Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 4, 1993 TAG: 9307040056
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: Long
Marvin "Vinny" Giles, the Virginia icon whose name is synonymous with U.S. amateur golf, is enjoying one of his greatest honors after being chosen by the U.S. Golf Association as captain for the 1993 Walker Cup team.
"I've been in amateur golf all my life, so this is a heck of an honor," Giles said. "It's going to be a lot of fun. And it will be a whole lot more fun if we win."
The Walker Cup, golf's most prestigious amateur team competition, is played every other year between a U.S. team and one representing England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. This year's competition will be Aug. 18-19 in Edina, Minn.
The United States has owned the competition, losing only three times in 33 matches.
Giles' task now is helping the USGA's team selection committee choose its final five players. Already selected were 1992 U.S. Amateur champion Justin Leonard, nine-time Walker Cup player Jay Sigel, '92 U.S. Amateur semifinalist Allen Doyle, '92 U.S. Amateur quarterfinalist John Harris and '92 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Danny Yates.
"All I am is an adviser to the selection committee," Giles said. "I don't have much to do with who is actually chosen. Basically, it's the committee's decision."
Kelly Mitchum, who played his junior season of high school golf at Lord Botetourt, is a virtual lock to land one of the final five spots. Mitchum, who has starred collegiately at North Carolina State, improved his standing drastically when he won the North & South Amateur earlier this year.
Giles said Galax's Tom McKnight, a three-time State Amateur champion and a second-round match-play participant in last year's U.S. Amateur, is on the USGA committee's "long list."
"Tommy has got to win something big, like the Porter Cup [in late July] to have a chance," Giles said. "If he wins the Eastern Amateur next week, I don't think it will be enough. The Eastern doesn't carry the weight it used to. As things currently stand, Tom is not on the short list of about 10 names being considered."
McKnight, who was upset by young Rich Hanna in Friday's first round of match play in the 80th VSGA State Amateur, said Thursday his quarterfinal loss to Mitchum in the North & South may have snuffed out his hopes.
"If I could have beaten Kelly Mitchum and won the North & South, that may have done it," McKnight said.
"They [the USGA] have been aware of me for quite awhile. They know who I am. I would love to make the team. As far as goals go, I don't set them. But making the Walker Cup would have to rank right up there."
\ EXTRA CLUBS: Teen-ager Gary Koh of Newport News likely will check his bag before his next tournament. Koh was assessed a two-shot penalty on the first hole of Wednesday's qualifying round at the VSGA State Amateur for carrying 15 clubs, one more than the regulation limit.
Koh had drawn attention on the putting green before his round when VSGA officials noticed the shaft of his Zebra putter had two bends - the manufacturer's and one added by Koh.
After officials told Koh the putter was non-conforming, Koh went to his car in the parking lot. As Koh walked up the first fairway, officials noticed that Koh's caddie was carrying a putter in one hand.
VSGA officials David Norman and Clyde Luther looked at Koh's putter again and saw he had taken out the bend to the shaft that he had added and deemed it a conforming club.
But after Koh missed the green, Norman and Luther were puzzled when Koh pulled another putter out of his bag. They inspected Koh's bag and discovered he had one too many weapons. Koh was assessed a two-shot penalty, giving him a triple-bogey seven on the hole. He wound up shooting 82.
\ HUMOR RUNS IN FAMILY: Jay Rickles didn't have much trouble convincing the State Am media that he indeed was the second cousin of comedian Don Rickles. The United Airlines pilot from Chesapeake had the media in stitches Friday after pushing Vinny Giles to 20 holes in a first-round match before losing.
"Here this is my first match-play tournament ever and I had to pick that guy," said Rickles, referring to Giles. "Hey, I'm happy. I'm just glad I didn't throw up out there somewhere.
"When I saw I was playing Vinny, I said, `What the hell? Who better to get clobbered by?' I knew I would get to play at least 10 holes with one of the best amateurs in the world. Besides, if I had beaten him, who would have believed it?"
\ SAND BLASTS: Giles, who turned 50 in January, will play in his "first old man's tournament" this week when he tees it up in the U.S. Senior Open at Cherry Hills in Denver. Former U.S. Amateur winners all receive one special exemption when they turn 50. . . . Shooting his age apparently is no big deal for Leonard Hale of Blue Hills. Hale matched his age, 74, three days in a row in recent rounds at Shenvalee in New Market and Blue Hills (twice). . . . Former Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame champion John Crooks was named the Big South Conference men's and women's golf coach of the year after guiding the Campbell College Camels to twin championships. . . . Glenna Buchanan of Abingdon shot 2-over-par 146 to win the Lynwood Ladies Invitational last weekend at Martinsville's Lynwood Golf Club. Martinsville's Fran Hensley and Marianne Hedgpeth tied for second at 148. Roanokers Janet Cochran and Sara Cole won the first and second flights, respectively.
by CNB