Late charge makes Lucas 3-time champ

By Marc Hardin, Post contributor

Though it was his first tournament win in more than a year, Lance Lucas spent little time savoring his third Northern Kentucky Mid-Amateur golf championship at Hickory Sticks Golf Club on Sunday.

Lucas, a 38-year-old attorney and a 1980 Boone County High School graduate, charged down the back nine Sunday with birdies on Nos. 13, 14, 16 and 18 to overtake first-day leader Jim McCausey en route to carding a 1-over-par 72. Lucas finished with a two-day score of 146.

Both McCausey (71-78-149) and Scott Hansel (72-77-149) finished three strokes back; McCausey took second place by winning on the first playoff hole in sudden death.

Lucas graciously accepted his trophy, gave some thanks and shook some hands. Then he hopped into his car and drove the 45-minute trip back to his home which sits on the edge of Triple Crown Country Club, Lucas' home course, in Richwood.

There to meet Lucas was his 10-year-old son, Kenton, who was eager for a golf lesson.

''I guess there's no better time to give your kid a free lesson than after a nice win,'' said Lucas. ''He's got a big tournament of his own coming up (the Kirk Maddux Memorial junior event on Wednesday).''

Without so much as a thought, Lance and Kenton walked into the garage and hopped in the family golf cart and drove the short distance over to Triple Crown's hole No. 1. Lance worked with Kenton over nine holes, helping his son to a solid 43 with chipping and putting instructions.

It was outstanding putting on Saturday and Sunday that won Lance Lucas the Northern Kentucky Mid-Amateur championship.

''I typically drive the ball well, but I've been putting pretty well lately, too, and I putted well (Sunday),'' said Lucas, who won the Mid-Amateur in 1993 at Pendleton Country Club and in 1997 at Sugar Bay.

''When you can get off the tee well, it makes the rest of the course easier, and my putting lately has been making it a lot easier.''

Both of Lucas' birdies on 14 and 16 on Sunday required putts of greater than 20 feet. Lucas birdied No. 6 on Sunday with a 25-foot putt. On Saturday, he birdied No. 4 with a 20-footer.

The key sequence of shots for Lucas on Sunday came on No. 18 after he had double-bogeyed No. 17.

With McCausey in the clubhouse needing a second straight double bogey by Lucas to force a three-way playoff with Hansel, Lucas drove 280 yards off the tee into the rough just to the right of the fairway, leaving himself a 220-yard shot to the flag.

Lucas had a favorable lie requiring some negotiating with a tree, which was in the path of a direct shot to the hole. Lucas took a 2-iron out of his bag and fired a cut-shot to the left of the tree. Upon clearing the obstacle, the shot drifted right, skimmed the green, and rolled to within 40 feet of the cup.

''Getting around that tree, that's the shot that sealed it,'' said Lucas, who then two-putted for the victory.

Lucas' win, his first since last July in the 1999 Northern Kentucky Men's Amateur - his third win in that tournament - comes one week after son Kenton's first-ever tournament victory at the Tri-State Pee Wee (ages 9-10) Tournament.

''Hopefully he'll follow in his dad's footsteps. Like father, like son, I guess,'' said Lucas, whose father, Ken Lucas, is a U.S. Congressman representing the 4th District in Kentucky.

Up next for Lance is today's U.S. amateur qualifier at Elk Run Golf Club in Batavia, Ohio. Lucas has yet to qualify after several attempts.

''Maybe this year will be different,'' he said. ''I couldn't be playing much better.''

Mid-Amateur scores

CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT

Lance Lucas 74-72-146

Jim McCausey 71-78-149

Scott Hansel 72-77-149

Gary Herfel 74-76-150

Rob Clarke 74-76-150

Todd Schnieder 74-76-150

Dave Gastright 74-78-152

Brian Begnoche 75-77-152

Curt Wuellner 78-76-154

Ralph Bamberger 76-83-159

FIRST FLIGHT

Mark Cucura 80-72-152

Jim Demoisey 82-76-158

HANDICAP FIRST FLIGHT

George Roller 133

Tom Hater 140

HANDICAP SECOND FLIGHT

Brian Bamberger 143

Steve Roller 144

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