State’s top young golfers will compete at Smith Mountain Lake

Members of the SML Lions Junior Golf Committee are busy getting final details worked out for the 2013 Andrew Haley Memorial/SML Lions Club Junior Golf Tournament. The event for girls and boys, ages 11 through 18, will begin Monday at the Waterfront Country Club. The following day, competition will move to Mariner s Landing Golf & Country Club.

The SML Lions Club and the Andrew Haley Memorial Scholarship Trust work together to put on the 36-hole tournament. This year’s goal is to sign up 80 golfers; earlier this week, they had 81 golfers registered.

In 2012, a four-hole sudden-death playoff in the boys’ senior division provided an exciting ending to what has become known as one of Southwest Virginia’s premier events for young golfers. Last year, 83 golfers participated; three came from outside the commonwealth.

Landon Prillaman of Ferrum, a member of the golf team at Franklin County High School and the recent winner of the Roanoke Valley Junior Golf Association tournament at Blacksburg Country Club, will be among those taking part. Prillaman said the Haley tournament offers high school golfers a chance to play competitively on their own instead of as a team member.

Justin Nichols of Roanoke, who finished fifth in the boys’ senior division last year, said the tournament is a great opportunity to meet friends and play a competitive round of golf.

“I love the game and enjoy the competition,” he said. “The Andrew Haley allows junior players the chance to play on beautiful courses and to be competitive all at the same time.”

Participants are allowed to have their own caddy, but, with the exception of the rookie division, the caddy cannot be older than 18 on Tuesday. The very youngest players may have a parent, older relative or friend act as caddy and help them observe the rules of golf.

Competition is divided into the following categories: Senior Boys , 16-18; Senior Girls, 15-18; Junior Boys, 14-15; Junior Girls, 11-14 ; and Rookie Boys , 11-14. Players may request to move up an age category for more advanced competition.

All participants ages 16-18 who compete in the tournament have the opportunity to apply for two $750 Andrew Haley Memorial Scholarships and a $1,000 Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame scholarship. As the USGA rules of amateur status apply, the scholarship committee does not base consideration for the scholarship award on the performance in the junior golf tournament.

To enter, golfers must have established a handicap or be able to provide the tournament organizers with several scores from standard rounds of golf. Mark McKee, the PGA pro at Waterfront Country Club, bases the first day’s pairings on the players’ handicaps or reported scores. The tournament officials arrange the second day’s tee times based on the results from the first day.

Golfers also will have the opportunity to compete in a longest-drive contest and in a putting competition. Tournament organizers will award trophies and prizes after the last golfers post their scores on Tuesday.

The fee for the two-day tournament, which includes one round of golf at each club before the tournament, is $70. The registration fee includes lunch each day of the tournament and a sleeve of premium golf balls. Deadline to register is noon Sunday.

Tournament supporters are significant contributors to the SML Lions Club Scholarship Trust. This year, the scholarship trust plans to award five four-year scholarships of $6,000 each for a total of $30,000 over the four-year period.

The recipients may use these scholarships at any four-year Virginia college or university. Besides supporting the trust, the proceeds help fund eyeglasses for the needy, a camp for children with diabetes and more than 15 other service projects.

For more information, contact Joe Brown at jgbrownjet@gmail.com. To register, visit http://haleylionsjrgolf.com or call Ron Jamison at 721-2361. To volunteer, contact Mark Young at mcyoung02@gmail.com.

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