Here's today's area golf trivia question: Who is the best player who never has won the Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame's men's championship?

The correct answer is a mere gimme, if even that.

While few, if any, may question Matt Mankin's status as the Roanoke Valley's top amateur golfer, there are plenty left wondering why he hasn't been able to win the valley's most prestigious event.

"I hear that question all the time," Mankin said, breaking into laughter. "All my competitors love to bring that up, especially the guys who can win the thing themselves. They love to try and work on me.

"Well, I've got no answer for that. Who knows why? That's a multimillion dollar question. Hopefully, we can answer that come Sunday. Maybe this is my year."

Certainly, Mankin is due.

"I'd say so," said Scott Wise, the defending champion in the 54-hole tournament that begins Friday at Hunting Hills. "I didn't know he'd never won this. He's got to be the favorite, I agree."

While Mankin, 35, has enjoyed considerable success on the regional and state level the past several years, his best HOF finish was a third in 1991.

It's hardly impressive for a guy who plans on making a second attempt at qualifying for the PGA Tour in December. Last October, Mankin squandered a chance to advance through the first stage of the Tour School when he shot a final-round 78 in Dickson, Tenn., and fell four shots shy of earning a berth to the Stage 2 qualifier.

"The first stage is where all the chumps go out and I went out. I couldn't handle it in the last round," said Mankin, who opened the qualifer with rounds of 72, 70 and 70.

Wise and Mankin will be challenged by most of the usual cast of characters, including 2001 champion Jack Allara, '89 winner Mike Smith, Cam Young, Chris Gibson and reigning Roanoke Valley Match Play champion Miller Baber. The field won't have to contend with 2000 winner Robbie Craft and '98 champion Brandon LaCroix, both of whom turned professional last summer.

The tournament moves to Countryside on Saturday and concludes Sunday at Hidden Valley.

Reprinted with permission from The Roanoke Times.