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Letter to the editor

Girouex wins Skip Alexander tourney

By DAVE THEALL, Times Correspondent
Published October 28, 2007

Composure is defined as a calmness of mind or bearing.

On the golf courses it's an asset; lacking it is a liability.

At last weekend's Skip Alexander City Championship, played at Mangrove Bay, St. Petersburg's Dave Girouex was battling to stay in the mix late in the tournament with Dennis Dejaand Scott Eicher. On the par-4 16th hole on the final day, Girouex's approach shot with an 8 ironboth was aimed atand hit the pin.

"That ball could have done a lot of things, including falling nearby or even into the cup," said Girouex, the home-course favorite and last year's runnerup by a single stroke. "Instead, it bounced 25 feet away."

Girouex calmly two-putted for par and followed up with pars on the par-5 17th and par-4 18th, where difficult pin placements made the course challenging.

The results were a second round of even-par 72 for Girouex and a two-stroke margin over Deja and Eicher for the title.

TOURNAMENT NOTES: Jimmy Weck of St. Petersburg Catholic High won the First Flight shooting 78-73-151. ... Oregon resident Chris Metcalf, a freshman on the golf team at Eckerd College, took the opening-round lead with 2-under 70. His final round of 77 left him in a four-way tie for fourth. ... Senior division winner Doug Root not only won for the sixth time - four open titles and two seniors - but also joined his son, Todd, in the winners circle. He won the concurrent 14-16 junior title on the adjacent Cypress Links course.

PINELLAS MEN'S INTERCLUB: A record-high temperature - 91 degrees - took its toll on many of the field of 120 in Monday's match at Belleview Biltmore. The home team tied with Belleair for third, but Innisbrook's team of 10 won with a minus-12 score against their quota.

Vinoy pro Randy Mosley had the round of the day, 4-under 68.

ROLEX JUNIOR ALL AMERICA TEAM: Evan Jensen, 18, of Belleair, earned international honorable mention based on her point total in five American Junior Golf Association matches this year, plus the U.S. Girls Junior Championship, where she advanced to match play after opening with 4-under 68. Jensen will be honored at the Rolex Junior All-America Awards Banquet at Disney World on Thanksgiving weekend.

Vicky Hurst of Melbourne not only made the Rolex first team but also was named girls player of the year. Her male counterpart is Bradenton's Peter Uihlein. Isabelle Lendl of Bradenton, daughter of former tennis great Ivan Lendl, made the Rolex junior second team.

MORE JUNIORS: Indian Rocks Christian sophomore Ryan Ashburn of Seminole finished fourth (77-75-152) in a recent Florida Junior Tour event at Royal Palm Beach.

COUNTY GOLF: Tony Baccari and Mike Sanderson teamed up for a winning better-ball score of 2-under 70 on Monday at Countryside. There was a tie for first (71) in the senior division between the teams of Tony Ciccotti with Mark Dinkel and Bobby Jolleywith Jim Montali.

Carole Zimmermanwon the closest-to-the-pin event on the Lake course's par-3 No.8 hole. Her tee shot settled at 3 feet, 5 inches.

PROS: Seminole's Brittany Lincicome is 11th on the LPGA money list with $856,237. She's the fourth American behind only Paula Creamer, Christie Kerr and Morgan Pressel. All four have won once this 2007 season.

Dunedin's Bob Heintz is 132nd on the PGA Tour's money list with $619,316. With only two more regular events on the schedule this season, he needs to be among the top 125 for full exemption for 2008.

WEST CENTRAL CHAPTER PGA: The Vinoy hosts a pro-am Monday. Amateurs interested in playing should call the pro shop at 896-8000.

WEST COAST WOMEN: Sue Fishler of Innisbrook shot 5-under 149 to win Flight A of the 36-hole Mother Lassing net event at Feather Sound this week.In Flight AA, Cathy Moss (150) of the Vinoy and Lisa Hartley of Clearwater Country Club finished second and third, respectively. Jenni Marshall (150) of St. Petersburg Country Club won Flight B, Ellen Freund and Cheryl Kinnebrew of Clearwater finished 1-2 with 153.

[Last modified October 27, 2007, 23:19:19]