To say Aaron Boggs came into Wednesday’s West Virginia Amateur qualifier with a chip on his shoulder would be putting it mildly.

The freshman-to-be at Marshall this fall fired two of the day’s four under-par rounds (71-70) at Grandview Country Club to earn medalist honors on a wild, wet Wednesday.

It was step one of his redemption tour after shooting a 98 in the second round of the State Amateur last year.

“It was the worst round of my career,” he said. “I feel like I have a lot of pride to make up. I have some making up to do from last year. This will be my fifth Amateur and I’ve only made the cut once.”

For everything that went wrong at The Greenbrier last year, it went right Wednesday at Grandview.

“I love this golf course, it really suits my game,” said Boggs, a Madison native who first played Grandview Monday. “It’s very forgiving off the tee. And I like the greens, too. They are similar to the greens on my home course, Riverview (in Madison). After playing it Monday, I felt like medalist was an achievable goal.”

A trio of Michaels finished two through four — Chapmanville’s Michael Veres (143), Lindside’s Michael Hines (145) and Lester’s Mike Mays (146). Veres and Mays had the only other sub-par rounds of the day, which had a two-hour rain delay early in the afternoon.

Ara Hopkins of Smithers was fifth (147).

That Boggs was medalist at Grandview isn’t really surprising.

He comes from outstanding bloodlines. His grandfather Lyndon Meade, who was at the qualifier, won two West Virginia Opens and he had two uncles and a brother who played college golf at Marshall.

“It was something I kind of always knew I was going to do,” Boggs said of playing golf at Marshall. “If I had gone anywhere else, I would have been shunned for a few years. Thanksgiving dinner wouldn’t have been real pleasant.”

Mays said the delay in the afternoon helped, after finishing the morning with a 76.

“I played a lot better after the delay, it gave me a break, gave me time to relax and refocus,” Mays said.

He said the key to carding a second-round 70 was starting on the backside.

“I was 1-over on the backside and I thought I could make some birdies on the front, which I did (holes 1, 6 and 8),” Mays said.

Beckley’s Dennis Vass, a consistent state-am qualifier, made the cut with a 152. And he didn’t have to go to a playoff hole to do it, which was a departure from the recent norm.

“Last year I had to go to a playoff hole to qualify and I did with a birdie,” Vass said. “It was the same thing in the Mid-Am and the Open. Playoff holes. I’ll say this, the older you get, the more it means to you to qualify. When you’re young, you think you’ve got plenty more chances.”

The Amateur will be held at The Greenbrier Aug. 4-7.

— E-mail:

demorrison@register-herald.com



W.Va. Amateur Qualifier

DANIELS — Results for the W.Va. Amateur qualifier at Grandview Country Club (Par 72, 6,834 yards). The W.Va. Amateur is Aug 4-7.

Aaron Boggs, Madison 71-70—141

Michael Veres, Chapmanville 73-70—143

Michael Hines, Lindside 72-73—145

Michael Mays, Lester 76-70—146

Ara Hopkins, Smithers 74-73—147

Aaron Kemlock, Oak Hill 75-74—149

Kelly Shumate, Crab Orchard 74-75—149

Scott Prince, Daniels 77-72—149

Jim Grimmett, Davin 73-77—150

Joshua Arbaugh, Canvas 75-75—150

Dennis Vass, Beckley 77-75—152

Brandon Tinney, Richwood 78-75—153

Phillip Shrewsbury II, Peterstown 77-76—153

Ira Lee, Beckley 76-78—154

Levi Stevens, Rockview 77-77—154

Stewart Myers, Beckley 76-78—154

1st Alternate

Jeremy Vallet, Logan 79-76—155

2nd Alternate

Tommy Crosby, Lyburn 77-78—155

Did not qualify

Robert Jones, So. Charleston 74-81—155

Chris Cramer, Shady Spring 77-79—156

Evan Muscari, Pineville 78-78—156

John Auville, South Charleston 78-78—156

Joshua Vestal, Rainelle 78-78—156

Timothy Boggs, Beckley 75-81—156

Josh Goodnight, Parkersburg 75-82—157

Aaron Acord, Beckley 80-78—158

Josh Wagaman, Lewisburg 81-77—158

Brian Beddow, Chapmanville 85-74—159

David Cassis, Summersville 81-78—159

Roger Meadows, Charleston 79-81—160

Steven Songer, Beckley 82-78—160

David Pack, Beaver 81-80—161

Jeremy Carte, Hico 75-86—161

Thomas Brown, Beckley 81-81—162

Jason Thomas, Beckley 78-86—164

Trey Cooper, Charleston 85-79—164

Benjamin McGraw, Daniels 83-82—165

Greg Mullens, Glen Daniel 81-85—166

Tyler Browning, Davin 82-84—166

Jim Workman, Fairdale 84-83—167

Lance West Jr., Huntington 88-79—167

Derek Evans, Rainelle 79-89—168

Matt Justice 85-83—168

Adam G. Perry, Daniels 86-83—169

John Winkler, Summersville 87-84—171

Nicholas Mays, Daniels 85-87—172

Jeremy Neff, Craigsville 88-86—174

Stuart Scott, Beckley 88-87—175

Chad Brown, Lavalette 91-87—178

Brandon Thompson, Morgantown 89-90—179

Dennis Fox 89-92—181

Matthew Sydnor, Oak Hill 87-94—181

James Scott, Beaver 92-93—185

Thomas Dransfeld, Huntington 95-94—189

Adam Davis, Bluefield 88-WD—WD