2015 Northern Virginia Amateur

To reference the 1989 movie, the new Northern Virginia Amateur champion’s name isn’t Bill or Ted, but he continued his “Excellent Adventure” this summer with his win today at Dominion Valley CC. In late April, Ryan Douglass completed his first year at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, AZ, where he won his regional in the NJCAA Division II championship, then helped lead his team to the national championship in May, finishing ninth individually and earning All-American honors. With his victory in the Northern Virginia Amateur, he gets to add his name to the Henry Kerfoot trophy, which hosts the names of a virtual Who’s Who in Washington metropolitan golf. Douglass, a graduate of Heritage High School in Leesburg and member of the River Creek Club, entered the day six-under par, 2 shots ahead of another rising college sophmore from Leesburg, Ian Hildebrand, on rounds of 69-69, and three shots ahead of Zach Henry (70-71-141). Hildebrand opened play with the low round of the tournament, a seven-under 65, followed by 75 on Saturday. Douglass birdied the opening hole in today’s final round, but bogied the second and fourth holes before another birdie at the sixth. An eagle at the par-5 seventh hole, however, proved to be decisive as it opened up a five shot lead on Henry and seven shots on Hildebrand. A rain delay and subsequent approaching storm resulted in the decision to reduce the final round to nine holes, making the lead insurmountable with only two holes left for the leaders. Douglass hit his approach on both closing holes to within 20 feet, and despite a 3-putt at the eighth, finished four in front of Henry with a 7-under 173 total. Henry finished second at 3-under 177 with Hilebrand third a 1-under 179. Frank Flaim was fourth at 182. Five golfers tied for fifth with 186 – Trevor Tremps (Williamsburg National), who had a closing 34, Harold Dill, Andy Heye, defending champion Scott Shingler and Doc Shulte. Douglass will continue his “excellent adventure” this summer by competing in both the VSGA State Am and State Open, where he is an automatic qualifier based on his play in the State Open last year, as well as the Eastern Amateur.

The Northern Sections would like to thank Dominion Valley CC, PGA Professional Mason Jobin and his staff for hosting this year’s championship and their continued support for Northern Virginia Amateur golf.

Pictured: Ryan Douglass
Final Scores

2015 Northern Virginia Four-Ball

The Northern Virginia Four Ball returned yesterday to the Club at Creighton Farms which hosted the event in 2012. The first time around Scott Shingler (Evergreen) and Rick Peel (Westwood) teamed for a four-under 68 which tied them with Dan Hosek and Jimmy Delp, but they lost on the fourth extra hole of a playoff. This year, Shingler and Peel repeated their 68 with a strong finish, and it was enough to capture the title – but barely. Rich Buckner (RTJ) and Andy Heye (Chantilly National) birdied three of their last four holes for 69, while Jed Resnick (Ashley Plantation) and Harold Dill (South Riding) had a strong finish of their own on the challenging layout, with birdies on four of their last eight holes for two-under 70 and third place. All three teams got off to slow starts, beginning from different holes in the shotgun start – Shingler and Peel were even par through 6 holes after beginning at the ninth, Buckner and Heye were even through 14 holes after beginning at the third, and Rasnick and Dill were one-over after 10 holes after starting on the tenth. While their strong finishes got them close, it was Shingler’s birdies at their final two holes that sealed the deal – a two-putt birdie 4 on the par five seventh, and a tap-in one footer from the fairway bunker on the 463 yard par four eighth. Shingler finished with three birdies on the day, including the twelth hole which Peel also birdied. Peel added a bidie 2 on the par three thirteenth – the only birdie in the field on the 210 par three into the wind. Five teams tied for fourth with 71.

While Shingler has won five Northern Virginia Amateurs, this was his first win in the Four-Ball. This was Peel’s first Northern Virginia championship. The Northern Sections would like to thank The Club at Creighton Farms for hosting this year’s event, and Matthew Hess, PGA Professional, and his entire staff. Final Results