THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, July 17, 1995 TAG: 9507170122
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Long : 111 lines
A birdie on the first playoff hole gave Tom McKnight the 39th Eastern Amateur championship Sunday after a missed putt he thought he had made forced the overtime.
McKnight edged Australian Lee Eagleton after the two had battled through 72 holes over four days to a 6-under-par 274 standstill.
Eagleton parred the playoff hole, just missing a 17-foot birdie putt that would have kept the battle on.
It was the first Eastern playoff since lefthander Ralph Howe defeated Tim Loustalot in 1986.
The 40-year-old McKnight, a Galax, Va. businessman, became the fourth two-time Eastern winner. He won in 1993 and tied for fourth last year.
McKnight nearly duplicated the wire-to-wire stand atop the leaderboard enjoyed by last year's champion, Steve Liebler. But he suddenly found himself one shot off the lead as he played the 18th hole.
A bogey at the 15th dropped McKnight into a tie with Eagleton, who parred the hole. Both parred No. 16, each of the front-runners making great saves.
Eagleton parred the 17th and McKnight bogeyed when he hit his tee shot in the rough.
Then misfortune reared its ugly head for the 22 year-old Eagleton. He hit out of bounds on the 18th and bogeyed the hole after nearly dropping a 35-foot par putt.
``I hadn't missed a drive the entire tournament,'' said the dejected Eagleton. ``I knew I was leading. And I was just so confident I felt I could hit down the left side. I normally fade it. I tried to cut it but I just came over the ball.''
McKnight had a 14-foot putt to win in regulation. His shot rimmed the cup. ``I thought it was perfect,'' he said. ``I really thought it was over there.''
On the playoff hole, the 357-yard, par 4 first hole, McKnight elected to use a 3-wood and was straight down the fairway but 30 yards behind the long-hitting Australian.
McKnight hit his iron shot 8 feet short of the pin. Eagleton's approach shot went 17 feet past the hole.
Eagleton's downhill putt went just right of the hole. McKnight's was dead center for the win.
``I wasn't thinking of missing,'' said McKnight, a father of three. ``But then I thought the same thing at 18 and it didn't go.
``That really was the difference between us,'' pointed out Eagleton. ``He putted a little better than I did.
``I've won a few tournaments in playoffs and this is the first playoff I lost. It feels a lot better to win.''
Rounds of 64, 70, 69 and 71 were posted by McKnight, a one-time touring pro (1976-80) who has been a force in Virginia golf since he returned to the amateur ranks in 1984. He has won one State Open and three State Amateurs. He's planning to play in the State Open, the Porter Cup and the Cardinal.
``And I'll be back to defend my championship here next year.''
Eagleton, who closed with a 2-under 68 to gain three strokes on McKnight and force the playoff after rounds of 64, 70 and 72, also promised to return. ``And I hope to bring four or five other players from Australia,'' he said.
The University of North Carolina's Ryan Parker finished third with 281, posting a 69 Sunday.
Parker was within a shot off the lead at the 16th but suffered a double bogey at the 17th. He hit his tee shot in a fairway bunker and pulled his shot to the left of the green in heavy rough. He tried to lob a wedge, but the ball came out hot and went over the green.
``It was all or nothing at that point,'' fumed Parker, who also said he will compete again next year.
UNC-Charlotte's Paul Carpenter, Scott Summers of Furman and U.Va's Jimmy Flippen shared fourth place with 1-over par 281s. Summers finished with a 67.
Liebler and Kevin Rhoads of UCLA tied for seventh at 282.
There was a four-way tie for ninth at 283 between Daniel Konieczny of Florida Southern, University of Virginia golf coach Mike Moraghan, Richard Allen of Depauw and Old Dominion's Chris Krueger.
Virginia Tech's Curtis Deal, from Chesapeake, and former University of Michigan player David Hall had Sunday's low rounds, 4-under 66s.
Deal, an ex-high school state champion at Great Bridge and winner of the recent Sleepy Hole Amateur, did not bogey a hole.
A second-round 9 with two balls out of bounds on the 18th hole in a 77 cost Deal a berth among the front-runners.
Hall, a seventh-place finisher last year and playing in his fourth Eastern, racked up six birdies. The 1993 Michigan graduate will play in his state amateur and in the Western Amateur before deciding if he will make a stab at pro qualifying.
Former champion J.P. Leigh, who lives in Suffolk now, closed with a 2-under 68 and finished at 289.
The low local scorer was Troy Ferris with 285. He tied for 14th. ILLUSTRATION: Color staff photo by CHRISTOHER REDDICK/
Tom McKnight, 40, is the oldest Eastern Amateur champ, as he was two
years ago. He thought this putt at the 18th hole was in to avert a
playoff.
Staff photos by CHRISTOHER REDDICK
Ryan Parker gets out from under a tree at the 13th hole. The UNC
player finished third, shooting a 69 for a 1-over 281.
Ryan Parker gets out from under a tree at the 13th hole. The UNC
player finished third, shooting a 69 for a 4-under 276.
Lee Eagleton watches his 17-foot try for birdie miss on the playoff
hole of the Eastern Amateur. Tom McKnight rolled in an 8-footer
after the miss for the win. ``He putted a little better than I
did,'' said Eagleton, an Australian who made up three shots on
McKnight Sunday with his round of 2-under 68.
by CNB