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VSGA 2021 Award Winners cont ' d ... by CHRIS LANG
ON A FRIDAY MORNING LAST AUGUST , AS THE VSGA ’ S SENIOR AMA- TEUR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL MATCH WAS UNFOLDING OUTSIDE , Lauren Coughlin stopped into the grill at Birdwood Golf at Boar ’ s Head Resort for a quick visit . The former University of Virginia standout was in town to play the course with Chris Solomon of No Laying Up fame . With no full-time LPGA Tour status , Coughlin went six weeks without playing in an event on the big tour , so she filled the time with practice , a visit home , and a couple of tournaments on the Symetra Tour , the LPGA ’ s developmental circuit .
Get a jump on 2022 with Virginia Golfer ’ s annual list of VSGA championship and professional golf schedules .
A two-time VSGA Women ’ s Amateur champion and a fine ambassador for golf in Virginia , Coughlin had bounced back and forth between the tours for several years , her schedule determined by her play and the whims of the LPGA ’ s various status reshuffles during the course of the season .
In 2022 , at least , she ’ ll have no such worries , thanks to a magical week in Florida in which she qualified for the Pelican Women ’ s Championship , then finished in a tie for 16th , helping her slide into the top 100 of the Race for CME Globe standings . Sure , the $ 21,708 paycheck from that event was nice , but even nicer was the job security afforded to those who finish in the top 100 — full status on the 2022 LPGA Tour .
For more on Coughlin ’ s week and what it means for the future of her career , check out Lisa Mickey ’ s cover story inside this issue . Also inside :
• Virginia has a rich golf history with many stories to be told . Author Kevin Casey introduces a new standing feature focusing on Virginia ’ s storied golf past .
• Speaking of the past , prior to 2022 , the list of presidents of the Virginia State Golf Association ’ s Board of Directors was exclusively male . Inside , meet Anne Greever , who is beginning her two-year term as Board President and is the first woman to hold that role .
• Get a jump on planning your 2022 playing and viewing season with Virginia Golfer ’ s annual list of VSGA championship and professional golf schedules . Of note , the VSGA Women ’ s Amateur returns to Richmond for the first time in nine years ; and the VSGA Amateur makes its first stop in the Tidewater area in 10 years .
Thanks for reading , and feel free to drop a line with any story ideas for future issues !
Chris Lang , Editor clang @ vsga . org
Bill Millsaps , left , and Gib Palmer at the 2019 Virginia Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony .
Millsaps spent much of his career at the Richmond Times-Dispatch , first as a writer , then as executive sports editor before transitioning to managing editor , and finally , the paper ’ s vice president and executive editor . In 2011 , Millsaps earned the Red Smith Award , the top sports journalism award in the nation as presented by the Associated Press Sports Editors to a person who has made major contributions to sports journalism . During his career , he covered more than 30 major championships , including Virginia native Curtis Strange ’ s two U . S . Open victories .
News & Notes
Compiled by CHRIS LANG
JUNIORS PAIR FOR FUNDRAISING EVENT Two of Virginia ’ s top juniors — Chase Nevins and Matt Moloney — teamed in November to create the D . C . Metro Cup benefiting the ACE Grant . Nevins , a junior at Langley High School who is committed to play collegiately at Vanderbilt , and Moloney , a sophomore at Gonzaga Prep , now hope to make the event an annual occasion .
The D . C . Metro Cup is a Ryder Cupstyle competition featuring juniors from Virginia , Maryland and Pennsylvania .
6 V IRGINIA G OLFER | J ANUARY / F EBRUARY 2022
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