THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 22, 1995 TAG: 9510210085
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 26 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
PORTSMOUTH'S ROBERT DAVIS will be the lone Southeastern District golfer in the Group AAA State Tournament opening Monday in Gainesville.
For the first time in recent memory, Chesapeake will not have a single entry in the state tourney.
Davis tied for second place in the Eastern Region tournament Tuesday at Red Wing in Virginia Beach, becoming one of six players advancing from nonqualifying teams.
Norcom's Anthony Gregoire missed qualifying by a single stroke.
Cox and Granby grabbed the two team berths with Churchland finishing fifth and Great Bridge and Western Branch tying for sixth. Cox won with 309-307-616. Churchland had 645 and the Wildcats and Bruins both had 652.
Medalist honors went to Kellam's Adam Dixon with 73-74-147. Davis was in a four-way tie for second at 151. In a playoff between these four, Salem's Kevin Miller won the second-place medal with a second-hole birdie. Davis was third with a par on the third extra hole. Fourth went to Troy Cummings of Cox. Granby's Gary Crutcher was fifth.
The past season Davis shared the No. 1 and No. 2 positions on the Churchland team with Jason McEwen, who was the Southeastern District medalist and finished at 158 in the regional, three shots off qualifying for the state.
The diminutive Davis plays no other sports and hopes to gain a college scholarship via his golfing ability. He is the son of husky Robert ``Ton'' Davis, who ranks among the all-time football greats at Wilson High School.
In 1971, the elder Davis, a running back who made jersey No. 24 something special in Wilson annals, scored 24 touchdowns and tied the then-state scoring record with 176 points in a single season. Cradock's Mickey Riggs had set the mark in 1951 and Davis racked up five touchdowns in the final game of 1971 to match the record.
``Football wasn't for me,'' said the younger Davis, who stands 5-7 and weighs 148 pounds. ``I'm built to play golf. I'm not big enough for football.''
In the final round of the regional, Davis had three birdies in his 37-37-74, a 2-over-par round. He hit a 3-iron five feet from the pin on the fourth hole. At No. 8, his drive and 9-iron shot left him seven feet from the pin and he dropped the putt. At the 16th, he rolled in a 15-foot putt, his longest of the day.
``I haven't been hitting my irons solid,'' said the 17-year-old Davis. ``I've got to play better next week.''
Davis will be making some college visits early next year. He intends to visit Clemson and Florida A&M.
``I definitely will play college golf,'' he said.
Missing the state was a heartbreaker for Gregoire, who had qualified for the region tournament for the third straight year. He had 82-74-156.
``The 74 was my best round all year,'' he said. An early finisher, he stayed at the scoreboard until it became apparent that he would be one shot from qualifying.
The 36-hole state tournament will be Monday and Tuesday over the new Virginia Oaks course.
This is Davis' second trip to the state tournament. He qualified last year with a third-place finish in the regional.
He finished in a tie for 22nd place in the state with rounds of 78 and 82, 16 shots behind the leader.
This year he's looking for better things. by CNB