Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 7, 1990 TAG: 9005070201
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Allara and Turner put their local knowledge to good use, winning the Virginia State Golf Association Two-Man championship in a playoff against David Hagadorn and Tom Brittain.
After Allara had forced the playoff with a 20-foot birdie putt at No. 18, Turner put an end to the proceedings with a 10-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole.
"I had birdied the hole earlier in the day from just about the same spot," Turner said. "As soon as I walked up on the green, I could see exactly where the ball was going to go."
Allara and Turner shot a final-round 65 in the better-ball format for a 9-under-par total of 133. Hagadorn and Brittain, teammates on the golf team at Virginia Tech, had a second-day 63 that included seven birdies and an eagle.
David Brogan and J.W. Entsminger of Lexington finished third at 134 after Brogan's bid for a third-straight birdie rolled over the lip of the cup at No. 18. First-round leaders Mike Smith and Jack Tuttle of Roanoke bogeyed the final hole to fall into a tie for fourth with Dick Wagner and Greg Caldwell of the host club.
Four of the top five teams and eight of the top 11 had a Roanoke Valley connection, including the Hagadorn-Brittain pairing. Hagadorn is a Hidden Valley member, and Brittain is from Tazewell.
Allara, 35, is the reigning two-time Hidden Valley club champion, but he and Turner scarcely were mentioned in discussions of the pre-tournament favorites.
"No one knew who we were," said Allara, a dentist who did not take up the game until he was in his 20s. "But I know how I feel when I play a strange golf course. It's hard."
Turner, 48, had an earlier introduction to golf than Allara, but he gave up the game when he was 31 in order to spend more time with his family. He said he did not pick up a club for nine years.
Both had played in the two-man championship with Arman Fletcher of Roanoke, but Allara and Turner had not previously been partners in this event.
They were 2-over after 11 holes of Saturday's first round, then they birdied five of the last seven holes to move into contention.
Temperatures plunged into the 50s on Sunday, although rain held off until minutes after the playoff. There were several strange scores, including a better ball of 11 by Clint Thornhill and Hugh Esleeck at No. 16, and a double-eagle 2 at the par-5 12th hole by Al Persinger of Bedford.
Persinger and his partner, Jim Stanley, did not have a birdie in two rounds.
"What's really strange is, I've been playing 31 years and never had a hole-in-one," Persinger said, "but this was my third double eagle."
by CNB