By Staff
DIGGING HIS WAY OUT n John Thomas Williamson blasts out of the No. 6 bunker at Northwood Country Club Saturday during the first round of the Ed Lewis Memorial Day Tournament. Williamson and Austin Holmes share the lead with Judge Little and Scott Morgan. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Marty Stamper/The Meridian Star
May 27, 2001
The leaderboard was a bit top-heavy after the first round of the Ed Lewis Memorial Day Tournament at Northwood Country Club as 10 teams were within two strokes of the lead.
At the top of the leaderboard with 6-under par 65s were the team of Scott Morgan and Judge Little and the youthful duo of Austin Holmes and John Thomas Williamson.
The opening round was played with a four-ball format.
Tied for third place at 66 were the teams of Alex Weddington and Johnny Dement, Miles Dickson and Tim Hogan, and Ed Brown and John Rea.
And tied for sixth place at 67 were the teams of Chase Bryan and Doyle Bryan, Dave Russell and Sean Covich, Andy Lucovich and Ferrell Fort, Randy Pool and Earl Aycock Jr, and Dennis Foster and Miles Foster.
Five teams shot 68 on opening day. They were Bent Moulds and Sammy Broadhead, Kent Daniel and Rob Bullock, Allan Hart and Johnny Love, Jason Anders and Dan Singley, and Glen Taylor and Mike Taylor.
Morgan and Little had six birdies in their round of 65. The three-time defending champions had birdies on Nos. 6, 10, 12, 14, 15, and 18.
Morgan also had birdies on Nos. 10, 14, and 18, while Little had birdies on Nos. 12 and 15.
Matching the low round of the day was the team of Williamson and Holmes who won the Academy Overall championship at Lamar School this spring.
Williamson and Holmes also had six birdies Saturday nn on Nos. 1, 3, 8, 12, 14, and 16.
An impressive effort especially when you consider the two hadn't originally planned to play together this weekend.
It was the case of the team that almost didn't happen.
With Morgan and Little owning the tournament in recent years, Holmes said his team shouldn't feel any pressure to dethrone the current titleholders when the tournament turns to a best-ball format today.
Little admitted that a lot is expected from he and Morgan.
Weddington and Dement also had six birdies in their round, but a bogey at par-4 No. 4 kept them a stroke off the lead at 66. They had birdies on Nos. 3, 5, 8, 9, 14, and 15.
Hogan and Miles had five birdies and avoided bogeys in getting their 66. They had birdies on Nos. 3, 12, 13, 16, and 18.
Rea and Brown got their 66 with six birdies to go with a bogey on the par-3 No. 13. They birdied Nos. 2, 4, 8, 14, 17, and 18.
The Fosters actually had the most birdies of the top 10 teams with seven, but bogeys on No. 10, 11, and 18 hampered their run that saw birdies on Nos. 2, 7, 9, 12, 15, 16, and 17 to finish with a 67.
Ferrell and Lucovich had six birdies Nos. 2, 3, 4, 12, 13, and 17, but were victimized by bogeys on Nos. 6 and 15.
Pool and Aycock had four birdies, an eagle, and two bogeys in their round of 67. The two had an eagle on the par-5 No. 12 and birdies on Nos. 1, 2, 8, and 13. They suffered bogeys on Nos. 4 and 17.
The Bryans had four birdies and stayed away from bogey in turning in a 67. The birdies came on Nos. 9, 11, 13, and 14.
Russell and Covich also had four birdies and avoided bogey in shooting 67. They birdied Nos. 2, 6, 11, and 12.
Today's round will be played with a best-ball format and the tournament will be flighted at the conclusion of the second round. Those who had morning tee times Saturday will play in the afternoon today starting at the same hole they did on Saturday.
Those who played in the afternoon Saturday will play in the morning today starting at the same hole they did yesterday.
Play continues through Monday with the final round being played with an alternate shot format.
Marty Stamper is a sports writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail him at mstamper@themeridianstar.com.