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Brendan McGrath RIGHT : Mike McDonald
16th SENIOR OPEN OF VIRGINIA Winner : Brendan McGrath ( 71-64 — 135 ) The story : McGrath — a PGA teaching professional at Hidden Creek Country Club — won despite making a quadruple-bogey 8 on the par-4 15th hole in the first round . Instead of letting that hole sink his tournament , he redoubled his efforts , stayed in the hunt , then blazed past the field with a second-round 64 at Independence Golf Club . McGrath became the first professional to win since Ricky Touma in 2016 , and he finished two shots clear of low amateur Bowen Sargent , the head men ’ s golf coach at the University of Virginia .
6th VSGA MID-SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP Winner : Keith Decker ( def . John Lombardozzi , 4 and 3 ) The story : Decker became the first twotime winner of the championship for players ages 60-64 , setting the tone with a 7-under 65 in stroke-play qualifying at Spotswood CC before cruising to his 32nd VSGA championship , adding to his already seemingly untouchable record .
1 up in the final match , giving him a Super Senior Amateur title to go along with the Super Senior Stroke Play title he won in 2020 . McDonald won his second title in the event , having previously won in the 65 + division . McDonald defeated Lynn Wessman 1 up in the final match . Casstevens outlasted four-ball partner and two-time defending champion George Owens in the 75 + match , winning with a birdie on the 26th hole .
9th VSGA SUPER SENIOR FOUR-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP Winners : Bill Apple / John Steele ( 65 +); Jim Hudson / Pat Gregory ( 70 +); John Casstevens / George Owens ( 75 +) The story : At Princess Anne CC , Apple and Steele rolled to a second-round 62 and finished a stroke clear of David Partridge and Harry Thomas , who were runners-up for the second straight year in the 65 + division . Hudson and Gregory , mem-
Evan Beck and Garland Green shake hands after the four-hole playoff at the
VSGA Mid-Amateur .
27th VSGA SUPER SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP Winners : Jack Allara ( 65 +), Mike McDonald ( 70 +), John Casstevens ( 75 +) The story : At Spotswood CC , Allara defeated Henrico ’ s Kevin MacMillan
CHRIS LANG ( 3 )
8 V IRGINIA G OLFER | N OVEMBER / D ECEMBER 2021
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