Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 20, 1995 TAG: 9508210102
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
As a result, Chocklett will tee it up at 7:57 a.m. today with Cam Young, a familiar name from the gridiron but a relative unknown on the local golf scene. At stake is the 1995 Roanoke Valley Golf Association Amateur championship.
The top two Senior seeds, Bill Proffitt and Gibby Wingfield, will go off in their championship match at 8:04 a.m. (Results in Scoreboard. B2)
Chocklett and Young are first-time finalists. Chocklett beat Scott Hunter 1 up in a semifinal, and Young, in his first match-play event, 1-upped '93 champion and '94 runner-up Rodney Naff.
``I don't know much about Cam,'' Chocklett said.
Before Saturday, he probably knew more about Young's play as a quarterback at Virginia Tech and Salem High School than about his golf game. That will change soon enough, as the pair heads out for 36 scheduled holes today.
What's important to know about Young, 28, is this: He played a little golf when he was 13, but stopped when he was a backup quarterback in Blacksburg. Before last year, he had never played in a tournament. Before this week, he had never tried match play. And he has been one of the longest hitters at Countryside.
So the question must be asked. Which is Young's better sport - football or golf? ``Golf,'' he said. ``I wasn't that good at football.''
The statistics support his claim. His completion percentage at Tech was 49.1. His winning percentage in match play is 100. He passed for 716 yards as a Hokie, but has looked masterful for 6,815 from the blue tees.
``I never thought I'd be in this position,'' Young said.
Two weeks ago, Mark Funderburke finally talked Young into playing. On Saturday, Young beat the man who beat Funderburke - Naff.
At the start of play Saturday, it actually looked as if it would be a short match. Young birdied No.2 and No.5 and was 3 up by the time he and Naff got to No.7.
Naff and his putter, however, were too seasoned to let that continue. He won five of the next six holes to go 1 up at No.13.
``I knew who I was playing,'' Young said. ``You can't get complacent. He doesn't go away.''
Nevertheless, Young opened the door for Naff's departure at No.17 when he birdied and Naff bogeyed. That made the difference. Not surprisingly, Young said, ``That was probably the most unbelievable match I've ever played.''
Chocklett may change that today. The 15-year William Byrd High School golf coach turned back a pair of old rivals, Glenvar alumnus Adam Harrell and Cave Spring alumnus Scott Hunter, to reach the final. Now teammates at George Mason, Harrell and Hunter will have something else to talk about on their Patriots golf trips. They'll talk about how it feels to get beat by ol' man Chocklett.
``They are two young guys,'' said Chocklett, whose license plate reads, ``O NOIM40.'' ``Both of those guys are better players than I am. I felt like an underdog in both matches.''
But just like the day before, he didn't play that way. Harrell, the defending champion, took him to a playoff in the quarterfinals, but only because Chocklett tried to give it away with bogeys on Nos.17 and 18.
Hunter, who recently was awarded a full scholarship for his senior year, almost won it on Nos.16 and 17 without Chocklett's help. Two birdies made it interesting, but Chocklett birdied the 18th to win. Chocklett attributed much of his success to plain luck. ``Sometimes you've got to be lucky,'' he said, ``because everybody's good.''
Chocklett and Young have been great so far. They'll keep doing what's made them that way in the championship final. Young will go long, and Chocklett will try to keep up with his accuracy. As is usual in match play, the more opportunistic player will be the more successful player.
``I can't wait on him to make a mistake,'' Young said. ``I'm going to have to play to win the tournament if I'm going to win it.''
Both golfers know how to play that game.
by CNB