THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 20, 1994 TAG: 9407200519
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
The last time Steve Liebler played in the Eastern Amateur, he won it. The year was 1981.
Thirteen years later, Liebler will be in the field of 168 when play begins Thursday in the 38th annual Eastern at Elizabeth Manor.
In between for Liebler was nearly a dozen years as a professional, including 4 1/2 of those on the PGA Tour.
Several times since 1981, he has returned to the Eastern - as a member of the rules committee after he became a pro in the fall of 1981, as a spectator and as a coach of players from the golf team at the University of South Carolina.
Now the Portsmouth native has regained his amateur status and will be one of three former champions in this year's Eastern field, along with defending champion Tom McKnight of Galax and 1983 winner J.P. Leigh of Chesapeake.
Liebler turned pro shortly after his Eastern triumph, in which he posted rounds of 76, 69, 67 and 70 for 282.
He earned his pro card the hard way - through the regional and national qualifying grind. He was successful on his first try - which was better than two-time U.S. Open champion and three-time leading money winner Curtis Strange, who needed two attempts to qualify.
Liebler left the PGA Tour for the job at South Carolina, his alma mater, in 1985.
``Several years ago I thought about trying to regain my amateur status,'' said Liebler. ``It's a complicated process when you have been a touring pro. Some can't ever get (amateur status) back.
``I went nearly five years without playing anything competitive before I applied. Then they gave me a two-year probation period. I became an amateur again in June.''
Liebler, a 5-8, 175-pounder, promptly went out and won the Columbia (S.C.) city championship, shooting rounds of 65, 72 and 68.
``I hope I can play as well in the Eastern,'' he said. ``I have had a little trouble with my back and played with a brace on it. My problem seems to come and go and it might be perfect this week.
``Anyway, the brace helps my posture. If it was more comfortable, I think I might wear it more.''
The Eastern Amateur long has been a special tournament for Liebler, whose wife, Debbie, is also from Portsmouth. The Lieblers have two sons, 8-year-old Kyle and 5-year-old Chase.
``When I wasn't much older than Kyle, I was caddying in the Eastern,'' recalled Steve. He caddied in
four Easterns for his brother Lloyd, a standout area golfer who died of cancer at age 20, and toted Ben Crenshaw's bag when Crenshaw won the 1971 tournament.
Older brother Butch, now the pro at Cavalier Country Club in Virginia Beach, formerly was a pro at Elizabeth Manor. On that July afternoon in 1981 when Steve won the Eastern, Butch had champagne delivered into the interview room.
Starting his 10th year at South Carolina, Liebler always brings several of his Gamecocks to the Eastern. South Carolina's No. 1 player, David Seawell, is a second-team All-American and a contender for top honors this year. He took third in the recent Rice Planters.
``We're going to have a very good team,'' Liebler said. ``We had two of our top 10 graduate, but the top five are all back.
``We signed Jake Kransteuber, the 3A high school champion in South Carolina. And we were fortunate to get a youngster from Germany, Felix Schmidt-Claasen. He was fourth in the German International Amateur and he's the third-ranking player in Germany at 20-and-under. He was looking at several schools in our country.''
Five Gamecocks are entered in the Eastern - six, if you count Liebler.
``I'm looking forward to playing along with them,'' he said.
Liebler is among those who feel that a score such as the 2-over 282 that he won with will never be good enough to win the Eastern again.
``Everything is better now,'' he said. ``The players are better and college golf gives so many more the opportunity to play. The equipment is better. There's a club for every shot and swing now.
``The golf course is better, too. It's more consistent. The greens are much better, which makes it easier to make putts.
``It's going to take a low, low score to win this year.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Steve Liebler
by CNB