Published: May 12, 2008 10:24 pm            

Local tourney records a first for 33-year history

James Keith is thrilled Jeff McDonald invited him to play in Monday’s Corterra/Dalton Golf and Country Club Roman Open.

Keith’s foursome, playing in the morning’s second flight, shot an 8-under par 62 — a 31 on both the front and back nines — and didn’t win the second flight.

He still had plenty to talk about when the round was finished.

A golfer since 1992, Keith stole the show at the one-day tournament, which expects to raise $80,000 that will be distributed to various charitable organizations in Whitfield and Murray counties, by making the first hole-in-one in the tourney’s 33-year history.

It was also the first ace for Keith, who was playing in just his second Roman Open after his initial appearance in 2007.

“I used a rescue club with a 23-degree face and I guess it’s equivalent to a 5-iron,” said Keith, a co-owner of Grant’s Sporting Goods Store, along with his son, Kevin. “The hole was playing 167 yards. The ball hit on the green and rolled right in the cup.”

Keith’s group, which also included McDonald, Cameron Whaley and Norman Foster, finished three shots behind flight winners William Bronson, David Elrod, David Joyner and Jeff Mutter, but the 64-year-old Keith is the only player in the 204-person field now awaiting the delivery of a new car, courtesy of Prebul Cadillac.

“The way I was standing, the way the hole was playing, I saw the ball go in,” Keith said. “You could see it as plain as day. It just went up here and rolled in.

“All the guys started yelling, ‘It went in. It went in.’ I’m still nervous about it. My insides are still churning. That’s something that doesn’t happen every day. I don’t know when I’ll get the car, but I’m sure I will. It’ll be nice driving it around.”

The course played to a par 70 and 6,000 yards for this year’s tourney.

The day’s low round of 53 came from two teams — Matt Oxford, Dwight Hefner, Andy Oxford and Scott Austin, who won the afternoon’s first flight, and Shane Owen, Matt Hibberts, Keith Harmon and Terry Painter, who won that session’s second flight.



Afternoon results



n First flight: 1. Matt Oxford, Dwight Hefner, Andy Oxford, Scott Austin, 53; 2. Lamar Lyle, Matt Jackson, Greg Brock, Bill Davies, 55; 3. Bob Fallis, Bruce Jennings, Phil Bass, Lee Phillips, 56.

n Second flight: 1. Shane Owen, Matt Hibberts, Keith Harmon, Terry Painter, 53; 2. Keith Hayes, Lamar McClure, Tim Jones, Jerry Rice, 55; 3. Brian Millican, Matt Fuller, Ralph Hammontree, Martha Piccola, 58.

n Third flight: 1. Doug Kenney, Chris Bryant, Greg Kern, Giovannia Iadeluca, 61; 2. Ken McIntosh, Al Luedtke, James Beach, David Wardlaw, 61; 3. Greg Campbell, Tom Rennie, Allen Sanders, Charlie White, 63.

n Most accurate drive: No. 13, Whitey Grimes. Longest drive: No. 17, Sparky Roberts. Closest to the pin: No. 6, Bruce Jennings; No. 9, Bill Davies; No. 14, Sandra Hefner.



Morning flights



n First flight: 1. Todd Nelson, Rob Smith, Mike Duffey, Mark Hoggatt, 56; 2. Jerry Nealey, Steven Nealey, Brian Millican, Keith Hayes, 56; 3. Starr Herndon, Brad Cline, Hudson Keener, Dennis Cooper, 57.

n Second flight: 1. William Bronson, David Elrod, David Joyner, Jeff Mutter, 60; 2. Dennis Davis, Chris Allen, Tracy Latham, Tim Miller, 60; 3. Wayne Alderman, Bruce Miller, Dian Rogers, 62.

n Third flight: 1. Ben Barbre, Joey Jenkins, Lamar Reynolds, J.R. Sherriff, 63; 2. Greg Kern, Steve Sieracky, Dea Kelly, Vann Brown, 65; 3. Jay Garmany, Doug Garmany, Art Taylor, Deny Donegan, 67.

n Most accurate drive: Art Taylor; Longest drive: William Bronson; Closest to the pin: No. 6, Crutchie Crutchfield; No. 9, Dremond Crutchfield; No. 14, Mark Fidler.

        

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