Josh Speight, a 2006 Gloucester High graduate, has qualified for the PGA Championship for the second consecutive year.
One of golf’s four major tournaments reserves spots for the top 20 in the PGA Professional Championship, in which club pros test their skills for 72 holes.
Speight shot rounds of 70-74-75-73 last Sunday through Wednesday at Fields Ranch in Frisco, Texas, to tie for eighth and qualify for the PGA Championship on May 16-19 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
Speight is the director of instruction at The Club at Viniterra in New Kent. He’ll be joined in the field by former William & Mary golfer Jeremy Wells, 33, of Crystal Lake Golf Club in Estero, Florida, who shot a final-round 70 to tie Speight at 292.
Larkin Gross, who grew up in Virginia’s Essex County and works at Vienna’s Westwood Country Club, also tied for eighth. Like Speight, Gross played college golf for Methodist in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Norfolk fundraiser: The first Cinco De Mike-O Fundraiser is set for 2-6 p.m. Sunday at Afterglow Brewing in Norfolk, located at 2330 Bowdens Ferry Road, Suite 600. A new nonprofit called Mike’s Hope will honor the legacy of Norfolk native Mike Cutter, who died March 23 after an eight-year fight with Lou Gehrig’s Disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Funds will help bridge the gaps in opportunities for youth sports in Norfolk.
Tickets are $25 for those 21 and over, including two beers. For more information, see mikeshope.org.
Tennis opportunities: Hampton University hosted the Black Girls Tennis Club for the first time Saturday and will do so each Saturday through June 22 from 10 a.m.-noon at Neilson-Screen Stadium. The organization encourages Black girls and women to find joy and wellness through tennis.
Virginia Thornton, an HU alumna and former Maury High player, and Kimberly Selden founded the club in the spring of 2022. The Hampton Roads natives have partnered with Hampton and Norfolk State to host the club as well as public courts throughout Hampton Roads.
Selden said in a release, “There are a lot of country club-level sports that we don’t necessarily have access to. So it’s more than tennis. This is their entry point to livelihood or maybe a future career or a scholarship or how they provide for their families.”
USL teams soon to kick off: Lionsbridge FC of Newport News, last year’s USL League Two national runners-up, will play at 7 p.m. Saturday against Virginia Beach United at Virginia Beach Sportsplex in the opener for both teams.
The reigning Chesapeake Division champion Lions, seeking their fourth straight playoff berth, say they’re returning nine of last year’s 11 starters under coach Chris Whalley. Sam Hall, Davide Materazzi, Charlie Elliott, Cole McNally and Isaiah Chisolm are back for their third seasons.
They’ll be joined by current Christopher Newport midfielder Michael Hackworth, who had two assists for the Captains as a freshman after playing for Tabb High and Virginia Legacy.
What’s coming up
Monday: The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference outdoor track and field championships begin a three-day run at Norfolk State’s Dick Price Stadium, and the Spartans figure to take home plenty of prizes.
Tuesday: Cox, ranked second in the 757Teamz Top 15, visits No. 3 First Colonial at 5:15 p.m. in one of Beach District boys soccer’s games of the year. … In Bay Rivers District boys soccer, No. 9 Jamestown visits No. 6 Smithfield at 7 p.m. … In a Beach District girls lacrosse showdown, Ocean Lakes visits Bayside at 7 p.m.
Friday: William & Mary opens a three-game baseball series against Towson with a 6 p.m. clash at Plumeri Park. The Tribe is in a close fight for one of the six spots in the double-elimination Coastal Athletic Association Tournament. … Meanwhile, Old Dominion begins a three-game Sun Belt series at Bud Metheny Ballpark against Appalachian State at 6 p.m.
