Putting propels Newsom to SunTrust State lead

Past SunTrust State Open champion Roger Newsom struck the ball well in the State Amateur in Bristol and the Eastern Amateur on his home course, Elizabeth Manor Golf and Country Club in Portsmouth.

Problem was, few putts had a ghost of a chance of going in.

Frustrated, Newsom, a 47-year-old ophthalmologist from Virginia Beach, left work Tuesday evening, stopped at a Golf Galaxy and bought a putter for the first time in 20 years. The model he purchased is known as The Ghost.

Just about every putt went in the hole Thursday in the first round of the State Open at Independence Golf Club in Midlothian. Newsom, who won the Open in 2008 and was second low amateur in 2010, captured the opening-day lead with a 7-under-par 65.

"The difference was the putting. I hit the ball the same as I've hit it the past two weeks and today the putts fell. Everything went in. It was ridiculous," Newsom said.

Newsom, who has an affinity for this golf course, leads by two strokes over Monday qualifier JunHak Lee, 25, a mini-tour professional from Vienna whose 67 featured a back-nine, 6-under 30 that included five consecutive birdies (Nos. 13-17).

Three-time State Open champion Faber Jamerson, the PGA general manager at Falling River Country Club in Appomattox; frequent State Open bridesmaid Chip Sullivan, the PGA general manager at Hanging Rock Golf Club in Salem; and amateurs Sam Beach of Glen Allen, Steve Serrao of Midlothian and Patrick Scheil of Williamsburg trail by three after returning 68s.

Six players, including defending champion Evan Beck, a junior at Wake Forest University, and last year's runner-up, mini-tour professional Cameron Yancey of Blackstone, shot 69.

Newsom logged eight birdies and one bogey (No. 16). His longest birdie putt was 30 feet at No. 6. All five birdies on the back nine were from 10 feet or less.

Sullivan, 46, was one of Newsom's playing partners Thursday. The other, newly crowned State Amateur champion Scott Shingler, shot 70. Newsom defeated Sullivan in a four-hole playoff to win the Open in 2010.

"It's always fun to play with Chip. We feed off each other. He played better than he's been playing, and I played as good as I can play," Newsom said. "This is probably the best tournament round I've had in my life. I haven't shot 7 under, at least outside Elizabeth Manor, before."

Lee, a South Korean who moved to the U.S. in 2002, shot a 6-under 65 at Providence Golf Club in the Open qualifier Monday. He said he wasn't comfortable with his first look at Independence on Wednesday, but "I'm trying to focus more. My putting was on."

While Newsom thrived with a new putter, Sullivan hauled out some old equipment he hadn't used in a couple of years to reverse what has been a mediocre season.

"I forgot what it's like to shoot in the 60s. I haven't played well," said Sullivan, who has been runner-up four times (2005-06, 08-09). "I know this course. I think I should shoot in the 60s every time I play it."

The 34-year-old Jamerson, coming off a runner-up finish in the PGA Professional National tournament last week, began Thursday's round on No. 10 and birdied the first three holes.

"It was a pretty easy start, but I didn't take advantage of anything else the rest of the day," he said. "It was a good, solid round. We'll see what happens the rest of the week."

Jamerson's success at Independence is predicated on putting.

"I typically play well from tee to green. If I can just get the putter hot on these greens, everything will be fine. From tee to green, this is a great golf course for a lot of guys. The majority of us have problems on the greens."

Yancey, 32, sang the putting blues, too.

"I didn't make a bogey, but I didn't make a putt all day. It's about as bad as I've putted in a long time," said Yancey, whose Wednesday practice round foursome of Jay Woodson, Tim White and Steve Jenkins combined for 26 birdies and two eagles. Yancey's 69 was the low score for the quartet Thursday.

Beck was 2 over after five holes but rallied for six birdies against another bogey the rest of the way.

"I didn't hit the ball that well, but I was scrambling good and salvaged the round," said Beck, 20.