Riggleman/Corrigan Win Billy Phillips – Murphy/Brundred Take Seniors
October 30, 2017
Josh Riggleman and Tag Corrigan, playing their home course, won the Billy Phillips Four-Ball Invitational October 28th at the Winchester CC by four shots over Rich Buckner (RTJ) and Andy Heye (Chantilly National) with an 8-under 64. The teams of Rob Menefee (Belle Haven) – Jim Castagna and Rick Peel (Westwood CC) – Scott Shingler (Evergreen CC) tied with 69. In the Seniors division, Congressional CC’s Ben Brundred and Bill Murphy won by one shot over three teams with 69. At 70 were the teams of Mark Rallas – Mark Boedicker (Raspberry Falls GC), Doug Cushman – Mike Howell (International CC) and John Long (Myrtle Beach) – Dave LeClere (International).
Results
Pictured: Corrigan and Riggleman
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Cigna/Simpson WMGA Four-Ball Champions – Stout/Berrazotto, Murphy/DeLozier Take Senior Divisions
October 30, 2016
Brandon Cigna (Arlington) and Brian Simpson captured the Washington Metropolitan Four Ball Championship on October 24th at the Argyle CC. Cigna and Simpson tied the team of Mike Stackus and Mike Griffin with 6-under 65s, then won in a plyoff with a birdie on the first hole. Kevin Dillard (Army Navy) and Jim Nirich (Stonewall) tied for third with 69. Cigna partnered with Ben Warnquist earlier this year to finish second in the USGA Four-Ball at Winged Foot GC.
Bill Stout (Washington GCC)and Richard Berrazotto won the Senior divison with 69, while Henry DeLozier and Bill Murphy won the Super-Seniors with 71 by one shot over Lynn Wessman (Army Navy) and Don Jeanes. For the full story and complete reslts, see www.WMGAgolf.org
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Northern Virginia Rallies to Win Potomac Challenge
October 19, 2016
The Northern Virginia Seniors trailed the Maryland Free State Seniors 6.5 to 5.5 after Tuesday’s opening Four-Ball and Foursome matches, but took both the morning’s Selective shot matches and the afternoon’s Individual matches today at Springfield GCC to win the Potomac Challenge 20-10. On Tuesday, Maryland was led by the teams of Angel Divino-John Gallagher, Jim Foster-Michael Myirski and James Reilman-Brandt Schanberger, with each winning 1.5 of the possible 2 points. Richard Lion and Michael Keating led Northern Virginia as the only team on either side who captured both points, while Mark Rallas and Mark Boedicker won 1.5.
Today, Northern Virginia re-took the lead by winning the Selective Shot matches 5-1, then won the first six individual matches, with Michaeal Keating getting the deciding point over Maryland’s Barry Andrews. In all, Northern Virginia won eight of the 12 individual matches and tied two for a 9.5 to 2.5 advantage. Rallas and Boedicker were the leading point winners for either side with five, while Lion and Keating won 4.5.
The team members from Northern Virginia were: Mark Boedicker, Bill Engel, Peter Jacobi, Don Jeanes (co-captain), Michael Keating, Rob Keith, Richard lion, Joe Magnone, Walt Martin, David Prokop, Mark Rallas, and Lynn Wessman (co-captain).
The team members from Maryland were: Barry Andrews, Angel Divino, Lee Flemister, Jim Foster, John Gallagher, Kevin Lee, Matthew Margolies, Sean Mulgrew, Michael Myirski, James Reilman, Brandt Schanberger, Mike Shaver and Bill Stricker (non-playing captain).
The Northern Virginia Sections would like to thank the Springfield GCC for hosting this year’s event.
Pictured (LtoR): Prokop, Lion, Keith, Rallas, Keating, Magnone, Engel, Wessman, Martin, Jeanes, Boedicker, Jacobi
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Adam Houck Wins Evergreen Invitational – Vigotsky, Castagna Capture Senior Divisions
October 15, 2016
Richmond’s Adam Houck (The Federal Club) has several top ten finishes in VSGA point tournaments this season, but he captured his first 2016 win in the designated events today with a one-under par 143 (70-73) at the Evergreen CC to take the title in the 46th Evergreen Autumn Invitational. Houck’s two-under 70 in Friday’s opening round was the only score in the entire field in red numbers and gave him a three shot lead over Army Navy’s Kevin Dillard going into today’s final round. Jimmy Delp (Laurel Hill) and Jeffrey Klatt (Medal of Honor GC) were four back with 74. Houck had only one birdie today, but a steady dose of pars (15 total) gave him a 4 shot lead over Dillard at the turn and the eventual margin of 5 shots over Klatt, who finished second with 74-74-148. Dillard finished third with 73-77-150, while Francesco Romano (Raspberry Falls GHC) finished fourth with 76-76-152. Houck had previously finished fifth in the Bay Creek Amateur, and third in two four-ball events – the Chantilly National Invitational and the Willow Oaks Four-Ball. His 50 points earned by winning the Evergreen Invitational could move him into the top 15 in VSGA player rankings.
In the Senior division, Tim Vigotsky (RTJ) continued his excellent play this season with a five shot victory over Lee Flemister. Vigotsky, coming off a win the the Washington Metropolitan Senior Amateur 10 days ago, opened Friday with 73, two better than Congressional’s Ben Brundred, and three ahead of Darrell Lanier. An opening nine today of one-under 35 put him six shots clear of Brundred, and despite a few miscues on the back side, his three birdies on the front and three on the back, including three in a row starting at the 13th, kept him comfortably ahead throughout. His final round one-under 71 gave him a even par 144 total. Flemister had rounds of 77-72-149 for his second-place finish, while Brundred had a second consecutive 75 to tie Evergreen’s Dave Prokop (76-74) at 150 for third.
The only real drama in the final round came in the Super-Senior division where Jim Castagna made up two shots on first round leaders Lynn Wessman (Army Navy CC) and Jeff Johns (Dominion Valley CC) with a final round two-under 70 to finish at even par 144. Starting on the back side, Castagna bogied his first three holes to fall even further behind, but then birdied holes 14, 15, and 17 to turn in 36, and holes 6 and 8 on his back side for a 34 and a five shot victory over Johns, who had rounds of 72-75 – 147. Wessman finished third with 72-77.
Open Results Senior Results Super-Senior Results
Pictured (LtoR): Vigotsky, Evergreen PGA Professional Chris Hall, Houck
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Vigotsky Wins Metropolitan Senior – Wessman Third in Super-Senior
October 6, 2016
Tim Vigotsky won the Washington Metropolitan Senior Amateur Championship yesterday with rounds of 73-73-146 at the Norbeck CC in Rockville, MD. Barry McCarty (Belle Haven CC) finished fourth with 75-75-140. Richard Lion and Joe Johnson (Springfield CC) tied for eighth with 155. Lynn Wessman (Army Navy CC) tied for third in the Super-Senior division with 152. Roger Pitkin (Army Navy CC) finished ninth at 161, while Don Jeanes (Hertiage Hunt CC) and John Whitmore (Westfields GC) tied for tenth. For complete results, see www.WMGAGOLF.org
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Delp, Long Teams Qualify for U.S. 4-Ball
October 6, 2016
Jimmy Delp (Laurel Hill GC) teamed with the Hermitage’s Ben Keefer to shoot 6-under 65 at the Kingsmill River Course October 3rd and tie for the low round in qualifying for the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. They captured one of the three spots available for the championship to be held next May 27-31 at Pinehurst No. 2. Jeffrey Long (Evergreen CC) teamed with Elizabeth Manor’s Adam Horton to take the third spot, winning in a playoff with four other teams after they each shot 5-under 66. For complete results, see www.VSGA.org
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Long, Shingler Top Northern Virginians in VSGA Mid-Am
September 18, 2016
Current Northern Virginia Amateur champion Jeffrey Long (Evergreen CC) shot 73-70-71 for a 2-under 214 to tie for fourth in the VSGA Mid-Amateur championship concluding today at the Water’s Edge CC in Penhook. Former Mid-Am champion Scott Shingler (Evergreen CC) finished seventh with 73-71-71 (215). Kevin Dillard (Army Navy CC) finished eleventh with 72-72-74 (218). Matt Chandler (Hardy, VA) won the title for the second year in a row with 12-under 204. For complete results, see www.VSGA.org
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Entries Available for October Invitational Events – Evergreen, Winchester, Shenandoah Valley
September 9, 2016
Entries are posted on the “Area Schedule” page for the three remaining area Invitationals of this year’s golf season, all of which are scheduled in October. The 45th Evergreen Invitational is Friday and Saturday, October 14-15, at the Evergreen CC in Haymarket. The tournament has regular, senior and super-senior divisions with an entry fee of $195. The list of past champions is a “who’s who” in Washington area golf history and is a designated VSGA points event. The closing date is October 10.
The Billy G. Phillips Memorial Four-Ball Championship is scheduled for Friday, October 28, at the Winchester CC in Winchester and continues a long history of invitationals held by the club in the fall each year dating back to the Winchester Invitational in the 1970s and 80s. The event is $190 per team and has both regular and senior divisions. The closing date is October 20.
The Shenandoah Valley Fall Two-Man Championship will be conducted Saturday-Sunday, October 15-16, at the popular Shenandoah Valley GC in Front Royal. This is the 17th year for this event which is played on all three nine hole layouts (27 holes) each day. The entry fee is $160 per person ($110 for SVGC members). The entry deadline is October 12. Complete details for all three events are on the respective entry forms.
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Castro-Sabo Third in Middle Atlantic Mid-Am 4-Ball
August 31, 2016
Northern Virginians’ Steve Castro and George Sabo missed a playoff for first place in the Middle Atlantic Mid-Am Four-Ball by one shot with a 6-under 66 at the Club at Creighton Farms in Aldie, VA. The event, held August 29, was won in extra holes by Maryland’s Patrick McCormick and Kevin Tehan, who tied with another Maryland team, Chris Baloga and Ryan McCarthy, with 7-under 65s. Two other Northern Virginia teams, Chris Laughlin – Dudley Payne and Jason Dunn – Phil McQuitty, tied for fifth with 67. For complete results, see www.MIDDLEATLANTICGA.org
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Rich Buckner Runner-Up in Senior State Am
August 27, 2016
Clifton’s Rich Buckner (RTJ) won four matches in the VSGA Senior Amateur conducted at The Homestead’s Cascades course August 23-26, advancing to the finals against two-time champion Keith Decker (Martinsville). Decker has dominated Virginia golf for many years, and his entry into senior golf has been no exception (27 overall championships at all levels). Decker was medalist in this event by 6 shots over Centerville’s Jon Zampedro, then won his four matches on the way to the finals by margins of 7-5, 5-4, 5-3 and 6-5. His hot streak continued against Buckner in the finals, winning his third Senior Am championship in four years with a 6 and 5 victory. Buckner defeated Zampedro in the second round 2 and 1, then won against former US Senior amateur champion Vinny Giles by the same margin in the quarterfinals. Other Northern Virginians advancing to the match play bracket in addition to Buckner and Zampedro were Steve Castro, who defeated Phil McQuitty on the third extra hole in the first round before losing to Giles 2 and 1 in the round of 16; Pete DeTemple, who defeated Buddy Patch in the opening round; and Tim Vigotsky, John Steele, Bill Engel and Mark Rallas. For complete results, see www.VSGA.org
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Greenlief-Long Win VSGA Mixed 4-Ball – Vigotsky-Elgin Second
August 17, 2016
Lauren Greenlief (International CC) and Jeffrey Long (Evergreen CC) captured the VSGA Mixed Four-Ball tournament title held August 15 at Mattaponi Springs GC with a 10-under 62. Michelle Elgin (RTJ) and Tim Vigotsky (Farmington CC) finished second at 7-under 65. Greenlief is the current USGA Women’s Mid-Am champion, while Long won the Northern Virginia Amateur last month. For complete results, see www.VSGA.org
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Conor Cafferty and Harold Dill Win Northern Virginia 4-Ball – Four Teams Tie for Second
August 14, 2016
25 year-old Conor Cafferty and 27 year-old Harold Dill have been longtime friends – and competitors, when it comes to golf. Their decision to team up for the first time and enter this year’s Northern Virginia Four-Ball championship looked brilliant Friday when they birdied half of the holes at the host Belmont CC in Ashburn for an 8-under 64, and took a 3 shot lead over Belmont’s father-son team, Art and Brandon Locke, and another shot clear of four other teams at 68. Belmont’s birdie trove on Friday, however, dried up in the second and final round today as the heat, wind and course set-up proved much more difficult. The top six teams on Friday (score of 68 or better) produced 36 birdies, while those same teams produced only 12 in the final round, and none were under par. That’s where Cafferty and Dill stated that their friendship really paid off – knowing each other’s game well enough to trust each other on a grind-it-out type of a day. A bogey at the ninth cut their lead to two over the Lockes, and another bogey at the eleventh reduced it to one. After a Locke bogey at the fourteenth widened the margin back to two, the Lockes put pressure on again, knocking their second shot at the difficult par-four fifteenth to within a few feet after Dill had hit into the hazard. Cafferty, partially blocked out by trees, then answered the Lockes with a second shot to within 7 feet and maintained their margin, which widened to the final 3-shots with only their second birdie of the day – when Dill hit his second shot on the closing par-5 18th to within seven feet and two putted. Cafferty and Dill finished with 64-73 – 137. Art and Brandon Locke also had a final round 73 for a 140 total, sharing runners-up honors with three other teams. International’s Tom Follian and Connor Messick shot 68-72 – 140, while current Northern Virginia Amateur champion Jeffrey Long (Evergreen) and John Lombardozzi (RTJ) fired the low round of the day, a 3-under 69, to also finish at 140. Like the Lockes, Long and Lombardozzi had also cut Cafferty and Dill’s lead to two shots after the fourteenth, but a double bogey at the fifteenth proved to be too much to overcome despite birdies at the final two holes. This is the second four-ball championship this year for Dill, who won the VSGA Four-Ball in May with former Radford college roommate Kyle Bailey. Both Dill and Cafferty qualified for this year’s State Open as well.
The Northern Sections would like to thank the Belmont Country Club, Head Golf Professional Bob Pfeffer, PGA, and his staff for hosting this year’s event and for their continued support of amateur golf.
Final Scores
Pictured (L to R):The champions Harold Dill and Conor Cafferty, and their wives Elizabeth and Samantha
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Cafferty-Dill Lead Northern Virginia 4-Ball
August 12, 2016
Conor Cafferty and Harold Dill (South Riding) rode nine birdies at the Belmont CC in Ashburn today to lead the field in the first round of the Northern Virginia Four-Ball championship. A lone bogey at the par-four 15th hole was the only blemish on the card for an 8-under 64, which is three shots clear of Art and Brandon Locke of the home club in second place at 67. Randy Newsome and Zach Henry (Piedmont) are among four teams at 68, including two teams from International, Mike Howell-Joey Cushman and Tom Follain-Conner Messick. Also at 68 were Francesco Romano and Don Phattiyakul (Raspberry Falls). The final round is Sunday with tee times beginning at 10:06.
First Round Scores Final Round Pairings
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New Champions Will Be Crowned This Weekeknd in Northern Virginia 4-Ball
August 11, 2016
The Northern Virginia Four-Ball championship will be held this Friday and Sunday at the Belmont CC in Ashburn – and a new championship team awaits. Last year’s winners, Scott Shingler and Rick Peel are not entered. In fact, there appears to be a “changing of the guard” that started this year in the Northern Virginia Amateur and is continuing in this event, as only one one player from any past winning team, Mike Howell, is in the field. Howell won back-to-back in 2001 and 2002 with Rob Bain, and is playing this year with Joey Cushman. Leaders of the “new guard” include Jeffrey Long, who won last month’s Northern Virginia Amateur and is playing with John Lombardozzi, and Zack Henry, who finished third in the Amateur, who is teamed with Randy Newsome. Tee times begin at 8:06 on Friday and approximately 10:00 on Sunday after a cut to the low 20 teams.
First Round Pairings
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Decker Wins Dave King Invitational – Armstrong, Flaer Division Winners
August 10, 2016
Keith Decker (Martinsville, VA) shot four-under 68 to come from three shots back to win the Dave King Invitational today at the Evergreen CC in Haymarket. Decker had rounds of 69-74-68 – 211, to beat four golfers by five shots, including Stonewall CC’s Jim Nirich, in the national Society of Seniors event. Nirich had rounds of 74-68-74-216. Dave Prokop (Evergreen) finished eighth (220), with Steve Balavage (Evergreen) placing eleventh (222). Tim Vigotsky (RTJ) and George Kapetanakis (Trump National) tied for twelfth at 224. In the Super Senior Division, John Armstrong (Frostburg, MD) won with 70–69-70 – 209. Don Jeanes (Heritage Hunt CC) and Lynn Wessman (Army Navy CC) finished third and fourth, Jeanes with rounds of 69-71-77 -217, and Wessman with 74-73-71 – 218. Tom Grady (Shenandoah Valley GC) tied for eighth at 222. Barry Flaer (Adamstown, MD) won the Legends Division with 72-66-70 – 208. Walt Martin (Army Navy) finished fourth at 217 with Peter Jacobi in seventh at 78-71-70 – 219.
Final Results
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Hurst Wins Third Fredericksburg Amateur in a Row – Grady, Ryalls Senior Winners
August 8, 2016
Jon Hurst captured his third sraight Fredericksburg Amateur championship with rounds of 68-70 for a six-under par total of 138 at Fawn Lake CC August 6-7. The tournament became a VSGA points event this year. Tom Grady won the Senior division in a three-way playoff with Rich McGowan and Bill Johnson. The trio had tied with 147. Don Ryalls won the Super-Senior division with 152.
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Northern Virginia Four-Ball Entry Deadline Extended to August 7 – Tournament Aug 12, 14
August 3, 2016
The Northern Virginia Four Ball is set for the Belmont CC in Ashburn, VA, Friday August 12 and Sunday the 14th. The entry deadline has been extended to Sunday, August 7. Rick Peel and Scott Shingler are the defending champions. Contact the Tournament Director, Mark Vandegrift, to notify him of an entry mailed after August 3.
Entry Form
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Keating – Lion Win Northern Virginia Senior 4-Ball – Thomas – Daniel Second
August 1, 2016
There were several good stories playing out in today’s Northern Virginia Senior Four-Ball at the well-conditioned International CC., in spite of the uncertainties resulting from a shotgun start. Take the group starting at the first hole, comprised of the champions of the past two years – Tim Vigotsky and Eddie Walker (2015) and Mark Rallas and Mark Boedicker (2014). Coming to the final hole, they were both shooting scores which have won the tournament the past five years, with Rallas and Boedicker at 6-under and Vigotsky and Walker at 5-under. Vigotsky pushed his drive right on the par-4 18th hole, blocked by a tree to a right hole location over a bunker. Vigotsky hit a miraculous shot underneath and brushing the tree limbs, skirting past the bunker to within 3 feet, a putt which he made for the team to shoot 6-under 65. Rallas, however, drained a 30-foot putt before Vigotsky’s putt to bring his team in at 7-under 64. Alas, the great scores were only good enough for third place (Rallas and Boedicker) and a tie for fourth (Vigotsky and Walker with the team of Walt Martin and Bill Engel who also shot 65.) Another story playing out was the team of Spike Daniel and Dick Thomas, starting on the seventh hole, making birdie on 7 of their first 10 holes – six of them by Daniel. Two more birdies by Thomas after a bogey at their 11th hole, the par-3 17th, after each had hit the green, gave them an 8-under 64, where they finished as the runners-up.
The main story of the day was the bogey-free, 9-birdie round put together by Michael Keating and Richard Lion (actually 10 as they both birdied one hole) – a round of excellent shot making and a little bit of good fortune. Starting at the sixth hole, Keating birdied holes 9, 12, 15, 16, 1, 3 and their final hole, the 5th. Lion added birdies at holes 13, 16, and 2, with key pars on 8, 11, and 14. Keating’s birdie putt on the final hole was from 18 feet, which Keating explained was their longest birdie putt of the day. The key hole, however, was their next-to-last hole, the par 3 fourth, where they capitalized on a bit of luck. Lion’s tee shot ended up against the boundary fence and unplayable, when Keating followed with a tee shot that cleared the fence out-of-bounds before striking a tree and coming back into play. He was able to get up-and-down for a par, sinking a 10-foot putt. Lion (Springfield GCC) and Keating (Laurel Hill GC) have been close to this title before, being one of the six playoff teams in the 2014 championship at Robert Trent Jones.
The Northern Sections would like to thank the International CC, Head PGA Professional Tom Melideo and his staff for hosting this year’s event and supporting Northern Virginia amateur golf.
Pictured (from L to R): Champions Richard Lion and Michael Keating
Final Results
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