THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 23, 1996 TAG: 9608210144
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 26 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JOHN-HENRY DOUCETTE, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 81 lines
A PAIR OF Chesapeake golfers put up personal-best numbers at the State Junior Amateur Golf Championships.
Holly M. Corbin, 16, of Great Bridge overcame a shaky first round of 83 to post a career-high 78 Aug. 7 at the girls' championship, held at the Greenbrier Country Club. The round helped her take the top slot in the 16-to-17 age group.
Corbin finished at 161, a shot behind the tournament's overall winner, 17-year-old Mandy Beamer, who led off the tourney with a low round of 79 before finishing with an 81.
Corbin's stellar 78 on day two was the low round of the tournament.
At the boys' championship at the Birdwood Country Club in Charlottesville, Joseph S. Mazur, 13, of Great Bridge shot a career-high 76 in his closing round Aug. 8 to salvage a third-place finish in the 12-to-13 age group.
He finished at 242, 26 shots over par for the tournament, and 16 shots behind the age group's first-place finisher, Robert Chandler of Glade Hill.
The girls' championship shifted drastically on day two.
Corbin was slowed her first day, but made a run at Beamer on the last 18 holes. Corbin said she had expected to do well going into the tournament.
``I knew I could beat her if I played well,'' said Corbin. ``But she had a great day.''
And Corbin settled with the age-group championship, no small feat for one of the city's top golfers, who started playing golf six years ago at Seven Springs Country Club under the guiding hand of her father.
Corbin said the solid showing was sweeter coming at a hometown course.
She was also happy with her strong finish, which pushed her past Katie Soule, the leader after day one. Corbin had trailed her by two shots after the first day, but Soule finished with an 83, dropping her to third with an 81-83-164.
Newport News 16-year-old Brooke Abbitt, Corbin's usual nemesis on the range, had a tough tournament. Abbitt struggled on the first day, but finished strong to come within two of Soule. Abbitt finished at 85-81-166.
Beamer will not return next year, and Corbin believes Abbitt will be her main competition at the next championship.
Corbin, a golfer who practices four hours a day, plans to make a solid run for the championship next year. She will continue to compete in tournaments and for her school team at Great Bridge High School.
``I'm really dedicated to it,'' said Corbin of the sport. ``I just like the fact that it's a one-person sport, and that it's up to you to do well.
``I try to compete against the course and shoot new records for myself.''
At the Charlottesville boys' tourney, Mazur was fifth going into the final round after shooting a pair of 83s on the par-72 course.
``The first day I was nervous,'' said Mazur, whose previous best was a 79 shot at Honey Bee in Virginia Beach. ``But I came back with a lot of pressure on me. I usually don't shoot in the 70s. Hopefully now I'll be able to keep my game together.''
On day one, Mazur finished tied for sixth, then moved up to fifth on day two. His green partner on day three was Tom Strange, son of pro golfer Curtis Strange.
The young Strange, who did not place, could only watch as Mazur engineered a comeback that leap-frogged him from the middle of the age group's 18-man pack to a solid third-place finish.
``I knew I had to shoot to be right up there,'' said Mazur. ``I just concentrated more and put it together that day.''
The young golfer recently began taking lessons from James ``Lefty'' Barba, the resident pro at the Eagle Haven Golf Course in Virginia Beach. Mazur credits Lefty's teaching for much of his success.
``He's really turned my game around,'' said Mazur.
Chandler of Glade Hill took first place with a 78-71-77-226, and Steven Hite of Kenbridge finished second with a 75-78-78-231. Virginia Beach's John Watson finished fourth with a 79-80-86-245, three shots behind Mazur.
Chandler, with his strong second-day 71, was the only golfer in his bracket to play a round under par.
Mazur, who will be an eighth-grader at Great Bridge Middle School South this fall, is playing in the Tidewater Junior Amateur Championships this week. He has won his age group in that tournament twice. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Great Bridge's Holly M. Corbin
Shot a 78, winning in her age group
Great Bridge's Joseph S. Mazur
Shot a 76 in the closing round by CNB