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Opening Drive
Characters Welcome
GOLF IS FULL OF FASCINATING CHARACTERS, from players and commentators to content creators. We do our best in this magazine to feature those characters with Virginia ties, like we did when we sat down with Fat Perez a few years back and profiled Golf Channel’ s Johnson Wagner in the September-October issue this year.
In this issue, you’ ll meet Teal Barber, a VSGA member who’ s combined his background as a child actor and golf professional to create a series of satirical shorts on TikTok and Instagram. A Richmond native, Barber once dreamed of attending the prestigious Juilliard School to pursue an acting career. He just missed the cut— no shame in that, Juilliard’ s acceptance rate is only 9 percent— and instead earned degrees in professional golf management and marketing at Campbell University.
That led him down a path as a head golf professional at Hanover Golf Club, where he worked tirelessly for more than five years. And the acting? He couldn’ t quit it, so he pivoted, and @ the _ blackreign was born on social media. His unique brand of comedy and satire has attracted nearly 250,000 followers on Instagram, and there’ s no indication of him slowing any time soon. Photographer Paul Pierce and I ventured to Keswick in October to learn more about Teal, his background, and his creative process for this issue’ s cover story. Also in this issue:
• After a competitive and exciting 2025 championship season, we’ re proud to present the VSGA Golfers of the Year. Read more about the seven winners in this issue.
• We had to make some last-second adjustments to this issue, but for good reason. Check out our story on Michael Brennan, the Virginia native who has arrived as a PGA Tour member sooner than anyone imagined, thanks to his October win at the Bank of Utah Championship. One final note: When you talk characters in the Virginia golf scene, you can’ t help but think of the late Randy King, who died at age 69 in August. Affectionately known as“ Nappy,” Randy covered Virginia Tech football and statewide golf for years for both the Roanoke Times and this magazine. His last contribution to Virginia Golfer was a feature on Lanto Griffin, who grew up in Blacksburg and finally achieved his dream of winning on the PGA Tour in 2019. Randy was loud, gregarious, and filled a room. He was also a talented writer and a mentor, someone I appreciated when I was learning the ropes on the Tech beat as a college student in the 1990s. Randy was one of one, as they say. Join me in raising a Clydesdale to Nappy. He is missed.
As always, my inbox is open for ideas. Thanks for reading!
Chris Lang, Editor clang @ vsga. org by CHRIS LANG
A former head golf professional, Teal Barber couldn’ t quit acting. His Instagram account featuring a mix of golf, satire and comedy has attracted nearly 250,000 followers.
Korn Ferry Tour cont’ d...
sion of the championship, the top 20 finishers in the season-long Korn Ferry Tour points race earn PGA Tour cards for the next season.
“ This community has been an incredible host to a PGA Tour Champions event for a decade, and we’ re looking forward to building on the foundation they’ ve established in this area,” KFT president Alex Baldwin said.
Glen Allen is no stranger to hosting the next generation of PGA Tour stars. The Dominion Club hosted the Henrico County Open from 1993-2008.
Plenty has changed since then. With only the top 100 players in the current season retaining full PGA Tour status, the players ranked 101-125 will need to fight their way back to the top. Add the influx of talent from PGA Tour Americas and the competition on the KFT will be fierce.
The top 75 players in the points standings will advance to The Federal Club for a 72-hole no-cut championship event in which all players are guaranteed at least conditional KFT status for the following season.
Steve Schoenfeld, who spent 10 years as the DECC executive director, will remain in town and serve in the same role for the KFT Championship.
“ I already have it in my head a plan to where we might build venues for hospitality,” Schoenfeld said.“ I’ m fortunate in that I’ ve had a lengthy career on a PGA Tour, so when I show up to a golf course, I know what to look for … With the space we have out there [ at Federal Club ], it’ s a huge win for us and a huge check in the‘ pro’ box.”
Four sponsors operate under the Virginia’ s Richmond Region umbrella: The Henrico Economic Development Authority, Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority, Richmond Region Tourism, and the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Finding multiple sponsors willing to support was critical in bringing the KFT Championship to Virginia.
“ Hosting the season-ending Korn Ferry Tour Championship highlights our region’ s ability to deliver world-class sporting events that drive tourism and economic growth,” said Daniel Schmitt, chair of the Henrico County Board of Supervisors.“ The Federal Club will provide an exceptional stage in 2026.”
6 V IRGINIA G OLFER | N OVEMBER / D ECEMBER 2025 vsga. org