2008 Maryland Open Winner - Chip Sullivan

Chip Sullivan, from Dalesville, Va., broke away from a tie in the middle of his round and went on to a three-stroke victory in the 87th annual Maryland Open championship at Fountain Head Country Club in Hagerstown, July 16. The head pro from Ashley Plantation, outside of Roanoke, ended with 69 and a 54-hole total of 3-under-par 207. In the process, he continued his string of winning this event in even-numbered years (2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008) and became the third player in tournament history to collect at least four titles. The others were Al Houghton with four in the 1930's and Charlie Bassler with six in the 1950's and '60's.

This one had the look of being over early when Sullivan ran in a 10-foot birdie putt at the first hole to get to 3 under par. Three bogeys in the middle of the round dropped him back to a tie with an on-rushing Joe Franz, head pro at the Elkridge Club in Baltimore. Franz, playing right in front of Sullivan, turned in 1-under 34 (even par for the tournament) and parred the 10th. Sullivan figured things were close, but he took care of that with birdies at the ninth and 10th (putts from 15 feet and 10 feet) and Franz made sure with a bogey at the 11th, the start of a slide that ended on 76.

There was a three-way tie for second at 210 among Eric Egloff (68). Jim Estes (69), and Jeff Castle (69). Castle made the most spectacular dash with an eagle-birdie finish, hitting a 3-wood shot to 10 feet at the 530-yard 17th and sinking a 4 1/2-foot putt at the 18th. Estes was solo second before a bogey at the last dropped him back. Mesnwhile Sullivan, "kept it together and hit some good shots."

"Nine and 10 were the only holes I hit driver and after that I put it back in the bag," Sullivan said of at least part of his strategy for the Donald Ross-designed gem, which was probably just as deceptive when it was built in 1924 as it is today. "It is so deceiving," Sullivan contined. "I looked up the course details, saw 6,300 yards and was licking my chops. However, it has a lot of subtleties and I learned more each time I played.

Sullivan was making his first start in three weeks. He had injured his left wrist in defending his National Club Pro title (he was unhappy about missing the cut), and it was diagnosed as tendinitis. "I didn't touch a club for two weeks, then did a little practicing. I really didn't know what to expect." What he did know was how he reacted to the pressure of being in the hunt. "I knew I had to play solid coming in. There was still the possibility of somebody going low, but it didn't happen. Last year, I had it won and Billy [Wingerd] birdied the last two holes to beat me. This time, I called on my experience. None of those close to me had won this before so the pressure was on them, and I remembered what my first win felt like."

"This course can grab you. There were some tough pins and, if you're not careful, bad things can happen. " On this particular day, those things happened to others.

NOTES: This marked the sixth time the western Maryland site had served as host for this tournament. The others (with the winners) were in 1927 (Fred McLeod), 1952 (Jack Isaacs); 1969 (Dick Whetzle), 1987 (Fred Funk, who came from four back to win hgis second of these by deven shots), and 1997 (Dean Wilson) . . . Terry Burke, from the Burning Tree Club, shot 69-76-72--217. and edged Rick Sovero (Rolling Road) and Mike Costigan (Timbers at Troy) by a stroke to take the Harry Pitt Trophy for low amateur [Pitt was a great interwar Manor player who also served as president of each of the three local golf associations] . . . The 2009 Maryland Open site will be Hillendale CC in northern Baltimore County, followed by Manor (2010), Maryland Golf (2011), Old South (2012), Country Club of Maryland (2013) and Lakewood.

-Reported by John Stewart from Fountain Head