Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 20, 1990 TAG: 9007200201
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
"I've been playing golf for 30 years and this is the first time it's ever happened," said the 38-year-old Richmond native, who was 2 under par at the time.
Wadkins and one of his playing partners, seven-time state amateur champion Vinny Giles of Richmond, both drove into the fairway on the fifth hole as the shortest route to the green of the par-4 sixth.
"I looked down and checked my ball and it was a Titleist Figure One Tour Ball, which not too many people here would be playing," Wadkins said.
He reached the green and two-putted for his par, then went to the tee of the par-3 seventh.
"Just as I hit my tee shot, I found out a guy going down the other fairway [of the fifth] reported he hit the wrong ball," Wadkins said.
It turned out the ball Wadkins hit belonged to Alexandria pro Wheeler Stewart, who finished second in the tournament three years ago.
Stewart discovered the error when he reached the green of the par-5 fifth and found the ball he hit had Wadkins' name on it.
"I was really bummed out," said Stewart, who still shot par 72 at the Willow Oaks Country Club Course despite the two-shot penalty for hitting the wrong ball.
Wadkins would have suffered the same fate had he discovered the mistake before he teed off on the next hole.
"It's my fault for not checking the ball," Wadkins said.
Giles shot a 5-under-par 67 and led by one shot over pro Mike Moyers of Stanardsville in a first round marred by two delays for thunderstorms.
Former Roanoker Frank Moore, now of Virginia Beach, was tied at 69. Roanoke's Tim Holbrook and Blacksburg's Jim Williams were in a group at 70, and Galax's Tom McKnight and former Roanoker Gary Strickfaden each shot 71.
by CNB