Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 15, 1995 TAG: 9508150035
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAMES C. BLACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Lesperance shot two eagles and finished with a 7-under par 64 to take the first-round lead of the two-day Roanoke Valley Golf Association City-County Junior Championship at Blue Hills. The final round is today at Countryside.
"This is my best round," said Lesperance, who has been playing golf for seven years. "With these two courses we are playing at, you just have to play smart and make your birdies."
The 64 was the lowest score recorded in area junior golf since Chris Turner fired a 63 at Blue Hills last summer.
Lesperance had an eagle on the par-5 sixth hole and sank an approach shot for eagle at the tough par-4 12th hole. With a tree obstructing his view, Lesperance said his tee shot on his second eagle was "just a blind shot."
The Glenvar High School star played the course's four par-5s in 4-under.
Probably the one discouraging setback of Lesperance's day was the competition. He has only a three-shot lead over Mark Baldwin of Patrick Henry with two other players tied four shots back at 68. (Scores in Scoreboard.)
"There are a few good guys here," Lesperance said.
Baldwin didn't have a bogey and birdied on the 6th, 8th, 9th and 18th holes.
Jason Orlando, who is tied with Northside teammate Justin Young, also had four birdies, but bogeyed the 11th to finish at 68.
"It was an up and down day," Orlando said. "I hit a lot of greens on the front and made putts when I had to."
Daryl Byrd is 1-under par 72 in the junior division and has a two-stroke lead over Brandon LaCroix.
In the midget group, Jason Blake, 12, and Chris McCorkle, 10, both of Roanoke, each shot 41 to take the first-day lead. Charlie Patterson is three strokes back at 44.
In the pee-wee division, Matt Willard, 8, of Salem and Michael Kidd, 9, of Roanoke are tied for first after scoring 15 in the opening round.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***