THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 17, 1994 TAG: 9407150251
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 27 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Can Chesapeake's Gary Johnson three-peat in the First Flight Tournament?
Johnson became the fourth player ever to post back-to-back titles in the 36-hole preliminary to the Eastern Amateur last year.
He will be battling a field of 180 as the tourney begins Monday at Elizabeth Manor.
Awaiting the winner and the 11 next low gross finishers are berths in the Eastern Amateur Thursday.
The First Flight Tournament is limited to players with handicaps of 2.6 and higher. The Eastern is for 2.5-handicappers and lower, except for the First Flight qualifiers.
This tournament originated as the Eastern Amateur Pre-Tournament qualifier in 1961. It was established as the First Flight Tournament in 1963 when David Estes won with 151.
Johnson, 35, won last year with 69-70-139, one-under-par. In 1992 he won with 69-71-140. He plays to a 4-handicap.
``It would be nice to win again,'' said Johnson. ``But I don't know about that. It's awful hot out there and I'm really out of shape.''
Still he offers one word on his playing that should cause other contestants to shudder: he's hitting the ball off the tee farther than ever. The ex-baseball star at Deep Creek High School, who signed a bonus contract with the California Angels but later decided against a pro career, already is one of the longest drivers in the area.
``I have always used a standard driver,'' said Johnson. ``Now I've gone to a bigger one and I guess I'm hitting it about 20 yards farther.
``Of course, that doesn't mean much unless you are hitting it where you want it to go.''
The cutoff for the berths in the Eastern the past two years has been 147. It has never been lower.
Often in earlier years 151 was adequate to gain a spot in the Eastern. On two occasions 151 won this tournament.
Back-to-back winners were David Seale (1971-72), Marshall Fleming (1981-82) and Tom Rawls (1985-86). Fleming also shared the title in 1981.
Fleming, who has qualified for a dozen Easterns via the First Flight, is entered again.
Three other former First Flight winners are in this year's field - George Owens of Virginia Beach, who won in 1980 with 138; Charlie Mathis, the 1975 winner; and 1966 victor Steve Blosser.
The First Flight record is 136, registered by Bill Newton of Newport News in 1977 in the only year the tournament was played at Sleepy Hole.
Paul Going has the lowest score at Elizabeth Manor with his 137 in 1988.
For the first time players will be flighted into the second round by their opening round scores. Prizes will be awarded for the top four positions in each of the five flights.
A Senior Flight also will be available for any players who are 60 years of age or older and desire to participate. Prizes will be awarded to the winner and runnerup in the Senior Flight.
Elizabeth Manor pro Tim Newsom is the director of the First Flight Tournament. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MOTOYA NAKAMURA
Gary Johnson has won the last two First Flight Tournaments.
Chart
Monday's Opening-Round Pairings
For copy of chart, see microfilm
by CNB