ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, August 19, 1996 TAG: 9608190153
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: GOLF
SOURCE: RANDY KING
Tom McKnight's chances of landing a spot on the 1997 U.S. Walker Cup team received an infusion last weekend in Greensboro, N.C.
Atoning for a series of recent near-misses, McKnight fired a 4-under-par 66 in the final round, then beat Georgian David Potts on the third extra hole of a playoff to capture the prestigious Cardinal Amateur.
The victory was sweet for McKnight, who earlier this summer finished one shot out of a playoff in the Rice Planters and lost to Jason Buha in extra holes in the Eastern Amateur.
McKnight, long one of the nation's upper-echelon amateur players, has put a Walker Cup berth at the top of his list of golf priorities. The 41-year-old Galax fuel oil distributor has played a national schedule this summer in hopes of strengthening his selection chances.
The Walker Cup, which is amateur golf's answer to the professionals' Ryder Cup, will be contested Aug.9-10, 1997, in Scarsdale, N.Y. The 10-man U.S. team will be selected next summer by the United States Golf Association.
With the distinct possibility that several top, young amateurs will turn pro in the next year, McKnight may never have a better shot at making the team.
STRUTTIN' SENIORS: The state's top 55-and-older players converge on The Homestead Resort today for the start of the 45th VSGA Senior Amateur Championship.
The 160-player field will play 18 holes of qualifying today and Tuesday, with the low 31 joining defending champion Claude Williamson for Wednesday's start of match play.
If recent numbers mean anything, it should be Moss Beecroft's tournament. The 66-year-old Newport News native has won the event in the past five even-numbered years (1986, '88, '90, '92 and '94).
Other formidable entries include four-time Senior Stroke Play champion and last year's runner-up, Bob Moyers of New Market; Wolftown's Jim Kite; reigning Stroke Play champ Stan Fischer of Richmond; 1991 champion Ken Newlin of Nokesville; and '89 titlist Henry Kerfoot of McLean.
The Southwest Virginia contingent will be led by 1994 runner-up Don Foster of Salem and Roanoke's Ned Baber, who lost to Williamson in last year's semifinal round.
Roanoker Connie Sellers will attempt to defend his Super Senior title for players 70 and older.
CAN'T TOUCH THIS: En route to victory in last week's Valley Amateur, Miller Baber refused to take advantage of the tournament's winter-rule policy, which allowed players' to lift, clean and place their balls while in the fairway.
Baber, who said he would have played his ball from a divot even if the shot had meant the title, said he drew more than one puzzled look from a playing companion.
``One guy said to me, `What are you doing? You're not going to play the ball from that lie, are you?' I don't think he understood what was going on,'' Baber said.
Baber said he decided to play his ball ``down'' after preparing for his role as an official at this past week's Scott Robertson Memorial.
``I didn't convert until recently,'' he said. ``I started studying the game of golf and USGA rules for the Robertson. The more I read, the more I found it's very important in golf never to touch your ball while it's in play.
``I think the United States doesn't play by the rules. So I'm very happy with my decision.''
CHIP SHOT: The Middle Atlantic PGA's most prestigious event, the $44,000 Hogan Section Championship, runs today through Wednesday at the Golden Horseshoe in Williamsburg.
Roanoke's Chip Sullivan, who won July's MAPGA's Assistant Pro Championship, is among the favorites, along with defending titlist Bud Lintelman, Match Play champion Wayne DeFrancesco, current player of the year points leader Rick Schuller and Maryland State Open champ Steve Madsen.
The field of 186 pros from Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., will be cut to the low 100 after 36 holes.
CASH COW: J.C. Snead has yet to win in 23 starts in 1996. But don't feel too sorry for the Hot Springs native.
After all, Snead doesn't have to exactly wonder where his next meal's coming from. Counting Sunday's $10,380 paycheck in the Northville Long Island Classic, Snead's yearly haul is up to $596,287.
Snead is the leading money-winner on the Senior PGA Tour among players who have not won a tournament. Seven players behind him on the money list have won and two of them, Tom Weiskopf and Jack Nicklaus, have won twice.
ON DECK: Botetourt Country Club's Bill Deck recently accomplished one of golf's most notable feats. The 70-year-old beat his age, shooting 2-under 69 on his home track.
LENGTH: Medium: 86 linesby CNB