THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 13, 1995 TAG: 9501130617
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Short : 36 lines
The Eastern Amateur will be butting heads with the Anheuser-Busch PGA tournament again this year.
Eastern officials confirmed Thursday that the annual amateur tournament at Elizabeth Manor will be held July 13 to 16.
Earlier the PGA released its tour dates for 1995. The Anheuser-Busch tournament at Williamsburg will be those same dates.
After conflicting with the pro tournament for several years, the Eastern shifted its dates in 1994 to July 21 to 24. Attendance increased slightly. The Anheuser-Busch tournament was held July 8 to 11 last year.
``Since there are so many tournaments now, it is virtually impossible to secure a date that isn't in conflict with other events,'' said David Whitener, Eastern Amateur chairman.
``This year the British Open moved a week and that prompted a change in the Anheuser-Busch.
``While we regret our dates will overlap with the Anheuser-Busch, it is more imperative for us not to be in conflict with other amateur tournaments that might dilute our field. We definitely could not play at the same time as the State Open, which comes at the dates we had last year.''
Eastern Amateur director Galen Hill pointed out that 50 percent of the State Open field consists of amateurs. ``We definitely do not want to lose the top amateurs in our own state,'' Hill said.
Whitener said invitations to the Eastern will be going out about April 1. by CNB