Paolini rallies to win another state amateur title

SUFFOLK -- Brinson Paolini rallied from five holes down with nine holes to play to earn a 2-up victory over Lanto Griffin of Blacksburg in yesterday's 36-hole Virginia State Golf Association amateur championship title match at Cedar Point Country Club.

Before he could deal with Griffin, Paolini had to conquer another formidable opponent: fatigue.

"I was mentally drained, really. I was very tired," said Paolini, an 18-year-old Virginia Beach resident who returned home late Sunday night after representing Team USA halfway around the world at the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in Japan. "I was trying to find some way to spark myself up."

His answer to weariness under pressure? Focus and execution. Paolini rallied to win seven of nine holes to close the match.

In the process, he added significant luster to an already-gleaming résumé. He became the ninth (and youngest) player to win consecutive state amateur championships. He became the youngest player in seven decades to win a state amateur title when he triumphed last year on Kingsmill's River Course.

The late and legendary Chandler Harper of Portsmouth won the first of his three VSGA State Am titles in 1930 at the age of 16 before capturing his second in 1933 at the age of 19.

"I dug so deep to pull it out," said Paolini, a graduate of Frank W. Cox High School who is headed to Duke University in the fall. "Whether it was a second wind or a second gear, I never give up; there's no doubt about that.

"I I was going to go down, I was going to go down fighting. That's what I just kept telling myself. I stayed patient and I was able to do it."

Griffin was 3-under through the first 27 holes of the match to build his advantage, but was 5-over on holes 28-34.

"I kept telling myself, 'No lead is big enough,' " said Griffin, a rising senior at Virginia Commonwealth University. "I wasn't nervous the whole final nine. I think I just lost my swing a little bit and got a little quick. I was trying to play smart and aggressive. I didn't want to sit back and let him lose it; I wanted to win it.

"Anytime you're 5 up with nine to go . . . I can't blame anyone but myself. He deserved it."

Paolini, 3-down at the conclusion of the morning round and 5-down after Griffin won No. 27 with a birdie, started his comeback by making a 10-foot par putt on the par-4 28th hole, and got another stroke closer with a conceded birdie on the next hole.

He pulled ahead by winning four straight holes beginning at No. 31. The last of those victories included a thunderbolt: a 30-footer for birdie, and a 1-up lead, at the par-3 16th.

Paolini said he challenged himself to birdie every hole on the back nine of the afternoon round. Counting concessions, he made birdie on seven of his final nine holes.