THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 23, 1996 TAG: 9610230402
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: GOOCHLAND COUNTY LENGTH: 54 lines
Kevin Miller's afternoon went the way of his final putt - astray.
Miller needed to hit a four-foot bogey putt on the par-4 first hole at the Hermitage Country Club to extend a playoff in the individual portion of the Group AAA state golf tournament.
The stroke lipped out to the left.
But that was par for the course for Miller's afternoon.
The Salem junior entered the second round one stroke behind leader Matt Paulson of Cox and was hot during the morning half of play - finishing the first 11 holes 2-under and in control of his own destiny.
``I really played good through 11,'' said Miller, who finished third two years ago. ``Then I hit a couple of stupid shots and missed a putt or two. Then I had a double bogey on the par-3 16th. I think I was about 5-over from 12 through 16.
``It was basically mine to win, but I gave it away.''
Miller parred the 17th and 18th and watched as a charging Matt Krauss of Hylton - playing one foursome behind - approached the final hole needing only to par to maintain a one-stroke lead he had grabbed with a par on 16.
But his 10-foot putt ended up three feet past the hole. He dropped the bogey to send the action to extra play.
``My heart was really pounding during this playoff,'' said Krauss, also a junior. ``This was tough. I thought he hit his first putt and I think that would have done it.''
Paulson - the state champ two years ago - had shot the only sub-par round on the first day and appeared on track to regain his title. But he self-destructed Tuesday for a round of 83 - placing him in a tie for seventh with a 154.
And his round was an indicator of how his team was doing in its bid to win a first-ever team title after finishing second four of the last five years.
Cox entered the second round in second place, but 13 strokes behind two-time defending champion Mills Godwin - the eventual winner by 11 strokes over Hylton.
``(Paulson) has to have some help,'' coach Stuart Holland said after the first round.
But there was none to be had.
Ryan Roebuck, one of the players the Falcons counted on for a good scoring round, was sick and couldn't play.
``When we got to the course, Jim Walters, a freshman, was there with his dad to watch,'' Holland said. ``So we gave him Ryan's clubs and shoes and sent him out there.''
Unprepared and with someone else's equipment, Walters shot a 103. But Cox had no player shoot under 80 and finished fifth with a two-day total of 654 - 33 strokes off the pace.
``Very surprising,'' Godwin coach Tommy Hill said. ``I know Stuart and his kids wanted to play well.'' by CNB