THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 17, 1994 TAG: 9407150235
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Long : 125 lines
CAN CHESAPEAKE'S GARY Johnson three-peat in the First Flight Tournament?
Johnson became the fourth player ever to post back-to-back titles in the 36-hole preliminary to the Eastern Amateur last year.
He will be battling a field of 180 as the tourney begins Monday at Elizabeth Manor.
Awaiting the winner and the 11 next low gross finishers are berths in the Eastern Amateur Thursday.
The First Flight Tournament is limited to players with handicaps of 2.6 and higher. The Eastern is for 2.5-handicappers and lower, except for the First Flight qualifiers.
This tournament originated as the Eastern Amateur Pre-Tournament qualifier in 1961. It was established as the First Flight Tournament in 1963 when David Estes won with 151.
Johnson, 35, won last year with 69-70-139, one-under-par. In 1992 he won with 69-71-140. He plays to a 4-handicap.
``It would be nice to win again,'' said Johnson. ``But I don't know about that. It's awful hot out there and I'm really out of shape.''
Still he offers one word on his playing that should cause other contestants to shudder: he's hitting the ball off the tee farther than ever. The ex-baseball star at Deep Creek High School, who signed a bonus contract with the California Angels but later decided against a pro career, already is one of the longest drivers in the area.
``I have always used a standard driver,'' said Johnson. ``Now I've gone to a bigger one and I guess I'm hitting it about 20 yards farther.
``Of course, that doesn't mean much unless you are hitting it where you want it to go.''
The past two years Red Johnson, Gary's father, was present to root him to victory. Earlier this year he died.
``So it will be a little different this time,'' said Gary. ``Just me.''
The cutoff for the berths in the Eastern the past two years has been 147. It has never been lower.
Often in earlier years 151 was adequate to gain a spot in the Eastern. On two occasions 151 won this tournament.
Back-to-back winners were David Seale (1971-72), Marshall Fleming (1981-82) and Tom Rawls (1985-86). Fleming also shared the title in 1981.
Fleming, who has qualified for a dozen Easterns via the First Flight, is entered again.
Three other former First Flight winners are in this year's field - George Owens of Virginia Beach, who won in 1980 with 138; Charlie Mathis, the 1975 winner; and 1966 victor Steve Blosser.
The First Flight record is 136, registered by Bill Newton of Newport News in 1977 in the only year the tournament was played at Sleepy Hole.
Paul Going has the lowest score at Elizabeth Manor with his 137 in 1988.
For the first time players will be flighted into the second round by their opening round scores. Prizes will be awarded for the top four positions in each of the five flights.
A Senior Flight also will be available for any players who are 60 years of age or older and desire to participate. Prizes will be awarded to the winner and runnerup in the Senior Flight.
Elizabeth Manor pro Tim Newsom is the director of the First Flight Tournament.
Monday's opening-round pairings:
7:30 a.m. - Rob Field, John Field, Gary Field, Paul Croston.
7:38 - Lee Smith, Johnny Owens, Larry Haskins, Harrell King.
7:46 - Lynn Northrup, Mark Hollingsworth, Lennie Luke Sr., John Hahn
7:54 - Marc Tefft, Oscar Salter, Mark Compton, Gary Albertson.
8:02 - Al Dietz, Dan Ward, Chris Quick, Chris Hedrick.
8:10 - Steven White, David Hope, Jack Barrett, James Martin.
8:18 - Starters time.
8:26 - Gordon Huey, Jim Eilertson, Bryan Augsburger, Michael Martin.
8:34 - Jim Paradee, Robert Harding, Bill Callis, Brian Gifford.
8:42 - Dave Whitener Sr., Henry Whitener, Steve Blosser, Vince Flores.
8:50 - Eugene Romeo, Pete Nicotina, Armando Wamba, Sal Cantreill.
8:58 - Jack Welsby, George Skinner, Duncan Brown, Theirn Scott.
9:06 - Joe Gatling, Michael McCully, Michael Southworth, Tom King.
9:14 - Starters time.
9:22 - Bob Hegel, Anthony Butt, Willis Bell, Mark Yewcic.
9:30 - Gilbert Bell, Daniel Murphy, Chris Murphy, John Castleberry.
9:46 - Nathan Jaffe, Ron Kramer, Wayne Peterson, Raymond Cash.
9:54 - Bob Ropp, Michael Petro, Walt Tapler, Mel Lassiter.
10:02 - Ron Bennett, Bob Josephberg, Tom Robinson, John Peterson.
10:10 - Starters time.
10:18 - David Ropp, Tom Savage, Jim Lanning, Richard Comer.
10:26 - John Hackney, Stan Avery, Howard Spainhour, Charles Frye.
10:34 - Jim Matthews, Walt Laughon, Jerry Worthington, Mike Scotece.
10:42 - Rick Garrity, Allen Dail, Jerry Deans, Bubba Bruce.
10:50 - Jim Miller, Chip Wynns, Braxton Williford, Alex Phillips.
10:58 - John Winn, Charlie Mathis, Leroy Howell, Butch Petrey.
11:06 - Starters time.
11:14 - Gary Pope, Roger Davis, Michael Pope, Gary Norton.
11:22 - Gary Johnson, Wilbur Johnson, Tom Hathaway, Raymond Bierbaum.
11:30 - Elliott Lucas, Paul Hopkins, R. C. Hall, David Cox.
11:38 - Ed Leche, Mark Stearns, Jim Archer, David Mank.
11:46 - Steve Polansky, Stephen Hedgepeth, David Umberger, Ron Teegarden.
11:54 - Jeff Orndorff, Frank Williams, Lou Johnson, Ty Anderson.
12:02 p.m. - Starters time.
12:10 - James Foley, Ed Freeman, Pete Danoff, Jason Drewry.
12:18 - Marshall Fleming, Stewart Fleming, Les Halstead, Tom Wood.
12:26 - Starters time.
12:34 - Al McCarthy, Timmy Taylor, Eddie Kirpiel, John Hall.
12:42 - Frank Dunn, Bill Sherrill, Melvin Holland, Stan Dobson.
12:50 - Russ Kirk, Al Keene, Mike Kirsch, Duncan McDuff.
12:58 - Starters time.
1:06 - Starters time.
1:14 - Dennis Gartman, Gary McGhee, Bill Thomas, Manny Hunter.
1:22 - Chip Gillenwater, Allan Drewry, Tom Mihalik, David Baker.
1:30 - J. T. Sykes, Ray Logwood, Greg Matthews, Karl Jahn.
1:38 - Ron Wilhelm, Bobby Brown, George Fischer, Clarence Newton.
1:46 - Mark Ballard, Ron Brown, Roger Nolan, Mitch Burton.
1:54 - Starters time.
2:02 - Brian Ennis, Jimmy Vita, Robert Hughes, Terry Holmes.
2:10 - Bill Womble, Jack Ferrell, Don Fett Sr., Don Fett Jr.
2:18 - Billy Hawkins, Marvin Teachey, Richard Cox, John Hottendorf.
2:26 - George Owens, George Kemp, Paul Adams, Chad Dunnavant.
2:34 - Glen Bolduc, Donnie Simpson, Bernie Rull, Steve Phillips. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Gary Johnson has won the last two First Flight Tournaments.
by CNB