster ride in the Scott Robertson Memorial. Taylor, 13, who is being touted by some as the area's next great junior golfer, had rounds of 85, 68 and 75. ... The fourth Mid-Atlantic PGA Club Pro-Kazim Temple tournament will be held Monday at Hanging Rock. A full field, paced by 1994 winners Mark Fry of Roanoke Country Club and Ronnie Kelly of Prince George Golf Club, will compete for more than $10,000 in cash and prizes.
by CNB