THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 26, 1994 TAG: 9410260582
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
Cox High's Matt Paulson went home Tuesday savoring a one-shot victory and bemoaning a one-shot defeat.
Paulson backed up an opening 71 with a 2-over-par 73 in the final round of the Group AAA state golf championships at The Hamptons to win the individual championship by one stroke over James Madison's Chad Moseley.
But Paulson's heroics weren't enough to lift the Falcons to the team title. Cox lost by a stroke to Mills Godwin of Henrico County.
The Falcons totaled 315 on the final day to finish the same way they began the day, one off Godwin's pace. In high school golf, six teammates play, with the low four scores counting.
While the Falcons (305-315-620) left muttering to themselves about a shot here or a shot there that would have made the difference, Mills Godwin senior Mark Merolla was describing the shot that won it for the Eagles (304-315-619).
Merolla, the only senior on either team, birdied the last two holes. He reached the par-5 17th hole in two and two-putted for birdie to set the stage. Then at the par-4 18th, Merolla sank a 5-foot birdie putt after hitting a beautiful pitching wedge approach shot.
``Boy it's good to win it in my last year,'' said Merolla, who was also the Eagles' low man with rounds of 78-75. ``I've lost tournaments by a stroke before, and it hurts. I know what they're thinking right now.''
Paulson, playing in the final group of the day, began play one shot out of the lead of Oakton's G.W. Cable.
But the lead changed hands at the par-3 eighth. Paulson hit a 5-iron to within 10 feet and sank the putt for birdie. Cable then missed a 5-footer to save par.
Meanwhile, Moseley was shooting 2-under 33 on the front nine in the group ahead of Paulson's. Coupled with an opening 75, Moseley was within two shots of Paulson at the turn.
Cable took himself out of title contention at the par-3 13th when he six-putted for quadruple-bogey 7.
``He was trying, too,'' said a disbelieving Paulson. ``He lined up four straight 3-footers. I've never seen a six-putt.''
By the time they reached the 16th hole, Paulson and Moseley were both 2-over for the tournament.
``I was really feeling nervous at the 16th tee,'' Paulson said. ``The tees were all the way back and the shot has to carry 210 yards over water. He (Moseley) hit his tee shot over the green and made bogey. I hit 1-iron on the left front of the green and two-putted.''
Paulson got a big break at the par-5 17th when he pulled his tee shot into tall grass. But the ball took a huge bounce out of the grass and reached the shorter grass of the left rough. Paulson parred the hole, two-putting from 25 feet.
At the 18th, Paulson drove into the left rough and hit his approach shot for 155 yards to the middle of the green, two-putting from 35 feet to win the individual title.
He's not the first Paulson to win a state title. Cousin Carl Paulson, who went on to become an All-American at the University of South Carolina, won the title as a senior at First Colonial High in 1988.
But Matt Paulson, who won last week's Eastern Region title as well, is only a sophomore and will have two more chances at repeating the feat.
``Winning it took Carl's game to another level,'' said Matt Paulson. ``It's the biggest tournament I've ever won, and I feel I improved a lot through district, regionals and state.
``I feel like I'll be in contention in every tournament I play in from now on.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Martin Smith-Rodden, Staff
A fellow golfer congratulates Matt Paulson of Cox High...
Photo by Martin Smith-Rodden, Staff Cox High's Matt Paulson...
by CNB