ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, July 19, 1996 TAG: 9607190047
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS AND STAFF REPORTS
HEAVY RAINS soften the course as Rick Schuller and Simon Cooke fire 66s.
Rick Schuller and Simon Cooke each shot 6-under-par 66s Thursday to take a one-shot lead in the rain-plagued first round of the AMF-Signet Open.
For about half of the 171 players in the field, it was a race to beat darkness following a two-hour rain delay.
``It was too dark to play, but you just hope for the best,'' said Cooke, who still had 13 holes to play after the rain delay. ``I was playing so well I just didn't want to quit.''
The 23-year-old Cooke, a former Virginia player who turned pro last week, did not have a bogey on his card. In his first tournament, last weekend's Michelob Classic at Kingsmill, Cooke, representing the Keswick Club, was in the hunt through three rounds before ballooning to a final-round 78 and finishing well down in the money.
``I was hot, but then I got cold,'' said Schuller, a 33-year-old Chantilly pro, who was 8 under after 14 holes before taking a double bogey on the par-3 15th.
``My caddie kept me focused,'' said Schuller, who tied the 6,694-yard Willow Oaks Country Club course record with a 63 in last year's third round. His two-shot lead evaporated when he shot a final round 75 and finished tied for fourth.
David Passerell of Palmyra and pro Mark Guttenberg of Leesburg shot 5-under 67s.
``If you keep it in the fairway and hit the greens, you can score if you make putts,'' said Passerell, 27, who had six birdies and a bogey.
``A whole bunch of putts fell in,'' said Passerell, who had one 20-footer and two or three from the 4-foot to 5-foot range. He hit 15 greens.
``I left a lot of putts short that could have gone, but you can't complain when you shoot 67,'' said Guttenberg, 43. Guttenberg, who played his last five holes in the rain, had six birdies and one bogey and hit 16 greens.
The players took advantage of the rain-softened course with a whopping 32 players under par.
A large group at 69 included State Amateur champion John Rollins of Richmond and three former winners - Keith Decker of Fieldale, Allen Barber of Yorktown and Hank Klein, playing on his home course.
Among local pros, Hot Springs' Mark Fry shot a 70, Roanoke's Billy King shot a 71, and Roanokers Dicky Linkous and Chip Sullivan carded 72s.
Among local amateurs were two-time State Amateur winner Keith Decker of Fieldale at 69, Lexington's David Brogan at 72 and Roanoke's Charlie Keffer at 73.
``I just rode those guys (Schuller 66, Mike Moyers 69),'' said Decker. ``I thought it was going to be last year and 63 all over again.''
``It was a good round to get started with,'' said Rollins, the 21-year-old Colonial Athletic Association player of the year at Virginia Commonwealth. ``Hopefully, it's something to build on tomorrow.''
Defending champion Rob McNamara of Charlottesville played his last three holes in light rain after the delay and had a 1-under 71.
``I struggled; it was a blue-collar round,'' said McNamara, a 30-year-old assistant pro at the Farmington Country Club. Noting that it was only the first round he offered, ``They don't pay at the quarter-pole.''
LENGTH: Medium: 67 linesby CNB