Around The Commonwealth |
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CHRIS LANG( 3); KAIDEN BRIDGES( SPICERS) |
34th VSGA Junior Match Play Championship Winner: Charles Lange( def. Ethan Evans, 3 and 2) Site: 1757 Golf Club The story: Lange capped a marathon day of golf with a sizzling stretch during the middle of the championship match. He played holes 4-12 at 7 under par, turning a 2-down deficit into a 4-up lead.“ He was making it pretty hard to beat him,” Evans noted. Career VSGA titles: 1 Quoting:“ Really, it was the putting. I don’ t know what it was. I saw the lines and I was really dialed in with the putter and they were just going in dead center. It’ s a feeling I don’ t feel often, so it was cool.”— Lange The number: 43 – Holes Lange played on the final day, needing to complete his delayed quarterfinal match before winning semifinal and final matches.
Charles Lange
Jon Hurst
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39th VSGA Senior Stroke Play Championship Winner: Jon Hurst Site: Fredericksburg CC The story: With FCC celebrating its 100th anniversary, Hurst fed off the support of members who came out to watch and stayed clear of a strong field that included past champions Steve Serrao, Buck Brittain, David Jordan, Keith Decker and Tim Kelley. Career VSGA titles: 12 Quoting:“ Hopefully I have plenty of more good years left in front of me in VSGA championships. Obviously Vinny [ Giles ] isn’ t going to win more VSGA championships, and I don’ t know how many more [ David ] Partridge is going to win, he can still win some super senior stuff. I’ d love to be second some day in VSGA wins. Sure, I think about it.”— Hurst The number: 8 – Players who have won at least two Senior Stroke Play titles, including Hurst.
40th VSGA Super Senior Stroke Play Championship Winners: 65 +: Allen Barber( 72-71— 143, won in playoff); 70 +: Jeff Flax( 73-74— 147, won in playoff); 75 +: Tom Grady( 75-72— 147) Site: Cedar Point Club The story: Only two players broke par during the championship: Barber and Kent Erdahl, whom Barber defeated on the first playoff hole in the 65 + division. Flax needed two playoff holes to oust 2024 age-division winner Dayton Slater in the 70 +. Grady won his first VSGA title since the 2016 Super Senior Amateur. Career VSGA titles: Barber( 6), Flax( 2), Grady( 4). Quoting:“ It’ s hard to accept that you can’ t compete with the 50-year-olds anymore, but it’ s still fun to play against the same guys that I’ ve played with all these years, and it’ s always fun to win. Senior golf and super senior golf has been a lot of fun. I enjoy it a lot.”— Flax
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Tom Grady
Jessica and Sarah Spicer
The number: 21 – Years since Barber won his last VSGA championship, the 2004 Four-Ball.
9th VSGA Women’ s Four-Ball Championship Winners: Open: Jessica and Sarah Spicer( 64-65— 129); Senior: Natalie Easterly and Amy Ellertson( 70-68— 138). Site: Fawn Lake CC The story: The Spicer twins won their second title in four years at Fawn Lake, while Easterly and Ellertson maintained their dominance in the senior division. They’ ve won every year they’ ve competed together in the event. Career VSGA titles: Jessica Spicer( 4), Sarah Spicer( 2), Easterly( 12), Ellertson( 9). Quoting:“ Obviously golf is more fun when you play well, but I think we just always had a great connection, obviously, being twins. I think we just understand each other really well, and so it really just kind of brings out the best in both of our games to play Four-Ball.”— Sarah Spicer The number: 129- The Spicers tied the lowest score in event history, set previously by Melanie and Raquel Walker in 2023.
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