Northern Virginia Seniors Continue Potomac Challenge Streak
October 21, 2017
After the first two Ryder-Cup style matches were completed on day 1 inNoVA the annual Potomac Challenge, held Oct 19-20 between the Northern Virginia and the Maryland Free State Seniors, it appeared the Maryland squad was ready to break Northern Virginia’s 15 year winning streak in this event. In the morning Four-Ball matches on Thursday, the Northern Virginia squad took a 1-point lead, 3.5-2.5, with victories by the teams of Bob Albus-Peter Jacobi, John Hoffman-Eddie Walker, and Ron Clatterbuck-Mike Nicewarner. The afternoon Foursome matches were tied 3-3 with Northern Virginia wins again coming from Walker-Hoffman and Clatterbuck-Nicewarner and from Randy Newsome and Dave Prokof. Maryland remained within 1-point after Friday’s individual morning Select Shot round, with Michael Keating and Randy Newsome getting full points for Northern Virginia. The afternoon Singles matches, however, proved decisive for the Northern Virginia squad, winning 10 of the 12 matches (and one tie), allowing them to pull away with a 11.5-6.5 victory. This year’s event was hosted by the Marland Free State Seniors at the Norbeck CC.
Pictured (L to R): Keeling – Eddie Walker, Lynn Wessman (Co-Captain with Don Jeanes), Standing – Mike Nicewarner, Ron Clatterbuck, Doug Wade, Steve Galing, Randy Newsome, Dave Prokop, Michael Keating, Peter Jacobi, John Hoffman (Not pictured: Bob Albus)
Final Results
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Billy Phillips 4-Ball Entry Posted – Deadline October 20
September 25, 2017
The Billy Phillips memorial Four-Ball Championship will be conducted at the Winchester CC on Friday, October 27. The event is a two-man, better ball stroke play event with Regular and Senior (55 years and older) divisions. All players must have a handicap index of 10.0 or lower as of October 15. For complete information, see the entry form. The deadline for entries is October 20 and the field is limited to 44 teams. Entry Form
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Chantilly 4-Ball Entry Posted – Deadline October 13
September 25, 2017
The Chantilly National Four-Ball Invitational moves from its traditional Summer dates to the Fall dates of October 21-22 in 2017. The event is a two-man, better ball stroke play event with Open, Senior (50 years and older) and Super Senior (65 years and older) Divisions. The event has been a mainstay in the Northern Virginia area for many years and has achieved status as a VSGA points event. For complete information, see the entry form. The deadline for entries is October 13 and the field is limited to 52 teams. Entry Form
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Newsome/Henry Win Northern Virginia 4-Ball in Playoff – Riggleman/Fisher Second
September 9, 2017
Sunday pin placements and more wind reduced the birdies and increased the chances for bogies in today’s final round of the winners Northern Virginia Four-Ball at the Raspberry Falls GHC. Only three teams shot under 70 in the opening round, and after the outward nine today it had narrowed to those three teams battling for the lead the final nine holes. First round leaders Mark Vandegrift and Francesco Romano (6-under 66, Raspberry Falls), playing companions Randy Newsome and Zack Henry (5-under 67, Piedmont) and Josh Riggleman and Lee Fisher (4-under 68, Winchester/Popular Grove) all maintained their positions turning in even-par 36. A bogey on the 10th by Newsome and Henry coupled with a birdie by Vandegrift and Romano on the 12th provided some separation, however, with Vandegrift and Romano now leading by two over Riggleman and Fisher and three over Newsome and Henry. At that point the lead changed more than Colonel Sanders in Kentucky Fried Chicken commercials. Birdies by Henry and Riggleman on the 13th and a bogey by the Vandergrift-Romano team on the 14th, tied Vandegrift and Romano with Riggleman and Fisher with Newsome and Henry one back. Henry then birdied the 16th with a 15 footer, and after partner Newsome lipped out for an eagle on the 17th to within 3 feet, Henry didn’t let him complete the birdie, holing a 25-footer himself, giving them a one shot lead over both Vandegrift-Romano and Riggleman-Fisher going to the final hole. Playing in the penultimate group, Riggleman and Fisher had the opportunity to play the reachable par-5 first and both reached the green in two, albeit with lengthy eagle putts. Fisher did catch the hole from 35 feet and they were the first in at 7-under. In the final group, both Vandegrift and Romano had opportunities for birdie to get their team to 7 under with Vandegrift’s putt hitting the back of the hole before staying out. Henry and Newsome both had pars to join Riggleman and Fisher at 7-under.
On the first playoff hole, only Fisher hit the green and two putted for par from 45 feet while Newsome followed from the same distance in the fringe. A similar situation unfolded on the second playoff hole when only Fisher and Henry hit the green. Fisher putted first from 30 feet to within 4 feet of the hole and marked his ball. Henry then two putted from 25 feet before Fisher, who had played brilliantly around the greens the entire tournament, slid his putt just left of the hole.
Greg Kozy and Brian Marfori (Chantilly) had Sunday’s best round with 68, which moved them up to fourth place with 140. Defending champions Connor Cafferty and Harold Dill (South Riding) tied for fifth with Barry Valentine and Chris Laughlin (Creighton Farms) at 143.
The Northern Sections would like to thank Raspberry Falls GHC for hosting this year’s championship and head golf professional Willy Lutz and his staff.
Pictured (L to R): Champions Randy Newsome and Zack Henry
Final Results
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Romano/Vandegrift Lead Northern Virginia 4-Ball With 66 – Newsome/Henry One Back
September 9, 2017
Francesco Romano and Mark Vandegrift offset a couple of early bogies with eight birdies to shoot a 6-under 66 and take a one shot lead into tomorrow’s final round of the Northern Virginia Four-Ball at the Raspberry Falls GHC. Playing their home course, Romano started the round with a 20-foot birdie at the first, but after bogies at holes 3 and 5, Romano birdies at holes 4 (5 feet) and 6 (3 feet) were needed to get the team back into red figures. A fourth Romano birdie (5 feet) at the 9th put them 2 under at the turn. The birdies proved more exciting on the backside as Vandegrift chipped in on the 10th, and after a “routine’ 10-footer for birdie by Romano in the 11th, Romano closed with a 25-footer at the 14th and a 30-footer at the 16th.
Piedmont’s Randy Newsome and Zack Henry are one shot back after each recorded three birdies (Henry on holes 1, 6 and 13, and Newsome on holes 4, 11, and 14). Josh Riggleman (Winchester CC) and Lee Fisher (Popular Grove) are in third, two shots back at 68. Tomorrow’s final round tee times begin at 10:00.
Day 1 Results/Day 2 Pairings
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Northern Virginia 4-Ball This Weekend at Raspberry Falls – Cafferty / Dill to Defend Title
September 8, 2017
Conor Cafferty and Harold Dill captured their first Northern Virginia Four-Ball championship last year by three shots at the Belmont CC in Ashburn and will return this weekend just up the road at Raspberry Falls GHC in Leesburg to defend their title. The first round begins at 10:30 Saturday with the final round on Sunday.
Day 1 Pairings
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Kapetenakis – Bates Win Northern Virginia Senior 4-Ball with 67 – 3 Teams tied at 69
August 28, 2017
At age 64, George Kapetenakis is now a veteran of Northern Virginia winnersand Virginia state senior events, often with top – ten finishes including a runner-up finish in this event in 2012 with Jon Abbett and a win in last year’s inaugural Virginia Mid-Senior championship. This year he teamed with “rookie” senior, 56 year-old Brain Bates, playing in his first Northern Virginia senior event, and the Trump National duo both achieved a ‘first’ – their first Northern Virginia Senior championship. Starting on the fourteenth hole at Heritage Hunt CC, Bates made the first of their team’s 6 birdies with a 3 on the par-4 16th. Kapetenakis then rolled in a 50-foot putt at the 5th hole for birdie and struck his second shot on the 8th hole to within eight feet for another birdie following their lone bogey at the 7th. A chip-in by Kapetenakis on the ninth for a birdie 2 got them to 3-under which was proving to be a popular score and a playoff seemed ending. A strong finish on their final two holes, however, with a birdie by Bates at the 12th and another by Kapetenakis at the 13th proved to be decisive with their 5-under 67 winning the title by two shots.
Three teams finished in a tie for second with 3-under 69: Dick Blackburn and Chip Beveridge (Belle Haven); Richard Barrazotto and Bill Stout (Washington Golf); and Doug Wade and Steve Galing (Army Navy). Fifth place was also shared by three teams: Richard Thomas and Spike Daniels (Washington Golf); Dave LeClere and Paul Gural (International); and Joe Johnson and Dave Cameron (Springfield).
The Northern Sections would like to thank the Heritage Hunt CC for hosting this year’s event and Golf Professional John Yancy, PGA, and his staff.
Pictured: Brian Bates, Tournament Director Don Jeanes, Goerge Kapetenakis
Final Results
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Northern Virginia Senior 4-Ball Set of Heritage Hunt Monday
August 26, 2017
Last year’s champions Michael Keating and Richard Lion are back to defend their title in the Northern Virginia Senior Four-Ball championship, which will be conducted Monday at the Heritage Hunt Country Club in Gainesville. Keating and Lion won last year with a 9-under par performance at International CC over several strong teams that posted 7 and 8-under par. Two of those teams are entered in this year’s event as well – Richard Thomas and Spike Daniel, who shot 8-under last year, and 2014 champions Mark Boedicker and Mark Rallas, one of the teams at 7-under. This year’s Northern Virginia Senior Amateur champion, Rob Keith, is paired with fellow Chantilly National GCC member Bob Harwick, who won this event in 2013 with John Steele. There will be a shotgun start at 1:00.
Pairings
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Rich Buckner Wins VSGA Senior Amateur Championship
August 18, 2017
Northern Virginia’s Rich Buckner (RTJ) won the VSGA Senior Amateur championship today at Keswick Golf Club’s Full Cry Course with a buckner5 and 4 victory over Midlothian’s Duncan Hardcastle. Buckner, 52, made it to last year’s final, finishing runner-up to Keith Decker. In this year’s final, Buckner birdied the first hole and held a 2-up lead going to the 9th where he then birdied 4 out of 5 holes before making his fifth birdie of the day on the 14th to close out the match. Springfield’s Buddy Patch and Mark Boedicker (Great Falls) each won impressive first round matches before losing in the round of 16. Patch knocked out medalist Michael Keating (Fairfax) on the 19th hole while Boedicker defeated the fourth seed Charlie Green.
Buckner won the 1993 Northern Virginia Amateur and remains very competitive among the “regulars”, finishing fifth in last week’s Northern Virginia Amateur, and has been an active supporter of Northern Virginia golf for many years. For a full story and complete results, see www.VSGA.org .
Photograph – VSGA.org
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Connor Messick Wins Northern Virginia Amateur – Menefee Second
August 13, 2017
The opening round Friday at The Golf Club at Lansdowne’s Jones course demonstrated that the soft conditions rewarded good shots with birdies but was still tough enough to punish a bad swing. Heading into today’s third and final round, the final pairing of Rob Menefee, Jeffrey Long and Connor Messick played well enough through the first 11 holes to separate themselves from the field and reduce the championship to a three man race. Menefee, who made 9 birdies on the Jones course Friday, led by two shots over Long and three over Messick. All three birdied the first hole with Menefee adding birdies at 2 and 4, finishing the front nine 1-under after bogies at 7 and 9. Long added a birdie at the 8th, turning in 2-under for the round and one shot behind. Messick reeled off 8 straights par to also turn in 1-under for the round and remained 3 back, but birdied the par-5 11th to get to within 2 of Menefee. A bogey at the 12th by Menefee brought Long into a tie and Messick within 1, setting up a stretch of three critical holes in a “reversal of fortunes” among the leaders. On the par-3 13th, Menefee made a rare bad swing and found the water hazard left of the green – and the Jones course punished him with a double bogey. Messick took full advantage and recorded his third birdie of the day to go two up on Menefee and move into a tie with Long for the lead. On the 14th, it was Long who made the rare bad swing, found a hazard and made double bogey. Messick 2-putted from 75 feet for par, while Menefee made bogey. The final change came on the 15th where Messick made a 30-foot putt for birdie and Long made bogey. Within that three hole stretch, Messick went from tied for the lead to four up on both of his competitors with only three holes to go. Messick would finish with a final round 3-under 69 and an even-par total of 216. Menefee finished second with a final round 75 and a three day total of 219 while Long was third with a final round of 74 for a 220 total. Zach Henry placed fourth with 77-72-75 – 224. Former champion Rich Buckner finished in a tie for fifth with Thomas Fricke and Ryan Rettberg.
Messick graduated from Chantilly High School where they won the 2013 State title, with Messick finishing fourth individually. He will be a senior this fall at the University of Virginia where he is a member of the Cavalier’s golf team. Messick stated that this will be his “last tournament of the season” as he will be returning the school next week, but he finished in style as a champion with his name on the Henry Kerfoot Trophy. For complete hole-by-hole results, see www.nova.golfgenius.com Final Results
The Northern Sections would like to express our appreciation to The Golf Club at Lansdowne for hosting this year’s championship, and to Director of Golf Craig Forgash, PGA, and Assistant Professional Brandon Howard.
The Northern Virginia Four-Ball Championship will be held September 9-10 at Raspberry Falls GHC. The entry deadline is August 25. Entry Form
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Menefee Leads Northern Virginia Amateur by 2 After Second Round – Long in Second
August 12, 2017
The consensus among many of the players after Friday’s opening round conducted at the Jones course at The Golf Club at Lansdowne was that today’s round at the Norman course would be a tougher test, especially given the expected rain overnight. The prediction played out as only one-third of the field matched or bettered their scores from the previous day. As a result, good rounds were rewarded as the field narrowed at the top, but Rob Menefee maintained the lead which is now two shots over defending champion Jeffrey Long. Menefee followed up his 9-birdie opening round of 66 with a 78. Despite starting with a birdie at the first hole, two double bogies on par-3s (holes 5 and 9) and another at the 15th left him at even par for the tournament. Long had only made up one stroke on Menefee’s five shot lead, however, through the 15th hole, but birdied the 16th and 18th holes for a 75 to cut the lead to 2 heading into the final round tomorrow.
The low rounds of the day were recorded by Zach Henry (72), Connor Messick and Jeffrey Klatt (73s), which moved them into contention. Messick now sits 3 shots back in third, Klatt four back in fourth and Henry five back in fifth. Henry’s round included six birdies but a quadruple-bogey at the 10th prevented him from having a spectacular round.
The final round will begin Sunday at 10:00 on the Jones course, with the leaders teeing off at 11:50.
For complete results and Saturday’s parings, see www.nova.golfgenius.com
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Rob Menefee Leads Northern Virginia Amateur with Opening Round 66 – Three Tied for Second at 71
August 11, 2017
Defending champion Jeffrey Long collected 6 birdies in his opening round of the Northern Virginia Amateur at the Robert Trent Jones II course at Lansdowne today, playing from the back tees at 7063 yards with a slope of 144 and a course rating of 74.5. Ryan Rettberg bettered Long’s birdie count by 1 posting seven birdies, including five in a row to close out his round. Neither could match Rob Menefee, however, who birdied half of his round – nine birdies – in route to 6-under 66 to lead Long, Rettberg and Ian Hilderbrand (71s) by five shots going into Saturday’s second round.
With an opening day shotgun start, the birdies for Menefee, Long and Rettberg all told a different story. A local business CEO and long-time top area golfer, Menefee began on the 15th hole with birdies at 15 and 16, then birdied 7 out of ten holes from the 2nd through the tenth. Only a double-bogey at the par-3 fourth and a bogey at the par-3 seventh holes spoiled the spectacular round. Another par-3 near the end of his round, the 13th, was key as well, as he made a tricky 5-footer for par. Long started on the 16th and bogied hole #1 to go over par, but then birdied three of the next four to get to 2-under. A double bogie at the sixth from a plugged lie in the bunker got him back to even and a bogey at the short par-5 eighth put him over par again. A run of three birdies coupled with a 3-putt bogey from holes 11-14 gave him a 1-under 71. None of his six birdies were from more than 8 feet. Rettberg started poorly with a bogey on his second hole, the thirteenth, and a triple bogey – birdie- double-bogey stretch from holes 15-17, leaving him at 5-over. From there, however, he turned his day completely around with a birdie at the third, then his five birdie finish from holes 7-11 for his 71. Hildebrand also had a comeback round like Rettberg, – just not as severe. He opened with bogies on holes 14, 17 and 2, but then birdied four of seven holes from 3-11 to finish at 71.
Tomorrow’s second round will begin at 10:00 at Lansdowne’s Norman course with Sunday’s final round starting at 10:00 back at the Jones course.
For complete results and Saturday’s parings, see www.nova.golfgenius.com
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