Golf Association

Dorothy M. Duke, co-owner of the Worthington Valley Country Club in Owings Mills, died Sunday of a gastric ulcer at the University of Maryland Medical Center. She was 80.Mrs. Duke took up golf as a teen-ager to keep up with her boyfriend, James W. Duke, who later became a professional golfer and pro at the Bonnie View Country Club. They were married in 1938."She realized that to be with him, she had better learn how to play golf," said her daughter, Carol Isaac of Upperco.By accompanying her husband on the national tour, Mrs. Duke, who was known as "Dot," developed acquaintances with such golfing greats as Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Patty Berg.

Evelyn G. Glick, whose electrifying performances on the golf course during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s earned her the distinction of being known as the "Collector of Titles" and master of the one-putt par, died Wednesday of a heart attack at Johns Hopkins Hospital. She was 87 and lived in Pikesville.Mrs. Glick was 30 when she picked up her first set of golf clubs in 1940, and didn't put them down until this summer after suffering a stroke.In 1941, she was Women's Club champion at Woodholme Country Club and repeated the feat 40 years later in 1981.

Andrea Kraus, of Pikesville and Woodholme Country Club, posted a 4-over-par 74, and claimed one of seven available places during qualifying yesterday at Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase for the 98th U.S. Women's Amateur championship.Mallory Crosland, of the Chevy Chase Club, who won her second straight Maryland State Women's amateur title last week, was the medalist with a 72, followed by Leland Beckel, of Columbia CC, and Laura Hammond, of Exton, Pa., with 73s.The championship, whose field also will include U.S. Women's Open runner-up Jenny Chuasiriporn, from Timonium, will be held Aug. 11-16, at Barton Hills CC in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Mike Healy, head professional at Geneva Farm Golf Club in Street, and John McCloskey, head professional at Sparrows Point Country Club, were among the 1996 award recipients at the annual fall meeting of the Middle Atlantic PGA last week in Fredericksburg, Va.Healy received the Horton Smith Award, which recognizes outstanding service and contributions to developing and improving educational opportunities for PGA professionals, and McCloskey was cited as...

R. Gerard Willse Jr., a municipal finance expert who was associated with Alex. Brown & Sons Inc. for more than 50 years, died Monday of cancer at his Ruxton home. He was 75.He began his career with the venerable Baltimore financial institution in 1945 as a registered representative and at the time of his death was partner emeritus.In 1949, he joined the firm's municipal bond department, where he was instrumental in arranging public financing for health care and municipal facilities throughout the state, including most Baltimore area hospitals, Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury and Memorial Hospital at Easton.

Pat Conway doesn't have to look far to find a player for his team to emulate on the golf course.Not since Jessica Fernandez, a four-handicap out of Sparrows Point Country Club, transferred to Patapsco High from Mount Carmel for her senior year."

A team of private club members, most of them club champions, dominated the early play, and helped post a 17-7 victory over public course players in the inaugural Challenge Cup matches yesterday at Eagle's Nest.The two-day competition, which concluded with 12 singles matches, matched the top private club players against their public course counterparts. The event was sponsored by the Municipal Golf Corporation.Sheldon Kalish of Woodholme Country Club set the tone for the day when he jumped ahead of Peter Iannacone early and played par in winning, 5 and 4. The leaders (8-4 in singles)

GymnasticsDespite ankle injury, Miller lifts U.S. to bronze in worldsWith a painful ankle injury, world champion Shannon Miller wasn't supposed to be competing in all the events at the World Gymnastics Championships in Sabae, Japan. But that was before the Russians threatened to keep the Americans out the team medals.Miller begged to compete yesterday, finished seventh in the optional exercises and helped the Americans edge the Russians by .016 of a point for the bronze medal."Miracles happen with that kid," said her coach, Steve Nunno, who offered her a cane on the way out of the competition hall.

The bag tag says it all -- a combination of past and present.The plastic identification card highlights a 1995 Baltimore Country Club Invitation tournament on one side and identifies the tournament's past champions on the other.Never heard of the Baltimore CC Invitation? Not surprising, unless you remember some of those golden years of amateur golf before World War II. The tournaments attracted much more attention than their professional counterparts and a fledgling tour.In the Middle Atlantic area alone, there was one practically every weekend.

One of the area's longest-running charity tournaments will be held tomorrow, when the Golfers' Charitable Association conducts its 28th annual program at Caves Valley Golf Club.A full field of 128 entries will be joined by 32 Middle Atlantic PGA professionals for afternoon play, followed by an awards dinner. The highlight will be the presentation of $25,000 checks to St. Joseph's Pediatric Center and the Woodbourne Center.These donations will bring to more than $1.5 million the amount the GCA has contributed to charity since its inception in 1967.