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Championship Roundup
BJ Maben and
Kyle Mutter
35th VSGA Senior Four-Ball
Championship
International CC, Fairfax | May 24–25
Less than a week removed from his induction into the
Virginia Golf Hall of Fame, Keith Decker (Chatmoss
CC) added another line to his resume. Decker and
Pat Tallent (Westwood CC) became just the third
side in history to win three Senior Four-Ball titles,
joining Bob Moyers and Jim Kite, who won a record
five Senior Four-Ball championships.
Decker earned his record 28th VSGA champion-
ship and was the key force at the end of the second
round, getting up and down for birdie on the par-5
16th before sinking a 25-foot birdie putt from the
fringe on No. 17. Decker and Tallent shot a two-day
128 and held off a hard-charging Scott Reisenweaver
(Salisbury CC) and Leon Roday (Kinloch GC) for the
one-stroke win.
QUICK FACTS:
Field and format: Six qualifying sites and
exemptions produced a field of 48 sides.
52nd VSGA Four-Ball Stroke Play Championship
Willow Oaks CC, Richmond | May 19–20
BJ Maben (Sleepy Hole GC) successfully recruited Kyle Mutter (Cedar Point
CC) to play for him at The Apprentice School in Newport News. A two-time
USCAA All-American at the school, Mutter remained friends with his assistant
coach long after graduation, which led to their four-ball partnership at Willow
Oaks. Entering Saturday’s round two shots off the lead, Maben and Mutter shot
a 5-under 67 for a two-day 132 and found themselves in a playoff opposite John
Rosenstock (Elizabeth Manor G&CC) and Brett Chambers (Independence GC),
who posted an 8-under 64, the best score of Saturday’s round.
On the first hole of the playoff, Mutter and Chambers both shot themselves
out of the hole, leaving Rosenstock and Maben to fight it out. Maben two-putt-
ed for par to clinch the first VSGA championship for both Maben and Mutter.
First-round leaders: Decker and Tallent (62)
It was over when: Decker rolled home a
25-foot hole-high putt from the fringe on No. 17
to give his side a one-stroke lead. Decker and
Tallent secured the win when Reisenweaver and
Roday both missed birdie putts on No. 18 that
would have forced a playoff.
Quotable: “Keith Decker is the best player in
the state and he’s one of the top players in the
country. I just play Tonto and let him be the Lone
Ranger and help him out when I can.”—Tallent
Pat Tallent and
Keith Decker
QUICK FACTS:
Field and format: Six qualifying sites and exemptions produced a field of 48 sides.
First-round leaders: Garrett Ramsey and McLain Leberte (63)
It was over when: John Rosenstock’s approach on the first playoff hole flew past
the green to the teeing ground for hole No. 2, leaving him an extremely difficult
up-and-down chance for par. BJ Maben two putted from the apron for par and
the win.
Quotable: “With this strong of a field, our expectations were to finish in the top
10 or top 15. That would have been a successful weekend. For us to be able to
pull it off, it’s just amazing.”—Maben
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