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First time is a charm for amateur

By DAVE THEALL
Published August 4, 2006

The wait was worthwhile.

Patrick Olive of Tarpon Springs waited until he was 34 to enter a U.S. Amateur qualifier and when he did play in one last week at Cypress Run, the results were resoundingly successful.

After opening with 1-under 71 on Monday, he slipped to 76 Tuesday for a 147 to earn one of the three coveted spots to advance to the Aug. 21-27 Championship at Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minn.

"It's exciting for me to be going to such a world-class course for the championship," said Olive, a member at Wentworth where he plays to a plus-1 handicap.

"I play Cypress Run occasionally and I like the course. When (head pro) Steve Martin there told me I should give the qualifier a shot, I decided to enter. I'm glad I did."

Though Olive found the course to his liking, he said bearing up under the oppressive heat and humidity was the real challenge. One player in his group collapsed on the first day, Olive said.

"It was definitely a struggle," Olive added. "On the second day I opened with two bogeys on the first three holes and I just had to remind myself to stay patient because I still had a long way to go. I cramped up toward the end without making a birdie in the whole round but I played steady and that's what did it for me."

Olive said that he will have his regular caddie, Greg Gaetz of Palm Harbor, with him in Minnesota.

"My realistic goal at the championship is to make the cut after 36 holes for match play," he said.

"Anything can happen after that, especially for someone who makes a lot of birdies.

NOTES: Both Olive and medalist Danny Allen of Palm Harbor are Tarpon Springs High graduates. ...Olive played a practice round with the third Cypress Run qualifier, Justin Schlau, at his club on Monday. That was Fox Hollow in Trinity.

STATE PARENT-CHILD CHAMPIONSHIP: Gary and John Pettit of Dade City and Tampa, respectively, were the top area twosome at the State Championship last Saturday and Sunday at Walt Disney World Golf Resort. They finished third, 73-66-139, behind winners Jarrod and Steve Owen of Vero Beach, who shot 66-66-132.

Dennis Williams of Tarpon Springs and Joe Meloche of Palm Harbor shot 74-77-151 in the Mickey Division First Flight, finishing nine strokes behind winners Chad and Charles Park of Valrico.

In the Mickey Division Second Flight, Chris and William Hamm of St. Petersburg were 11 strokes off the winning pace with their score of 161 (82-79).

Stephen and daughter Dana Turker of Dunedin posted 166 (82-84) in the Donald First Flight. In that division's Second Flight, Craig and Alexis Harter of Clearwater shot 89-87-176 tying for 10th, well ahead of Tarpon's Steve and Stephen-Jon Sabadosh at 191.

The only Pinellas winners were Clearwater's Ryan and Gregory Hicks in the 6-7 age division. They won with 46 points. Rory and Christine Hicks of Clearwater trailed with 16. Gregory Hicks also teamed with his son, Robby, in the 10-12 age division, where they tied for seventh with 47 points.

MORE JUNIORS: At the prestigious Betsy Rawls Girls Championship, held last week in Malvern, Pa., Marika Lendl of Goshen, Conn., won with scores of 70-71-68 for 4-under 209.

The top Pinellas finishers were Andrea Messer, 229; Courtney Harter, 232; and Whitney Wenglasz, 236. Messer and Largo High teammate Evan Jensen fared much better the previous week in a big AJGA event in Pensacola. Messer took third with rounds of 75-72-74-221 at the Southern Junior. Jensen was seventh shooting 75-77-75-226.

- At the East Lake High Pre-Season Tournament at Tarpon Woods, freshman Terry O'Reilly, son of coach Terry O'Reilly, finished first with a 36-hole total of 170, followed by Yanni Vretas (174) and Ryan Stolz (176). Alison Burnham won the girls division with 101 followed by Kayla Gunter (108).

- At Largo Golf Course's Session II Tournament, held at Pinecrest in Largo since the city's course is closed for renovation, D'Arcy Finnegan (41) won the boys 14-17 division. Becky Finnegan shot 80 for the girls title in that age group.

Kevin Stryker (35) and Kylie Stryker (52) took top honors in the 10-13 bracket.

Among 10 boys ages 6-9, Joseph Stuart won with 26 and Madison Lake shot 42 over six holes for first place.

Martin Fennemore won the 7-9 group with a 30 for nine holes, followed by Joseph Diest, 38, and Jonathan Hart, 69. Among girls, the leaders were Ryanne Jackson, 35, Liana Grantges, 40, and Mariana Ocano, 42.

WEST COAST WOMEN: Lisa Hartley capitalized on her local knowledge as she won Flight AA of the association's match on her course, Clearwater Country Club, with a round of 79. Jackie Currier of Walden Lake finished second with 81. Kelly Patterson of Clearwater took net honors with 73.

Mary Ann Neary of East Lake Woodlands captured Flight B with an 84, just ahead of Nan Habjan, Candes Clifford, Barb Bowen and Joyce Marshall, all 86. Pinellas members swept Flight C, headed by Paulette Sullivan of Cypress Run and Mary Gilchrist, both 90, followed by Lana Cohen, 96, of Countryside. Ellen Freund of Clearwater finished second (90) in Flight D behind Linda Hunerlach, 87, of Hunter's Green.

CGA: At River Wilderness in Palmetto, Tom Parsley of St. Petersburg won with 79 while Jim Montali of Clearwater went lower (77), winning the Senior Division on Monday. Low net was Erik Andress, 65, with Al Furtek and Bob Gonsch sharing senior net honors with 66.

At last month's match at Isla Del Sol, CGA director Ray Goodman eagled the 14th hole and John Lisenbee duplicated the rare feat on No. 12.

SENIOR BRITISH OPEN: Lakewood High graduate Dick Mast eagled the par-5 17th hole in Sunday's final round to get within a stroke of co-leaders Loren Roberts and Eduardo Romero. And that's how they finished, a stroke apart, as Roberts won on the first playoff hole. Still, Mast, who lives in Winter Gardens, won $110,383 for third place.

LPGA: Brittany Lincicome traveled from France to England this week to compete in the Women's British Open, a major on the Tour. ABC will televise it Saturday starting at 1:30 p.m. The tournament is being played at Royal Litham and St. Annes in Lancashire. Another first-place finish - worth $270,000 - would put the 20 year old from Seminole over the million mark for '06.

[Last modified August 4, 2006, 07:12:42]