McLister Captures Northern Virginia Senior Amateur on First Try – Grady, Albus Low Super-Seniors
June 28, 2016
56 year-old Mike McLister was first eligible for the Northern Virginia Senior Amateur last year, but a schedule conflict prevented him from playing. It looked like the same thing was going to happen this year, but the conflict resolved itself last Friday and McLister was literally the last man in. The current Loudoun CC club champion had never played the challenging Laurel Hill GC layout, though he had caddied there for his sons, Kevin and Joey, in qualifiers. Both sons are now pros – Kevin on the Asian Tour and Joey recently on the Web.com tour, and a fresh tip from Joey on McLister’s short game proved pivotal in his come-from-behind win today. An opening round 3-over 74 left him three shots back of first round leader Rob Keith (Chantilly CC) and tied with RTJ’s Tim Vigotsky. Keith opened today’s final round with a 41, opening the door for McLister, Vigotsky and Evergreen’s Dave Prokop to move past him. McLister birdied the second and eighth holes, offset by a bogey on the third, to turn in 1-under 35, giving him a two-shot lead over Vigotsky and Prokop and three shots clear of Keith. Vigotsky turned in 37 and Prokop shot 1-under 35 with birdies on 4, 7 and 8 after a double bogey at the third. Prokop had started the day five shots back after an opening 76. A McLister birdie at 11 coupled with a Prokop bogey at 10 and a Vigotsky bogey at 12 increased his lead to four which gave him the cushion he needed when he bogied 16 and 17 for his final three-shot margin. McLister finished with 74-71-145, Prokop with 76-72-148 and Vigotsky with 74-74-148. Eddie Walker finished fourth with 75-75-150. McLister said about not having playing the course – “sometimes what you don’t know actually helps you”, which can certainly apply to a difficult layout like Laurel Hill. McLister credited the short game tip he received from his son in helping him get up-and-down when he needed to keep the other guys “at bay” after he got the lead. Vigotsky played with him in the final group and said “he played really well and certainly deserved to win”.
In the Super-Senior Division, Tom Grady (Stonewall GC) shot the tournament’s only under-par round, closing with a 2-under 69 to catch River Bend’s Bob Albus on the final hole. Albus had opened with a 72, four shots clear of Grady, but only one shot up on Don Jeanes (Heritage Hunt), two up on Jeff Johns (Dominion Valley CC) and Ron Cornelison (Army Navy CC), and three up on Bill Engel (Army Navy). While Engel kept the pressure on with a closing 72, along with Jon Abbett (Trump National) – who followed his opening 76 with an even-par 71 and Peter Jacobi (Army Navy CC), also an opening 76 followed with a 72, it was really a battle between Albus and Grady on the back side after Grady had cut the lead to two with a 1-under 35. Grady birdied the tenth, but a bogey at 15 still left the margin at two going to 18, after Albus played steady on the back with eight straight pars to open. Playing in the group in front of Albus, Grady birdied the par-five 18th, but Albus seemed to have things in hand, putting his approach on the green 30 feet below the hole. His lag putt remained three feet below the hole but his putt to win missed just to the right. A match of cards determined Grady the winner for the prize designation. Abbett and Engel tied for third with 147, with Jacobi fifth at 148. Dick Markle won the Net Division.
The Northern Sections would like to express its appreciation to Laurel Hill GC for hosting this year’s championship. A special thanks to Director of Golf Gene Orrico, PGA, and his staff, Event Coordinator Julia Stejskal and Golf Course Superintendent Rick Owens, CGCS, for their support in conducting this event in a championship fashion. We recognize Laurel Hill for their continued support to amateur golf at the local, state and national level.
Final Results
Pictured Top Right (L to R):McLister and Tournament Chairman Don Jeanes
Pictured Lower Left (L to R): Assistant Tournament Director Lynn Wessman and Grady
____________________
Keith Leads Northern Virginia Senior Amateur – Albus Leads Super-Seniors
June 27, 2016
Chantilly’s Rob Keith was the only golfer in the field of 76 to match par at the Laurel Hill GC in the opening round of the Northern Virginia Senior Amateur. Keith’s even-par 71 gave him a three shot lead over Loudoun’s Mike McLister and RTJ’s Tim Vigotsky at 74. Three other golfers are four back, including the home course’s Eddie Walker. A score of 79 was the cut for the final round, with three of the four golfers at 79 surviving in a match of cards.
River Bend’s Bob Albus shot 72 to lead the Super-Senior Division, leading tournament chairman Don Jeanes by one shot. Ron Cornnelison (Army Navy) and Jeff Johns (Dominion Valley) are two back at 74. A match of cards at 78 was needed to determine the cut for the final round. Dick Markle leads the Net Division with 66.
Day 2 Tee Times
1st Day Age Div Results
1st Day Scores: Seniors Super-Seniors Net
____________________
Northern Virginia Senior at Laurel Hill June 27-28 – 1st Round Pairings Announced
June 24, 2016
A field of 76 golfers will compete in the 33rd edition of the Northern Virginia Senior Amateur next Monday and Tuesday, June 27-28. The championship will be hosted by one of the area’s premier layouts, the Laurel Hill GC in Lorton, host of the 2013 US Amateur Public Links Championship. Harry Thomas captured last year’s title at Evergreen CC with Peter Jacobi winning the Super-Senior division. Other past champions in the field include three-time winner Stan Williams (2010, 2012-2013), and 2007 champion Walt Martin. Current Northern Virginia Four- Ball champions Eddie Walker and Tim Vigotsky are entered, as well as Richmond’s John Cuomo and the 2011 Washington Metropolitan Senior Amateur champion, Richard Thomas, which he won at Laurel Hill. Several past Senior champions will now participate in a very competitive Super-Senior Division, to include not only Jacobi (past winner in both divisions), but Tom Grady, Bill Stout, Dick Bowen and Dave King. The event is individual medal play with Gross Senior and Super-Senior Divisions as well as a Net division. First day play will be a 1:00 shotgun start and will include additional age group competitions. The low 24 gross Senior division, 12 gross Super-Senior and 4 Net scores qualify for the second round.
First Round Pairings
____________________
DeTemple Loses in Playoff for VSGA Senior Stroke Play Title – McQuitty, Zampedro, Steele and Yates Tie for Ninth
June 15, 2016
Old Hickory’s Peter DeTemple and Ballyhack’s Mike Krulick followed up their VSGA Senior Four-Ball title three weeks ago with a 1-2 finish in the VSGA Senior Stroke Play championship concluding yesterday at the CC of Petersburg. DeTemple, who resides in Maryland, opened with a 74 and was 5 shots behind the leaders, but a final round 5 under 67, including a birdie on the final hole, caught Krulick at 3-under 141. Krulich had rounds of 70-71. Krulick won the first playoff hole with a par. Four other golfers from Northern Virginia clubs had top ten finishes – Phil McQuitty (Chantilly), Jon Zampedro (Pleasant Valley), John Steele (Reston National ) and Danny Yates (Stonewall) all tied for ninth with 2-over 146.
For complete results, see www.VSGA.org
____________________
Abbett, Wessman Runners-Up in VSGA Super Senior Stroke Play
June 3, 2016
Lynn Wessman (Army Navy) was one of only two players to shoot an under-par round during the two-day VSGA Super Senior Stroke Play Championship June 1-2 at the Fawn Lake CC in Spotsylvania, and Jon Abbett (Trump National) tied the low round (73) on the final day. In an event where it seemed like most everyone had at least one “bad” day, Abbett’s and Wessman’s “good” day was better than most and resulted in them tying for second, one shot behind the only participant who avoided the “bad day”, Taswell’s Charlie Green. Green shot 74-75 for a 5-over total of 149 to take the title. Wessman shot one-under 71 in the opening round and was second to first-round leader Ward Hamilton’s 3-under 69. Playing in the final group with Hamilton and Green on the second day, Wessman and Hamilton shot 40 and 42, respectively, on the outgoing 9 to fall behind Green, who shot an even par 36. Green increased his lead over Wessman to three after the 14th, but bogies at 15 and 16 cut the lead back to one. A bogey at 17 by Wessman got the lead back to two, but after Green struggled to make bogey at 18, Wessman’s second shot gave him a 15-footer to tie, which just missed. Wessman had a final round 79 for a 150 total. Abbett opened with 77, but his 73 on the last day, including a birdie at the 18th, moved him considerably up the leaderboard to the runner-up position with Wessman. Shenandoah Valley’s Tom Grady had the other final round low score of 73 after an opening 79, moving him up to a fifth place finish. Northern Virginians Dave King, John Whitmore and Bill Engel all tied for seventh with 153.
For complete results, see www.VSGA.org
____________________
Entry for Chantilly National 4-Ball Available
May 26, 2016
The entry form for the Chantilly National Four-Ball Invitational is available on the “Area Schedule” page (see the Schedule TAB above). The tournament will be played July 23-24 and will have Open, Senior and Super Senior divisions. The event is a VSGA points tournament and is regularly one of the more popular invitationals in the area. Dave Lughermo and Jeremias Cipriano won last year’s Open division, with Dave Johnson and Jon Zampedro capturing the Seniors, and Bob Albus and Dave Stewart winning the Super Seniors.
____________________
Cigna-Warnquist Runners-Up in USGA Four-Ball Championship – Shingler – Young Make the Round of 16
May 26, 2016
Arlington’s Brandon Cigna teamed with Olney, MD’s Ben Warnquist to advance to the finals of the USGA Four-Ball championship yesterday at Winged Foot GC before falling to collegians (SMU) Andrew Buchanan and Benjamin Baxter 3 and 2. Cigna and Warnquist were one of 128 teams who qualified regionally last fall from a field of approximately 1250 teams, then qualified this week from among those 128 teams to make the match play field of 32 teams. They then won four matches to advance to the finals which automatically qualifies them for next year’s championship to be played at Pinehurst. Scott Shingler (Haymarket) teamed with Justin Young (Roanoke) to also make the round of 32 and won their opening match, but fell to eventual champions Baxter and Buchanan 1 down in the second round. For complete results, see www.USGA.org
____________________
Northern Virginia Populates VSGA Senior Four-Ball Top 10
May 26, 2016
The teams of Rich Buckner (RTJ)/Andy Heye (Chantilly National), former champions Jim Nirich (Stonewall)/James Gallagher and Jon Zampedro (Pleasant Valley)/Jack Allara II each shot 10 under 134 to tie for second in the VSGA Senior Four-Ball at the Williamsburg GC May 24, one shot back of winners Mike Krulich and Pete De Temple. With all 36 holes being played on the second day due to rain on Monday, Zampedro and Allara held the lead after the first round with 7-under 65. De Temple is from Maryland but belongs to Old Hickory in Northern Virginia. Stonewall’s Danny Yates teamed with Shenandoah Valley’s Dean Griffith to tie Keith Decker and Westwood’s Pat Tallent and the team of Randall Newsome and Springfield’s Joe Johnson for fifth with 135. Buddy Patch and Dan DeRisio, also of Springfield, finished eighth with 137.
For complete results, see www.VSGA.org
____________________
Entries for Northern Virginia Am, 4-Ball, Senior Am Available
May 21, 2016
Entry forms for the Northern Virginia Senior Amateur (June 27-28, Laurel Hill CC), Amatuer (July 8-10, Fauquier Springs CC) and Four-Ball (August 12, 14 – Belmont CC) are now available at the Entry Forms tab above. (The entry form for the Senior Four-Ball at International CC on August 1 will be posted in June). For more information see Northern Virginia Championships Preview
____________________
Krouse-Vigotsky Win Middle Atlantic Senior Four-Ball
May 20, 2016
Westwood’s Tim Krouse completed his duties as long-time chairman of the Northern Virginia A-Team championship with the A-Team finals on April 18. After that match, one of the competitors remarked to Krouse that he could now spend his time working on his own game now that he was eligible to compete in senior competitions. Initial results do not indicate that his game needed too much work. Ten days later Krouse and partner John Steele tied for low in the VSGA Senior Four-Ball local qualifier at Laurel Hill. This past Tuesday, Krouse teamed with Tim Vigotsky (RTJ) to win the Middle Atlantic Senior Four-Ball with Vigotsky holing out for birdie on the first playoff hole from the greenside rough at the Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City, MD. Krouse and Vigotsky tied for first with the teams of two-time champs Bob Morris (Great Falls) – Mike Occi, and Lee Flemister – Michael Kelly, after each team shot 4-under 67. Steele (Reston National) teamed with Bob Harwick (Chantilly National) to tie for fifth at 69. Roger Pitkin (Army Navy) and Ronald Cornelison (RTJ) finished second in the Super Senior Division with 69, two shots back of champions Don Myers and Mike Panos.
For complete results, see www.middleatlanticga.org
____________________
Hobbits Glen Defeats Evergreen for Senior A-Team Title
May 15, 2016
Hobbits Glen GC edged Evergreen CC 6.5 to 5.5 Saturday in the finals of the Washington Metropolitan Golf Association’s Senior A-Team championship. After securing 3.5 points at home (to 2.5 for Evergreen), Hobbits Glen hung on to win with a 3-3 split at Evergreen. Hobbits Glen defeated International CC 7-5 in the semifinals, while Evergreen advanced by winning over Manor CC in a playoff.
For complete local qualifying results, see www.wmgagolf.org
____________________
Lane, Shinger Advance to US Open Sectional Qualifier
May 15, 2016
Reston National’s Joey Lane and Evergreen’s Scott Shinger captured two of the eight spots available in the US Open local qualifier held May 9th at the Worthington Manor GC in Urbana, MD. Lane shot 4-under 68, with an opening nine of 31, to finish second, one shot behind low qualifier Ben Warnquist of Olney MD. Shingler had 2-under 70 to tie for fifth. They advanced to the sectional qualifier June 6 at Woodmont CC. This year’s US open will be conducted at Oakmont CC on June 13-19.
For complete local qualifying results, see www.wmgagolf.org
____________________
Dill-Bailey Capture VSGA Four-Ball – Shingler-Young Tie For First, Lose in Playoff
May 8, 2016
South Riding’s Harold Dill III teamed with his former Radford College teammate, Roanoke’s Kyle Bailey, to win the VSGA Four-Ball Stroke Play championship Saturday at the River Bend GCC in Great Falls. Dill and Bailey trailed co-first round leaders Scott Shingler (Evergreen CC) and Justin Young (Ballyhack GC) by two shots with a 2-under 69 in the first round, but birdied 9 of their first 12 holes in the final round (with a bogey at the 10th), then added a final at the 16th for a 9-under 62 to catch Shingler and Young at the end of regulation with 11-under 131. Shingler and Young got off to a hot start themselves in the final round, with birdies on the first 5 holes, and a birdie at the 17th got them back even with Dill and Bailey. A two-footer for birdie on the third playoff hole (the 12th) sealed the win for Dill and Bailey. 2014 Northern Virginia Four-Ball champions Jason Pool and Derick Paxton tied for sixth with 138.
For complete results, see www.VSGA.org
____________________