September 9, 2019 at River Bend Golf and Country Club, Great Falls, Virginia —- Veteran Larry Spielberg (Creighton Farms) paired up with much younger and long-hitting left-hander Dudley Payne (Raspberry Falls) to win the 2019 Northern Virginia 4-ball tournament today in a dramatic 2-hole sudden death playoff against a team from Army Navy Country Club comprised of veteran Kevin Dillard and newcomer Chris Ironroad. Both teams finished 18 holes with an outstanding score of 4-under par 67 over a challenging layout. The event was played from the Black tees at nearly 7,000 yards. With the greens running about 13 on the Stimp meter and some very tricky hole locations on several holes, par was a very good score especially on the par 4s of which most were well in excess of 400 yards.

Dillard and Ironroad posted their 4-under par 67 first with each player making 3 birdies on different holes against team bogeys made on holes #4 and #6. Spielberg made 3 birdies and Payne made 4 birdies offset by team bogeys on holes 9, 12 and 14 to also post 67 to tie.

The playoff was conducted beginning on the uphill par 5 #1 (516 yards). Kevin Dillard put his second shot about 40 yards short and to the right of the green and pitched his approach shot to about 10 feet almost hole-high. Dudley Payne almost reached the green with his second shot which stayed short of the front left bunker. His pitch shot ran about 20 feet beyond the hole. After Larry Spielberg chipped close for a tap-in par and Chris Ironroad missed a long birdie attempt, Payne sank his birdie putt first to put the pressure on Dillard whose putt just caught the left-hand edge of the cup and fell in to extend the playoff to a second hole.

Ironroad’s drive on the 544 yard downhill 18th hole was long but pushed way to the right and lost in the red water hazard between the 9th and 18th holes. Dillard’s drive found the left rough and he had no chance to reach the green in two shots. His second shot found the left rough near the cart path about 120 yards from the hole. Spielberg’s drive found the fairway bunker on the right side of the fairway and his second shot ended up in the right rough about 80 yards from the hole. Payne hammered his drive nearly to the bottom of the hill and put his second shot green high but 25 yards right of the green. Ironroad took his penalty drop and played up near the green while Dillard’s 3rd shot found the right side of the green but about 45 feet from the hole. Spielberg hit his 3rd shot very close to about 6 feet from the hole and Payne pitched past the hole to the left green edge. With Spielberg very close to the hole Dillard had to try to make his long birdie attempt but it ran by on the fast green to about 12 feet past the hole. Payne left his birdie attempt short and when Dillard missed his par putt, Spielberg was able to make an easy two-putt to seal the win.

Ten teams finished with scores under par with four teams tied at 2-under par 69 and another four teams tied at 1-under par 70. Using the score-card playoff system the top ten teams finished as follows:

– 3rd place: Chris Laughlin (RTJ Club) / Francesco Romano (Chantilly) (69)

– 4th place: Jeff Hunter (Belmont) / Michael Muehr (Trump National) (69)

– 5th place: Geoff Castleton (Chantilly) / Nate Shevchik (Chantilly) (69)

– 6th place: Somsak Chivavibul (River Bend) / Art Locke (Belmont) (69)

– 7th place: Michael Annessa (Trump National) / Conor Cafferty (South Riding) (70)

– 8th place: Rob Menefee / Jason Pool (both of River Bend) (70)

– 9th place: Paul Gural / Michael McMakin (both of International CC) (70)

– 10th place: Peter Nadanyi / Lauren Greenlief (both of International CC) (70).

Of note: Greenlief was a last-minute substitute for fellow International CC member Tim Tedrick; she was the 2017 and 2018 VSGA Women’s Golfer of the Year and the 2015 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Champion.

Full results of the tournament can be viewed at the following link: https://www.golfgenius.com/leagues/164891/rounds/493683/v2tournaments

The Northern Virginia Golf Association wishes to thank Head Professional John Madden, PGA, his staff, the course superintendent and club manager for their outstanding hospitality and the excellent playing condition of the golf course. We hope to be able to host another event at River Bend in the future — thank you!