Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 17, 1995 TAG: 9508170045
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JAMES C. BLACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A heat wave and the threat of a hurricane this week didn't stop 94 golfers from participating in the qualifying round of the Roanoke Valley Amateur Championship at Blue Hills on Wednesday.
Brian Agee, the 1994 winner of the Senior division of the Roanoke Valley Golf Association City-County Junior Championship, shot a 6-under-par 65 to lead the first round of qualifying in the Open division. (Results in Scoreboard. B4)
``I hit the ball really well,'' said Agee, who had six birdies and no bogeys. ``I didn't do anything stupid.''
Barring a thunderstorm or worse from Hurricane Felix, the second round of qualifying will be played today at Hanging Rock. And whether the second round takes place, match play begins Friday and continues through Sunday at Countryside.
Agee is one stroke ahead of Rodney Naff, the 1993 champion and '94 runner-up. Cam Young, Brian Hill and John Hubbard, who each shot 4-under-par 67s, are a stroke behind Naff and two strokes behind Agee.
Don Foster, the 1992 champion, is five strokes back at 70.
Tommy Lesperance, winner of this week's Senior division of the City-County tournament, shot a 77.
In the Senior division, William Proffitt fired a 71 to take a one-stroke lead on Reggie Clark, Gibby Wingfield and Gene Funderburke. George May is three strokes back at 74 and John Ring is five back at 76.
Of the 94 participants, which is said to be the largest number of competitors ever, 70 are competing in the Open division with the top 31 golfers advancing to match play on Friday. The 31st-seeded golfer at the end of qualifying plays Adam Harrell, the 1994 champion, who received an automatic bid.
Of the 24 golfers playing in the senior division, only the top eight advance to match play.
by CNB