Faber Jamerson, sidelined for months with knee surgery and rehab, spent much of this year learning how to walk again. Yesterday, Jamerson walked away with his third SunTrust State Open championship. He fired a pedestrian 2-under 70 at Independence Golf Club to earn a five-stoke victory over his nearest pursuers, Chip Sullivan and Scott Shingler.

at Independence Golf Club
(a-denotes amateur)
Faber Jamerson (Appomattox)————————————-65-68-66-70—269Chip Sullivan (Troutville)————————————-74-67-65-68—274
a-Scott Shingler (Haymarket)————————————-68-68-69-69—274
Jay Woodson (Richmond)————————————-70-70-69-68—277

Chris McCartin and Scott Shingler did all they could to keep up with Faber Jamerson on moving day at the SunTrust State Open at Independence Golf Club. McCartin fired a 6-under 66 and Shingler a 3-under 69 in yesterday’s third round. They were nearly flawless on the 7,127-yard, par-72 course. Yet, Jamerson stretched his lead to five strokes with a splendid 66—a round tarnished only by a suddenly timid putter that failed to convert three times inside 10 feet on his inward half with a course-record tying 62 within reach.

Faber Jamerson didn’t flinch after slicing his approach shot into the usually unforgiving greenside bunker on the 16th hole at Independence Golf Club yesterday during the second round of the SunTrust State Open. The Appomattox resident stared unblinkingly at his wayward shot, then quickly retrieved his discarded cigarette from a divot. Cool and collected, the two-time State Open champion salvaged par with a six-foot putt to rescue a ragged round of 4-under 68 to move to 11-under for the tournament.

Rick Schuller of Chester putts on the sixth hole during his round of 4-under 68 at Independence Golf Club. He is tied for fourth in the SunTrust State Open. Faber Jamerson, the State Open champion in 1999 and 2006, closed his opening-round 65 with five consecutive birdies. A year ago, Josh Meador struggled through a dismal first round in the SunTrust State Open at Independence Golf Club.

MIDLOTHIAN—Josh Meador fired an 8-under 64 today to take the early first-round lead in the SunTrust State Open at Independence Golf Club. The Mechanicsville native shook close his inward half with three straight birdies, including a 15-footer on No. 18. “I made a couple of more putts that I usually do,“ said Meador, who won here two years ago. “I made some good shots that I wasn’t expecting.“Meador, who failed to make the cut in 2009 after first-round 77, holds a one-shot lead over two-time champion Faber Jamerson of Appomattox. Jamerson, who polished off his round with five birdies in a row, turned in a 64 on the 7,127-yard course that has yielded several good scores.