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Letter to the editor

At state, six make run to match play

By DAVE THEALL
Published October 13, 2007

Six area golfers advanced to the first round of match play for the top 32 players during last week's State Mid-Amateur Championship at John's Island Club in Vero Beach.

David Doing of St. Petersburg made the cut by three strokes after opening with 74-78-152. But he withdrew because of illness, the Florida State Golf Association said.

Noi Chay of Land O'Lakes, a finalist last year, lost to eventual winner Ed Kenny of Lake Worth in 23 holes.

Mike Damron of Zephyrhills lost to Jim Kelly of Heathrow 3 and 2 in the first round. Kevin Macy of Tampa fell to Kevin Hammer of Boynton Beach 5 and 3.

Paul Royak of Tampa, who opened strong shooting 72-70-142, was beaten by Steve Anderson of Hobe Sound6 and 5. And Bobby Bird of Vero Beach beat Steve Slocum of Bradenton 6 and 5.

Anderson reached the final where Kenny, seeded 24th, prevailed after 22 holes.

Kenny attributed his success in the age 25-and-older tournament to stroking a hot putter.

"I was making a lot more putts in match play than I was in stroke play," Kenny said. "I wasn't hitting the ball as well, but my putting was fantastic."

His winning putt on the 22nd hole was a 6-footer for a birdie.

Stan Kinnett of Clearwater improved by 10 strokes with rounds of 87-77-164. But he missed the cut by nine.

USGA WOMEN'S STATE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP: At The Woodlands in Texas, Florida finished third of 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Sunshine State was represented by Diane Lang, Mary Jane Hiestand and Taffy Brower. They finished behind Arizona and Tennessee.

Former Dunedin High and Brigham Young University standout Sue Nyhus was Utah's leading scorer with rounds of 80-85-74-239. She is the women's coach for the Cougars.

The Florida men's team, withChris Condello, Jon Veneziano and Jeff Golden, tied for 14th. The Texas team won, followed by Georgia and Alabama.

WEST COAST WOMEN: Mary Ann Petrillo of Pasadena Country Club brought her top game to Monday's tournament at Crescent Oaks.

Her score of 7-over 79 captured first place, while Trish Boyington's net 72 held up for the Flight AA win in that division.

Jenni Marshall of St. Petersburg Country Club captured Flight C honors with an 82. Else Nassif of Pasadena took second, shooting 87.

Trish DeLeo of Clearwater Country Club was second 87 in Flight A, and Barb Hetrick of St. Petersburg took the silver medal in Flight D with a 93.

COUNTY GOLF: At East Lake Woodlands, Jeff Pett and Claud Johnson of Clearwater teamed up in a better-ball match, shooting a tying 71 with partners Jeff Neugebauer and John King of Tampa.

In the senior division, Tim Deleon and Mark Wheaton crafted 69 to prevail over Bill O'Hara and Bobby Kilgore, who had 71.

Mary Lou Edwards and Carol Brown won the ladies division with 69.

COLLEGES:Brittany Jones (East Lake High) finished second (82-83-165) for winning Youngstown State at the Red Flash Invitational in Loretto, Pa.

- Palm Harbor's Jeremy Evans (Cambridge School) finished among a field of 90 for fourth-place Emory University at this week's O'Briant Memorial tournament at Greensboro (N.C.) Country Club. Evans posted two rounds of 1-under 70. The field included 18 teams, mostly NCAA Division III.

- Jason Elliott (Palm Harbor U.) shot 80-80-160 in the rain-shortened Memphis Intercollegiate this week for the 12th-place USF Bulls. Tyler Hitchcock tied for 13th (75-71-146) for the Bulls. The team moves on to the Big East Challenge on Oct. 27-28 at Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando.

- Freshman Courtney Harter (Palm Harbor U.) is Alabama's leading scorer, averaging 71.0. She took medalist honors (3-under 213) as the Crimson Tide beat Florida and 12 other schools in the recent Kentucky Wildcat Invitational.

- Sophomore P.J. Kolosvary (Countryside High) of Nova Southeastern University's team hosts the Sharks Invitational this weekend in Palm Beach Gardens. He was the Times' 2004 player of the year for the Cougars.

Send Pinellas college results to dttimes@knology.net

HOLES IN ONE:Robert Cronk of Largo aced the 90-yard 11th hole with a pitching wedge on Oct. 1 at Largo Golf Course. And Terry Hitchens of Largo aced the 105-yard 16th hole at the course with a 9-iron Oct. 2.

COMING UP: The Pinellas Men's Interclub meets at 1 p.m. Oct. 22 at Belleview Biltmore.

- On Nov. 11, Frenchy's Grouper Classic will be at Countryside Country Club. It's a benefit for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Pinellas County. The entry fee for the scramble is $95 by Oct. 29. For information or to register, call Sally at (727) 518-8860 or Sally@bbbspc.org

- Results or highlights of annual Pinellas County tournaments may be sent to dttimes@knology.net.

[Last modified October 12, 2007, 20:07:18]