Lanto Griffin calls Blacksburg home. He grew up "a big-time" Virginia Tech fan, tailgating at football games, dreaming of being in the student section.

Played golf with Tech football coach Frank Beamer and basketball coach Seth Greenberg at Blacksburg Country Club. Went to high school with Greenberg's daughter, Paige. Played soccer and golf with Jared Jaudon, the son of Tech assistant director of athletics for administration Jon Jaudon.

And ended up at Virginia Commonwealth University - on an endowed golf scholarship that carries its own Tech-VCU twist.

"I never thought I'd go anywhere but Tech," Griffin said. "I'm still a Tech fan. I'm just not a Tech golf fan."

Griffin, a junior who is ranked 17th nationally, will lead the Rams into the two-day VCU Shootout starting this morning (8:45) at Hermitage Country Club. Among the 15 teams in the high-caliber field? Virginia Tech.

"They're doing fine without me," Griffin said. "I'm happy in Richmond. VCU is great, and our coach [Matt Ball] is awesome."

Collegiate golf programs can award 4½ scholarships. Tech was interested in Griffin, who sported a 68.5 average during his senior year at Blacksburg High, but didn't have a scholarship available. VCU did.

The Rams had just received an endowed golf scholarship from a Midlothian couple, Betsy and Will Cutler. Will graduated from Tech. Betsy graduated from VCU.

They had given money to Tech for the expansion of Lane Stadium.

"I told my husband, 'That's fine. I love Tech football. But if we're giving to Tech, we're giving to VCU,'" Betsy said.

Both are avid golfers. They own a home on the eighth hole at Blacksburg Country Club. So they decided the scholarship should go to the golf team.

Ball told them he had the perfect first recipient: Griffin.

"We loved that thought," Betsy said.

Will Cutler has caddied for Griffin. When they attend Griffin's matches, Will usually is decked out in Virginia Tech gear. Betsy wears VCU attire.

"They're awesome people," Griffin said.

Ball says Griffin, whose first name is pronounced Lon-toe, has "unlimited physical talent." The 6-4, 180-pounder can drive a ball in the 300-yard range.

He sometimes has been erratic off the tee, leaving him prone to one or two score-swelling holes.

"Lanto has a little bit of a swashbuckler style," Ball said. "He's pretty aggressive in the way he plays. He makes a lot of birdies because of that. That's all well and good. But his lack of consistency has been mostly off the tee, and being aggressive has caused him to make a lot of big numbers."

A slight swing change and improved mental and physical preparation have changed that pattern so far this season. Griffin averaged 1.4 double bogeys per round last year. He's had one total while finishing second (70-70) and fifth (71-67) in tournaments this fall.

"It's the best I've hit the ball in my life," he said. "It's a good start, being 17th. . . . If I'm 17th in April, then it'll be a story."