Macy Johnson was a semifinalist at last year’ s Women’ s Amateur. |
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KAIDEN BRIDGES( HA); CHRIS LANG( GROSS); VSGA ARCHIVES( HALL OF FAME) |
STATE OPEN OF VIRGINIA: RUNNING IT BACK Larkin Gross entered the final round of last year’ s State Open of Virginia with a five-stroke lead. The only path to drama involved Gross backing up to give the field a chance, but he didn’ t oblige. He opened the Sunday round by going 2-under in his first six holes to extend his edge, turning the rest of the round into a formality. Gross became the first Class A PGA professional to win the event in more than two decades, finishing seven shots clear of the field.
Since then, Gross has moved from Westwood Country Club in Vienna to The Club of Creighton Farms in Aldie. The State Open returns to Independence Golf Club July 17 – 19, and Gross will look to become the first player to win consecutive titles since Jay Woodson won three straight from 2012 – 14. Teenager Luca Rinaldi, who earned low amateur honors last year, is in the field as well.
Here are other storylines to watch at this year’ s event. As a reminder, the final two rounds will be live streamed on YouTube via Championship Golf Network:
• Mark Lawrence Jr., now 29, has battled various injury setbacks ever since turning professional. He’ s found some starts this year on PGA Tour Americas— even making a hole-in-one at the event in Ecuador in May. As of press time, the 2020 State Open champion was signed up to play at Independence, though there’ s a chance he could opt to play in the PGA Tour Americas stop in Canada that week if he earns a spot in the field.
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2025 State Open champion Larkin Gross.
• Several past champions are expected to be in the field, including 2023 winner Connor Burgess, 2022 champion Nick Taliaferro, Lawrence, and Roger Newsom, who won in 2008 and 2011.
• Two who have proven track records of going low at Independence are expected to tee it up— amateur Robb Kinder and professional Bryce Corbett. Corbett posted a final-round 62 at Independence to finish third behind Evan Beck and Lawrence.
• Professional Josh Speight won the MAPGA Southern Chapter Championship
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VIRGINIA GOLF HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES CLASS OF 2026 The Virginia Golf Hall of Fame will induct its four-person Class of 2026 on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs. NBC / Golf Channel’ s Steve Sands will act as ceremony emcee, marking the second time he’ s led the proceedings. He was the emcee for the 2017 ceremony at the Country Club of Virginia.
Current LPGA star Lauren Coughlin headlines the class. The 33-year-old has won three LPGA Tour events in the last three seasons and played a major role in the U. S. Solheim Cup victory at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in 2024. Joining Coughlin are renowned sports psychologist Dr. Bob Rotella, four-time State Open of Virginia winner Jay Woodson, and past VSGA Amateur champion and Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame founder Ned Baber.
Virginia Golfer will take an expanded look at the Class of 2026 in the September-October issue of the magazine. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the inaugural Virginia Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which was also held at the Homestead.
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