FUN FACTS
Lanny Wadkins won the RGA Amateur in 1970 . He also won the VSGA Amateur , the U . S . Amateur , the Southern Amateur and the Western Amateur .
L . Wadkins won the RGA Junior for the third straight year and the City Amateur in 1967 . His brother Bobby won the Junior in 1968-69 .
Six members of the Virginia Golf Hall of Fame are past champions in RGA tournaments : Lanny Wadkins ( 4 City Amateurs , 3 Juniors ); Bobby Wadkins ( 2 Juniors ); David Partridge ( 4 City Amateurs , Mid-Amateur , Senior ); Harry Easterly Jr . ( 2 City Amateurs , Senior ); Wayne Jackson ( 2 City Ams ) and Richard Smith ( 2 Seniors , 3 Senior 4-balls ).
PGA Tour winner Robert Wrenn won three RGA Amateurs and a Junior .
Dave Ewell was the City Amateur champion four times in three decades ( 1937 , 1948 , 1952 and 1957 ).
Two-time RGA Champion Tom Vlahakis won in 2000 and had to wait 21 years before winning again in 2021 .
Hermitage CC member Billy Howell was 16 years old in 1928 when he won the VSGA Amateur for the first time . He won again in 1931 , 1932 and 1935 . In 1933 he was victorious in the RGA Amateur . Clubmate Bobby Riegel won the RGA Amateur in 1934 and again in 1936 when he also hoisted the VSGA Amateur trophy . Each player reached the semifinals of the U . S . Amateur : Howell in 1931 and Riegel in 1941 .
The 2009 City Amateur championship match , played on Father ’ s Day , is the only one to pit father against son . Tim Kelley ( father ) defeated son ( Brock ) 2 and 1 at Richmond Country Club . Brock won the city championship in 2006 . Tim was the winner four times in the RGA Senior and twice in the RGA Mid-Amateur .
Handled with Care
The golf industry has boomed during the pandemic , and the RGA has benefited .
“ We are very fortunate to have had the success we have had and we owe it all to the players and the PGA professionals and their club for partnering with us ,” Taylor says . “ With numerous protocols , we hosted what is believed to be the the first ( post-pandemic ) amateur event ( City Amateur ) on the East Coast in 2020 .”
RGA tournaments are conducted by members of the board or past officers who continue to volunteer their time . Cooperation and sharing responsibilities between the tournament director and the club pro are a necessity for running an event .
Van Williams , the RGA president in 2008 , was the club professional at The Country Club of The Highlands ( now The Golf Club at the Highlands ) when the club played host to the RGA Amateur in 1997 .
“ What I found was the guys running the tournament cared ,” Williams said . “ I didn ’ t have much to do as the host pro . They did all the scoring ; all the flighting . They set up the golf course the way they wanted it . It was a breeze from my standpoint . It was great to have the revenue in the shop with the gift certificates and stuff . That was a huge bonus for having an RGA event .”
Robert Nussey Jr . wins the title in 1997 .
IN THE BEGINNING :
RGA Amateur ( 1922 ) Junior Boys ( 1949 ) Senior ( 1957 ) Four-Ball ( 1972 ) Mid-Amateur ( 1985 ) Senior Four-Ball ( 2002 ) Junior Girls ( 2010 ) No tournaments were played during World War II ( 1943-45 ).
Williams left the golf profession in 1998 to start a business in the private sector . RGA president Kevin Kane recruited Williams for the board and to help develop a website .
Having a club say yes when the RGA comes calling in need of a venue is getting tougher and tougher these days . Members grumble .
Middle Atlantic PGA Hall of Fame member Tom Barry , who retired from Lakeside Park Club , says it this way : “ You ’ ve got to take your turn in the barrel . That ’ s part of the obligation being a member of the association … It ’ s a good way to present your facility to other people who wouldn ’ t necessarily have played there .
“ When you have an event , it ’ s generally better players , and they are mindful of the condition of the course . You won ’ t find any unraked bunkers tomorrow . The players are conscious of the greens and repairing ball marks . Those are good things . If you are an association member , and your club is a member , you ’ ve got to be proud to show off your club .”
For the Kids , Too
The Junior Boys Championship was the second tournament to take its place on the RGA schedule . The inaugural was in 1949 . Bill Wood was the winner . The list of champions includes
ALEXA WELCH EDLUND / RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH