Defending champion Josh Meador has been itching for the start of this year's SunTrust State Open of Virginia golf tournament.

"It gets me out of work and gets me on the golf course," said Meador, an Atlee High and Radford University graduate from Mechanicsville.

He works as an assistant professional at Pendleton Golf Club in Caroline County. Everyone knows tournament golf for most club professionals is rare.

Meador, 23, has a powerhouse pairing for the first two rounds of the State Open, which begins tomorrow at Independence Golf Club in Midlothian: three-time champion Keith Decker, the commonwealth's top amateur, and 2007 PGA Professional national champion Chip Sullivan of Ashley Plantation in Daleville (near Roanoke).

The 72-hole tournament concludes Sunday. The 168-player field consists of 80 amateurs, 80 Virginia PGA members and apprentices, seven open qualifiers and Meador. The purse is approximately $60,000. SunTrust has been the title sponsor for six years.

Despite the current economic conditions, the State Open "fits us very well," mid-Atlantic region CEO C.T. Hill said. "The client base we have plays a lot of golf. We get a lot good comments across the commonwealth and outside the commonwealth because of our involvement in this tournament.

"It's a special tournament not only for Virginia, but if you compare it to what goes on across the country, it's one of the few state opens where you have the top amateurs and Middle Atlantic PGA pros out here together."

Meador made the State Open his first victory as a professional, and he did it in spectacular fashion. He was tied with 1998 Open champion and third-round leader Rick Schuller, PGA, of Chester on the tee at the 16th hole. Meador sank his second shot on the difficult par-4 for an eagle.

At No. 17, he stuck his third shot 3 feet from the cup and made the birdie putt. A par on 18 capped a 4-under-par 68 that gave him a 72-hole total of 8-under 280, four strokes better than Steve Jenkins and five better than Schuller.

What does it mean to be the defending champion?

"It means I don't have to qualify [five-year exemption], and I'm so happy about that," Meador said.

The winning total of 280 equaled the highest to-par total since the Virginia State Golf Association and Middle Atlantic PGA section merged their Opens in 1985.

Independence, the VSGA Foundation's home for golf, is the venue for the second year in a row. The pre-tournament question last year was how resistant to scoring Independence would be.

The answer was a resounding, "This course held its own," from tournament co-chairman Frank Herrelko Jr., a PGA Life Member.

This week's conditions are similar: thick rough and slick greens, but Meador expects scores to be lower.

"Everybody's seen the course, and they are used to it," he said. "I think they will be considerably lower."
Contact Arthur Utley at (804) 649-6559 or autley@timesdispatch.com.