THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 23, 1994 TAG: 9407230356
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
The 38th annual Eastern Amateur could be headed toward a showdown between a pair of former pros.
Or maybe it could be a coach-vs.-pupil tussle.
First-round leader Steve Liebler added a 67 Friday at Elizabeth Manor to his opening 68, widening his lead to three shots with a 5-under-par 135 for 36 holes.
Tony DeLuca posted his second consecutive 69 to break out of a pack and claim second place by himself. He was one of seven sharing the runner-up spot Thursday.
Both Liebler, a Portsmouth native and head golf coach at the University of South Carolina, and DeLuca, a resident of Ashburn, Va., who was in on the building of the Kiln Creek course, recently were reinstated as amateurs.
Lurking in the wings is 20-year-old David Seawell, the No. 1 player on Liebler's South Carolina team.
Seawell, a 5-8, 150-pound second-team All-American and rising junior, climbed into a third-place tie with Scott Summers and David Hall at 139. Seawell registered the low round Friday with a 4-under 66, vaulting back into contention after one nearly disastrous hole on Thursday. His solid play then was marred by a triple bogey when he hit out of bounds on the 13th hole en route to a 73.
``But I know how coach can play,'' said Seawell. ``If we catch him, we'll have to do some playing. I had to have this kind of round if I wanted to be within sight of him.''
The son of 1964 Atlantic Coast Conference champion Jackie Seawell, and the youngest of three brothers to play in the Eastern, racked up five birdies. His lone bogey came at No. 15, where he nearly hit out of bounds.
Liebler said he expected Seawell to be contending.
``He is one of the rising stars in amateur golf and in my nine years at South Carolina I have never coached a player with a better attitude. His talent speaks for itself,'' Liebler said.
``He knows I'm not going to let up. We practice together all the time. Sometimes I get the best of him and sometimes he gets the best of me.
``Now I guess we're going to find out how good each one of us is.''
The 35-year-old Liebler, winner of the 1981 Eastern who turned pro shortly thereafter, hit 15 greens in a trouble-free round. He had three birdies - sinking a 15-foot putt at No. 7, dropping a 20-footer at No. 17 and making a tap-in at the par-5 18th after a splendid chip from the edge of a sand trap.
The 34-year-old DeLuca had 34-35, playing the back nine first and bogeying the 10th hole when he hit into a bunker and missed a six-foot putt.
He had birdies at the par-5 third hole, with a sparkling sand wedge shot to within 2 feet, and No. 13, where he holed a 20-footer.
A two-time State Open champion (1979, '81), DeLuca last played in the Eastern the year Liebler won. In 1981 DeLuca tied for sixth, four shots behind the winner.
``I turned pro after the U.S. Amateur in 1982,'' Deluca said. I played in 45 tour events and all across Europe, Asia and South America. My last year as a pro was my best. I won nearly $200,000, mostly overseas.
``When I applied for reinstatement as an amateur, I was told nobody ever wanting to do had higher earnings as a pro. I had a three-year waiting period and basically all I could do was hit range balls.
``It's nice to be back in competition. And I just want to be in contention with nine holes to play.''
The 21-year-old Summers, a rising senior and the No. 1 player at Furman, followed his opening 70 with a 69. He didn't par a hole on the back nine, which he played first, careening to four birdies and five bogeys.
``You get a little uneasy when you're waiting for a par,'' he said. ``It was a round that could have been very good or horrendous.''
Conversely, Hall was Mr. Consistent with his 70 to follow a 69.
``I had one birdie and one bogey. It was just a routine round but, hopefully, tomorrow will be moving day,'' said the 1993 University of Michigan graduate.
Defending champion Tom McKnight battled to a 73 and was bracketed in a group at 142.
The 174-player field was trimmed to the low 80 and ties with a 150 score required to make the cut. Eighty-six players advanced.
The survivors included 1983 champion J. P. Leigh of Chesapeake and First Flight qualifying tourney winner Dan Ward. Leigh followed his opening 73 with a 72 for 145 and Ward had his second consecutive 74 for a 148.
Starting times were moved up 12 minutes for today's third round. The first starters go off at 7:48 a.m. by CNB