THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 28, 1996 TAG: 9606260118
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: 56 lines
BOXING HAS GEORGE Foreman. Hockey has Wayne Gretzky. Baseball has Eddie Murray.
Giants of the game whose talents seemingly have not been eroded by time.
And the Eastern Amateur welcomes back ``grand old man'' Tom McKnight.
In 1993, McKnight became the oldest winner of the Eastern at 38.
Last year, McKnight, fresh from birthday No. 41, won the 72-hole tournament again. He topped a field of 168, which consisted primarily of rising collegiate stars.
At the annual Eastern news conference this week, it was confirmed that the Galax golfer, a three-time State Amateur champion and a former State Open titlist, would be back to defend his crown in the July 11-14 tourney at Elizabeth Manor.
And McKnight sent word that he would like to break his record as oldest champion.
McKnight has played in six Easterns, his first in 1970 when he was a young collegiate player himself at the University of Virginia. He played the pro tour from 1976 to 1980, regaining his amateur status in 1984.
Last year's victory came in a playoff with 22-year-old Australian Lee Eagleton. The two had tied with 6-under-par 274s. McKnight dropped in an 8-foot birdie putt on the first hole in the playoff to claim the championship.
``I wasn't thinking of missing,'' said the confident McKnight.
The 40th annual Eastern has drawn 150 players from 20 states, the District of Columbia and six from out of the country.
The average age of the field is 24. And 48 players will be seeking to become the youngest winner ever. No player under 20 has ever won the Eastern. The '96 field includes 33 who are 19 years old, 12 who are 18 and three who are 17.
That distinction of youngest winner is now shared by three 20-year-olds - Greg Chapman in 1979, O.D. Vincent in 1988 and Jason Widener in 1991.
There are eight in the field older than McKnight, including former champ J.P. Leigh. The 48-year-old Leigh won in 1983. The oldest is 65-year-old Bill Harvey, who has played in every Eastern except one.
Tournament director Galen Hill says this is ``the strongest Eastern field in several years.''
``We have 80 players who were starters on their college teams,'' said Hill. ``We have six players who won tournaments and 45 who have had top 10 finishes.''
The Eastern field will be completed with the addition of the low 12 finishers in the First Flight Tournament, a preliminary event scheduled July 8-9. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK
Tom McKnight putts on the 7th hole during the third round of the
1995 Eastern Amateur Golf tournament at Elizabeth Manor.
Staff photo by MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN
The Galax golfer tied for the lead - and battled the July heat -
last year on the 18th green. by CNB