THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 30, 1995 TAG: 9506280217
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHRIS CATALDI, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
BILLY JUDAH of Chesapeake, who began the final round one stroke ahead of Dick Ogden and Harry Black, shot a 3-under par 69 Sunday to win the 68th annual Commerce Bank Portsmouth City Amateur Golf Championship at Sleepy Hole golf course in Suffolk.
Judah, 20, a former standout at Great Bridge and second-team junior college All-American at Anderson (S.C.) College last season, fired a two-day total of 139, breaking the 36-hole tournament record of 145 previously set by Dave Mathis in 1993.
``This was a good tune-up for the big tournaments coming up, it really gives me a lot of confidence,'' Judah said. ``I had a big cushion, which made me feel a lot more comforting, especially with J.P. (Leigh) in the field.''
Judah casually walked around the course matching every challenge the 6,695-yard par 72 course asked. And by the back nine, playing partners Ogden and Black, who had already slid four shots out of contention, began to root for young Judah on virtually every putt he took.
Judah, who plays out of Greenbrier Country Club, has been playing golf for only five years, but showed the experience of a well-oiled veteran. He would joke with the elder Odgen on No. 14 as he out-drove him by a mere couple inches, par No. 15 after taking a drop behind a tree and laugh off a missed two-foot par putt on No. 17. Whatever the situation, he passed the test with flying colors and gained respect and compliments from the rest of the field.
The lone golfer to break par both rounds, Judah, birdied Nos. 10, 11, 14 and 16 en route to a 33 on the back nine, thus coasting home with an unchallenged six-stroke victory. And when he drained a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 16, Ogden responded ``He's on fire, really playing well.''
``I played well on the front nine but couldn't make any putts,'' Judah said. ``On Nos. 10 and 11, I hit some very close wedge shots and made two birdies, and when I birdied No. 14, I felt I had it won.''
Although the winner was never in question, the tournament committee was forced to sit though a three-hour rain delay before Judah could be proclaimed the victor. During the rain delay, Judah, who would receive $400 in merchandise for first place, browsed through the Sleepy Hole pro shop and picked out $300 in golf shirts and $100 in golf balls. Not too shabby for a college sophomore-to-be.
In second place at 145 was Bill Williard, who turned in a tournament best 68 on Sunday, however, a 77 in Saturday's opening round kept him far behind Judah.
Defending champion and Portsmouth native Leigh tied Virginia Beach native Black for third place at 147. Paul Going finished fifth with 149.
Drew Garreiss captured honors in the first flight division with two rounds of 74. In the second flight, David Cox and Denis Finley each finished with 164, winning low net and low gross, respectively. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by GARY C. KNAPP
Billy Judah of Chesapeake lines up a shot at the Portsmouth City
Amateur Golf Championship at Sleepy Hole golf course. The
20-year-old Anderson College student won the tournament.
by CNB