Giles, Fischer advance at VSGA Senior Amateur

Past champions Vinny Giles and Stan Fischer survived two matches each in the loaded upper bracket yesterday and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Virginia State Golf Association Senior Men's Championship at Princess Anne Country Club in Virginia Beach.

The two Richmonders, both members at Kinloch Golf Club, face each other this morning. Giles, a seven-time State Amateur champion and two-time Senior Amateur winner, eliminated six-time Senior champion Moss Beecroft of Newport News in the first round and sent defending champion Charles Green III of Tazewell packing in the second.

Fischer, the 1996 champ, recorded victories over Jay Hehn of Hampton and Richmonder Steve Isaacs, who teamed with Fischer to win the 2004 Senior Four-Ball title.

Also advancing in the upper bracket were Williamsburg residents Jeff Fleishman and Mike McDonald. McDonald knocked out 2007 champion Pat Tallent in the second round.

In the lower bracket, two of the four qualifying medalists, John Long of Centreville and Greg Thomas of Virginia Beach survived. Long edged Bill Johnson of Fredericksburg 1-up in the first round and went 19 holes in the second round before eliminating Bert Wilson of Mechanicsville.

Long meets George B. Owens in the quarterfinals. Thomas faces Bobby Bleiler of Suffolk, the reigning Senior Stroke Play champion. Bleiler ousted John Casstevens of Glen Allen 1-up in the second round.

Semifinal matches are this afternoon. The scheduled 18-hole final is tomorrow.

Scores, Page C7