THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 30, 1994 TAG: 9406300703
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940630 LENGTH: VIRGINIA BEACH
Preston Ragsdale and Jason Andrews found themselves in an unfair match Wednesday in the Virginia State Golf Association Junior Match Play Championships at Princess Anne Country Club.
{REST} Ragsdale and Andrews - close friends who work together in the summer at the Country Club of Petersburg pro shop and are roommates this week - met in the semifinals in a matchup that's been played for fun many times, with both players agreeing they are an even match.
At Princess Anne, however, it was Ragsdale who came out on top, sinking a 10-foot birdie putt at the match's 17th hole - the course's eighth, as the afternoon rounds began on the back nine - for a 3-and-1 victory. Ragsdale will face Samuel Harris of Midlothian in this morning's 7:30 final.
``Mentally, you always want to win,'' said Ragsdale, 17, a Petersburg High graduate headed for Georgia Southern in the fall. ``But it's tough when you're trying to beat one of your good friends.''
Three lengthy putts by Ragsdale were the difference as he sank a 20-footer for a halving bogey on the fourth hole, the match's 13th, then followed it with an 18-footer for birdie at the next hole to go 2-up.
Ragsdale had advanced to the semifinals with a 5-and-4 morning victory over Faber Jamerson of Appomattox. Meanwhile, Andrews posted a 1-up quarterfinal victory over Scott Griffin of Troutsville.
In the other half of the draw, Harris eliminated the only remaining local player with a 2-and-1 victory over Chesapeake's Robbie Twine in the morning, while Charlottesville's Kevin Crisp beat Richmond's John Selbach, 2-and-1.
Harris then walloped a tiring Crisp, 7-and-6, in the most lopsided match of the entire tournament.
Victories in Virginia Beach aren't new to Harris, who won last year's Cypress Point Junior with a two-day total of 7-under-par 137.
Harris had posted three consecutive 2-and-1 victories heading into the semifinals.
``But I was 5-up at the turn in one and 4-up in another and couldn't keep it going,'' said Harris, 16, a rising senior at Clover Hill High. ``This time, I kept it going.''
by CNB