Countryside pro fills spot for Lansbrook

A Countryside Golf Center teaching pro with a Lansbrook membership helped Lansbrook win last week's February match of the Pinellas Men's Interclub Association.

Bobby Capobianco filled in to round out Lansbrook's 10-man team because the club didn't have a staff pro to complement the squad. He fired a 3-over 75, tying for third with host pro Bruce Chaleff of Seminole Lake. They played in the same foursome.

"I played well, although I didn't score particularly well," said Capobianco, who was coming off a down year.

"I was sick most of last year with stomach problems. I quit smoking, gained 40 pounds, and it affected my game," he said. "The way I played felt good to get a little confidence back."

Capobianco said Lansbrook's team played well.

"We were very happy to win," he said. "It's tougher when you have to go to someone else's course. But they are a fun group, so that's why they play so good; they play relaxed."

It was Lansbrook's third victory in the league's first six matches of the 2002-03 season. The 10 points it earned broke a first-place tie with Cove Cay.

Following Cove Cay in the standings are the Vinoy and Crescent Oaks. Defending champion Cyress Run is fifth with four matches to play.

Rob Spiers, an assistant pro at Countryside, had the low round Thursday, a 1-over 73. The 36-year-old carded two birdies and three bogeys.

Spiers played at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, and came here last year from a club in Cancun, Mexico.

Dunedin's John Falcone shot 74, a stroke better than Capobianco and Chaleff.

Among amateur pairs, Bob Wilson and Dick Brunelle of Cove Cay clicked in combining for a better-ball score of 14-under 58.

A second-place tie at 60 was shared by Cypress Run's Joe Paoline and Dave Baccari, along with Ray McCorkel and Stan Coveleskie of Seminole Lake.

The match was played in 4 hours, 25 minutes, enhancing the experience for everyone, said association official Bob Detlor.

PGA WEST CENTER CHAPTER: Defensive starters Ronde Barber and Shelton Quarles led a strong contingent of Bucs and ex-Tampa Bay players that helped make the area chapter's annual Celebrity Pro-Am a huge success.

The event last week at Westchase in Tampa raised $3,400 for Swing Into School, a collaborative program of the chapter and the Hillsborough School System.

Other Bucs included running back Aaron Stecker and defensive tackle Anthony McFarland.

Former receiver Jimmie Giles was on the winning team with amateurs Mike Nail and John Hartman. The squad's anchor was Riverview's Scott Martin, a PGA Class A pro. They shot 129 in a format that included the team's two best balls, one gross and one net.

Other ex-Bucs in the field included Tony Mayberry, Reidel Anthony, Kevin Dogins, Ian Beckles and Mark Royals. Other celebrities came from auto racing and baseball.

Shawn Gordon of Carrollwood and Scott Carlson of Old Memorial tied for the individual medalist honor at 1-under 71.

The chapter's next tournament is a pro-am at Feather Sound on March 17. For information, call Ron Pacana, 447-6861 or 688-3065.

LPGA: St.Petersburg's Marilyn Lovander is expected to make her 2003 debut March 13-16 in the Welch's/Fry's Championship in Tucson, Ariz. Competing in 14 tournaments last year, Lovander finished 113th on the money list with $49,187. She went on to win the LPGA Qualifying Tournament in October, earning full exemption this season.

Lovander, who turned 48 on Feb.9, is a native of Willmar, Minn. She didn't start playing until she was 19.

Annette DeLuca of Tequesta was the only other Florida resident among the 23 players who gained exempt status cards in Q-School.

DEVELOPMENTAL TOUR: Brooksville's Kelly Lagedrost won her third Next Generation Tour event of the season after crafting rounds of 2-under 70 both days at Westchase for a 140.

The former USF standout said her accurate placements off the tee and solid iron game enabled her to win the match and $1,500.

"Westchase is a tough course," Lagedrost said. "If you miss off the tee, you're in the water or other trouble."

ST. PETERSBURG COUNTRY CLUB: Member Spencer Gaylord played his way into the club's record book Sunday by shooting a course-record 9-under 63.

The senior champion tied a group of four, including former host pro Skip Alexander, with that score. Gaylord was competing in a couples quota match. He scored 54 points. Thirty six is even par.

COLLEGES: Florida International's Courtney Burdick, a former Times Player of the Year at Largo High, had her best college tournament at Doral in Miami, winning the Golden Bear Championship over 65 competitors from 14 schools.

In cold and blustery conditions, Burdick won with rounds of 74 and 80. UNC Greensboro's Jenny Gleason (Clearwater High) was seven strokes back and tied for 11th, helping her team finish second to Illinois.

APPOINTMENT: Tarpon Woods Country Club has hired Peter Bass, who's recognized as one of the area's top course superintendents. Previously, he worked at Cypress Run, Palma Ceia, the Westin Innisbrook Resort and The Eagles in Odessa.

Tarpon Woods co-owner John Huston has his World Match Play Championship opener today against Argentina's Angel Cabrera.

ESPN's coverage of the tournament at La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, Calif., starts at 2 p.m. Huston is seeded 42nd in the field of the world's top 64 players.

TAMPA BAY PUTTING CHAMPIONSHIP: The finals are scheduled for noon Saturday at the All In One Range in Largo.

Of the 300 preliminary contestants, 20 emerged from last week's semifinals. They will be joined by last year's top-four finishers.

That group will be headed by Clearwater's Cindy Hall, who won the 2002 contest over 31 men finalists.

Hall, 43, who has a 6 handicap, was diagnosed with colon cancer shortly after last year's match. That led to surgery and on-going chemotherapy treatment.

However, it didn't prevent her from winning the women's division of last fall's Tampa Bay Championship at Mangrove Bay. Spectators are welcome at the putting championship. For information, call Terry Terrel, (813) 996-3707.

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