ROANOKE, W.Va. -Williamstown's Steve Jackson overcame a five-stroke deficit in the final round of the West Virginia Golf Association's Senior Amateur Championship and captured the stroke-play title after turning in a round of 1-under par 71 Thursday afternoon at Stonewall Resort.
"I played the golf course without a penalty - that was probably the key because I didn't get myself in trouble," Jackson said.
Jackson now seeks to duplicate what he accomplished two years ago at Parkersburg Country Club when he won the match play portion of the Senior Amateur. He will receive a bye in today's first round then meet the winner of Roger Ward (Lost Creek) and Rick Degroff (Montrose) in the round of 16 at 1 p.m.
The quarterfinal and semifinal rounds for the Senior Championship division are scheduled for Saturday, with the finals set for 8 a.m. on Sunday.
"In stroke play, you try to stay out of trouble because you have a cumulative score," Jackson said. "In match play, you try to be much more aggressive simply because score is only relevant to what your opponent did."
After shooting an 81 in Wednesday's first round, Jackson opened Thursday's round by three-putting for a bogey to slip to 10-over for the tournament, but answered with two birdies in the next five holes. The rest of the day included 10 pars, one birdie and one bogey.
Fact Box
W.Va. Senior Amateur
At Stone Resort (Par 72)
Senior Championship
Steve Jackson, Williamstown81-71-152
Harold Payne, Hurricane80-73-153
Steve Fox, Huntington78-77-155
Scott Bibbee, Vienna77-78-155
Doug Taylor, Charleston82-75-157
Jeff Estep, Bridgeport79-78-157
Phil Mayes, Apple Grove76-81-157
Matt Martin, Hedgesville82-76-158
Mike Marrara, Morgantown80-78-158
Chuck Ingram, Shepherdstown77-81-158
John Duty, Sr., Hurricane81-78-159
Larry Vallar, Triadelphia81-78-159
Richard Moore, Spencer81-79-160
Pat Clay, Barboursville82-80-162
Van Stemple, Shepherdstown84-80-164
Tom Spriggs, Cross Lanes81-86-167
Joel Davis, Oak Hill86-82-168
Roger W Ward, Lost Creek87-82-169
Rick Degroff, Montrose84-87-171
Jim Freeman, Barboursville91-83-174
Craig Lewandowski, Huntington89-90-179
Jeff Rollyson, Barboursville88-94-182
Tom Perrine, Newport, Ohio89-93-182
Ronald Gacek, Morgantown85-97-182
Dave Phillips, South Charleston97-95-192
Robert Bosley, Fairmont88-106-194
Bruce Caswell, Charleston102-102-204
Eugene Jackson, Beckley107-98-205
Dan Engel, Hurricane121-96-217
Terry Rusin, South Charleston109-WD-WD
Today's match play pairings (Round of 32): No. 1 Steve Jackson, Williamstown, bye; No. 16 Roger Ward, Lost Creek, vs. No. 17 Rick Degroff, Montrose; No. 8 Matt Martin, Hedgesville, vs. No. 25 Bruce Caswell, Charleston; No. 9 Mike Marrara, Morgantown, vs. No. 24 Robert Bosley, Fairmont; No. 4 Scott Bibbee, Vienna, bye; No. 13 Pat Clay, Barboursville, vs. No. 20 Tom Perrine, Newport, Ohio; No. 5 Jeff Estep, Bridgeport, bye; No. 12 Richard Moore, Spencer, vs. No. 21 Ronald Gacek, Morgantown; No. 2 Steve Fox, Huntington, bye; No. 15 Tom Spriggs, Cross Lanes, vs. No. 18 Jim Freeman, Barboursville; No. 7 Chuck Ingram, Shepherdstown, vs. No. 26 Eugene Jackson, Beckley; No. 10 Larry Vallar, Tradelphia, vs. No. 23 Dave Phillips, South Charleston; No. 3 Harold Payne, Hurricane, bye; No. 14 Van Stemple, Shepherdstown, vs. No. 19 Craig Lewandowski, Huntington; No. 6 Phil Mayes, Apple Grove, vs. No. 27 Dan Engel, Hurricane; No. 11 John Duty Sr., Hurricane, vs. No. 22 Jeff Rollyson, Barboursville.
Silver
Jim Carpenter, Martinsburg76-78-154
Jim Mason, Mineral Wells80-79-159
Ken Juskowich, Morgantown84-78-162
Arley Lambert, Martinsburg80-82-162
Nat Ayre, Vienna82-84-166
Dick Bolen, Morgantown88-79-167
Ron Ray, Huntington79-88-167
Robert Butch Freeman, Daniels79-91-170
Jim Cragett, Crab Orchard85-86-171
David Grubb, Charleston85-86-171
David Sword, Charleston86-86-172
Doug Stinson Sr, Charleston85-89-174
Gail Siers, Elizabeth91-84-175
John Drake, Cottageville85-90-175
John D Cleavenger, Lumberport82-93-175
Roger Keaton, Daniels86-90-176
Edward Smith, Harrisville90-88-178
Ernie Fox, Calvin95-85-180
Larry Moyer, Summersville87-93-180
Jim Gilbert, Summersville95-87-182
Joe Putnam, Glenville94-98-192
Joe Feltz, Fairmont84-NC-NC
Millard Tomblin, Alum Creek85-NC-NC
Today's match play (Round of 16): No. 1 Jim Mason, Mineral Wells, vs. No. 16 Edward Smith, Harrisville; No. 8 David Grubb, Charleston, vs. No. 9 Jim Cragett, Crab Orchard; No. 4 Nat Ayre, Vienna, vs. No. 13 John D. Cleavenger, Lumberport; No. 5 Ron Ray, Huntington, vs. No. 12 Gail Siers, Elizabeth; No. 2 Arley Lambert, Martinsburg, vs. No. 15 Roger Keaton, Daniels; No. 7 Robert Butch Freeman, vs. No. 10 David Sword, Charleston; No. 3 Ken Juskowich, Morgantown, vs. No. 14 John Drake, Cottageville; No. 6 Dick Bolen, Morgantown, vs. Doug Stinson Sr., Charleston.
Gold
Charlie Stone, Huntington82-74-156
Spot Leach, Shady Spring80-80-160
Allen Bailes, Charleston76-85-161
Nick Colantino, Fairmont80-83-163
Bob White, Hurricane76-87-163
Kenneth Mitchell, Yawkey79-84-163
Gary Roush, Mason87-80-167
Jack Richards, Scott Depot86-91-177
Raymond Jones, Harrisville89-91-180
Jim Hamrick, Meadow Bridge97-90-187
Harold White, Charleston99-96-195
Wayne Dawson, Pinch105-98-203
Bill McClure, Huntington104-100-204
Dave Hawkins, Sr., Bridgeport83-NC-NC
Dick Barrett, Glenville87-WD-WD
Jack Forbes, Morgantown75-DQ-DQ
Today's match play (Round of 8): No. 1 Charlie Stone, Huntington, vs. No. 8 Raymond Jones, Harrisville; No. 4 Allen Bailes, Charleston, vs. No. 5 Kenneth Mitchell, Yawkey; No. 2 Bob White, Hurricane, vs. Jack Richards, Scott Depot; No. 3 Spot Leach, Shady Spring, vs. Gary Roush, Mason.
"Yesterday, I was picking up all the golf balls I could find to make sure I had enough to play with today," Jackson said. "Today was just my day. For me personally, this is my second best event. It's very important because I get exemption for next year's West Virginia Amateur, along with the West Virginia Open which will be played at my home course at Parkersburg Country Club."
First-round leader Phil Mayes of Apple Grove carded an 81 and slipped into a three-way tie for fifth place with a two-day total of 157. Runner-up Harold Payne (80-73-153) of Hurricane was followed by Vienna's Scott Bibbee (77-78-155) and Huntington's Steve Fox (78-77-155).
Fox is the defending champion of the Senior Amateur.
