By Staff
Morgan, Little in familiar setting
By Marty Stamper
EMG sports assistant
They're back and they're still the team to beat.
When the first round of the 2003 Ed Lewis Memorial Day golf tournament at Northwood Country Club was over Saturday afternoon, two golfers found themselves in quite a familiar position.
Taking a three-stroke lead after 18 holes was the team of Scott Morgan and Judge Little. Leading this event is nothing new to the duo as they've won the event each of the last four years.
In fact, Little has finished first for five consecutive years, teaming with Jimmy Carle for the 1998 title. The last time he didn't finish on top was in 1997 when Randy Pool and Earl Aycock, Jr. won the event.
Little and Morgan turned in a 7-under par 64 Saturday morning to grab the early lead in this year's event.
Starting their round on No. 1, Morgan promptly put his team 1-under with a birdie on the par-4. After six pars, Little made it 2-under with a birdie on the par-3, 343-yard, No. 8.
Morgan birdied No. 9, a par-4, 342-yard hole, to give the leaders a 3-under 35 at the turn.
Following pars on Nos. 10 and 11, both golfers birdied No. 12, a 525-yard par-5.
Little's birdie on No. 14 put his team 5-under and Morgan closed with birdies on Nos. 17 and 18 to send the four-time defending champions to 7-under and into today's round with a three-stroke lead over a pair of teams.
"We played good," Little said. "Scott played real good. He made five birdies and I had three. We were both on the green on most holes, so we had a good opportunity."
Their round could have been even better.
"He hit the ball real close all day," Little said of Morgan's approach shots. "He actually missed three birdie putts inside of six or seven feet. He carried us a little bit today."
Today's round will be played with a scramble format. The tournament closes out Monday with an alternate shot format.
"We always mesh good," Little said of the duo's past success here. "He's a real good partner. I'm looking forward to the scramble and alternate shot."
Today's challenge will be to try to break 60.
"If you can get in the 50s, that would be nice, but we're going to try to beat our score today," Little said.
In second place at 67 are the teams of John Rea and Jimbo Green and Bilbo Mitchell and Billy McWilliams.
Rea and Green started on No. 4 and birdied Nos. 5, 10, 15, 16, and 18, while taking a bogey on No. 13.
Mitchell and McWilliams began their round on No. 17 and had birdies on Nos. 18, 7, 12, 14, and 16, while taking a bogey on No. 3.
Four strokes off the lead at 68 are the teams of Justin Catlett and Tony Polizzi and Chuck Gordon and Eddie Brown.
Catlett and Polizzi began play Saturday on No. 5 and, after opening with a bogey, had birdies on Nos. 6, 16, 17, and 18.
Gordon and Brown opened their round on No. 15 and had birdies on Nos. 17, 2, 5, and 14 to go with a bogey on No. 4.