ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, October 10, 1996 TAG: 9610100014
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-14 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KEITH POMPEY STAFF WRITER
It's hard to believe Lee Taylor is only a freshman at Patrick Henry High School.
Sure, the upperclassmen pull pranks on him in the school's cafeteria. But when it comes to playing golf, he's got senior status.
That's because the 14-year-old was crowned top dog when he recently won the Roanoke Valley District's individual medal. And he's got a good shot of becoming an All-Group AAA selection.
"His game is so mature for a youngster," said Carl Rydell, the Patriots' coach. "Much of that is because of his parents. They spent this whole summer going to tournaments trying to get his game at the highest level, and I think the kids recognize that."
They ought to.
Taylor is the first Timesland-area golfer to win the prestigious Scott Robertson Memorial 13-14 division age group. And he's currently in second place behind North Cross' Brandon LaCroix in the McLelland points standings, which are used to rate area junior players.
"He has the potential to one day become a professional," said Phil Owenby, the Roanoke Country Club golf pro. "In order to be a good golfer you have to be able to think. It isn't just swinging the club. And Lee is always concentrating on the golf course. He is ahead of a lot of kids."
Lee's mother, Jean Taylor, sensed that when her son was younger and the family lived in Florence, S.C.
"When he was 3 years old, he used to ride in the golf cart with his father," said Jean Taylor.
What started as a way to get out of the house and spend more time with daddy turned into a hobby. At the age of 5, Lee surprised people by winning an 8-and-under tournament.
However, Taylor stopped swinging a golf club competitively when his family moved to Roanoke nine years ago.
"I didn't know anybody and there weren't that many junior golfers around, so I wanted to play other sports," said Taylor. "I played a lot of soccer. Every now and then, I went out and played some golf."
That changed when he met Owenby several years ago. The highly respected golf pro saw potential in Taylor. Here was a youngster who was blessed with a lot of natural ability. And Owenby wanted to mold him into a great golfer.
"He has developed a lot," said Owenby. "He is a good striker of the ball. And he always wants to win. He practices more than a lot of kids his age do."
Those lessons paid off for him this summer. Taylor shone while competing in the American Junior Golf Association.
He took second place in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and third place in Jacksonville, Fla.
During the Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame tournament, Taylor showed the heart of a champion. Despite being counted out, he came from four shots back to win by shooting 77-71-148. He mixed in three birdies and three bogeys during the final round.
But while his individual performance was a surprise, he and his Roanoke Country Club teammates won their second straight team title as expected.
The highlight of his summer, however, came on Aug. 15, during the 13th Robertson Memorial tournament at Roanoke Country Club.
Instead of getting nervous playing on his home course, Taylor seemed to play his best. Before the final round, he opted to play his Sega video game rather than take a practice round.
The relaxation technique must have worked, because Taylor won the tournament with ease.
He had four birdies and two bogeys in shooting a 2-under-par 68. That gave him a three-day total of 210 in the 54-hole tournament.
Tommy Branch of Georgia and Ryan Stinnett of Amherst finished second, 13 strokes back.
"Winning the Scott Robertson was the best part of my summer," said Taylor.
Afterward, he received praise from his peers.
"I think Lee played great [in that tournament]," said Tommy Lesperance, a George Mason University freshman golfer. "He is a good talent. I have had the opportunity to play with him, and he's going to be a great golfer if he keeps it up."
But Taylor isn't content with receiving praise over the summer. He hopes to end his season with a fine showing in the region and state tournaments.
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY/Staff. Lee Taylor, the first Timesland-areaby CNBgolfer to win the prestigious Scott Robertson Memorial 13-14
division age group, takes a swing at the Roanoke Country Club golf
course.