Familiar Faces in the Winners Circle

On Saturday, July 25, Kiskiack Golf Club hosted the Richmond Golf Channel Am Tour for the Wide Land Masters Tournament. For a summer day in late July, one could have not asked for better weather as the humidity was down and the thermometer never reached 90. 

The course was in excellent condition and players were anxious to challenge it for the chance to hoist the winner’s trophy and gain the valuable Order of Merit Points so crucial to acquiring a spot in the National and Senior National Championships.

The question was repeatedly asked how the name Wide Land Masters was derived at. So for everyone’s educational benefit, here is the answer.

Kiskiack (or Chisiack or Chiskiack) was a native American tribal group of the Powhatan Confederacy in what is present-day York County, Virginia. The name means "Wide Land" or "Bread Place" in the native language, one of the Virginia Algonquian languages. It was also the name of their village on the Virginia Peninsula,

The award winning 6779 yard, Jonh LaFoy layout along the banks of the York river, held its own against the challenge of the 4 flights of players representing 3 different Golf Channel Am Tours.

Tournament #11 of the long 2015 Richmond Golf Channel Am Tour season is now in the books, as the Order of Merit Points and Player of the Year standings are coming down to the wire.

RESULTS

(click on players name to view full scorecard)

PALMER FLIGHT
Senior National Championship qualifier, Jay Corazza notched his 2nd win of the season on Saturday when he posted an impressive 4 over par round of 76, catapulted by an even par back nine. Jim Davidson finished 2nd and Roger Moore 3rd.

HOGAN FLIGHT
Denied a spot in the "Winners Circle" for most of the season, Tom Yeager is now on a charge with back to back wins. After 5 runner-up finishes this season, Yeager has now closed the deal to come within 1 win of heading to Palm Springs for the Senior National Championship. Finishing 2nd was Kiskiack's own Jerry Taaffe, with Phil Shubert in 3rd.

SARAZEN FLIGHT
As always the Sarazen flight was the closely contested flight of the day. When Michael Davidson and Jerry Jones made the turn in 41, there were 3 others within striking distance of their lead. Ken Cherry, Bob Fogerty, and Ric Beltz gave it their best efforts on the inward nine holes to try and over take the front runners. Carolina's Tour member Bob Fogerty was the only one that could just enough, to in the end, to pull into a tie with Jones and send it to extra holes. As the play-off unfolded, it appeared that Fogerty was quickly going to be out of it until a chip in forced Jones to have to make a crucial 12 footer to gain the victory. Steady as ever, Jones drained the putt for his 3rd win of the season, and 2nd in a row, Beltz and Davidson tied for 3rd just 1 shot back.

SNEAD FLIGHT

Another player to break the winless drought for the 2015 season was Maury Gatewood. His identical scores of 44 on each side gave him a 2 shot margin of victory over Jamie Iannelli. George French finished 3rd. Gatewood now has at least 1 Tour win for 4 consecutive seasons.

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS

Aug. 8 & 9    The Grapevine Classic/Richmond Tour Championship
                      @ The Club at Viniterra

Aug. 15         The Va. Beach Open @ Virginia Beach National

Aug. 22         The Hanover Open @ The Federal Club

Aug. 23         The Tournament of Champions @ Swan Point

                      Tournament of Champions @ Swan Point Yacht and Country Club, Issue, MD. Open to all Am Tour Members this event will be a shotgun start with a buffet at the end. Baltimore, DC, and Richmond Am Tour “Players of the Year” will be awarded their bags and trophies during the buffet. Also, this tournament counts for “Order of Merit Points” toward the 2015 Nationals for all players

A Srixon Grand Slam at the Colonial Invitational

All of the Champions in the Colonial Invitational

Won playing Srixon Golf Balls

On Saturday, July 18, 2015 at Colonial Heritage Golf Clun in Williamsburg, Va. players from 3 Tours congregated to see who would be the “Best of the Rest” in 4 individual flights.

On a day that started out comfortable with a light cooling breeze. Players struggled at the end over Colonial Heritage’s demanding final 3 finishing holes in brutal humid and hot conditions.

“Perfect” would fall short in describing the conditions of the 6889 yard Authur Hills masterpiece located on the rolling terrain of Williamsburg’s highest point.

One can be quickly deceived when looking at the short yardages listed on the scorecard, but the demanding slope and rating of Colonial Heritage requires deadly accuracy and smart club selection to navigate the course with a respectable score.

RESULTS

(click on players name to view full scorecard)

HOGAN FLIGHT

In a “Nip and Tuck” battle throughout the entire Back 9, Jim Davidson and Tom Yeager matched shot for shot to the finish. One player would hold the lead on 3 separate occasions only to have the other pull back even. After the final putt fell on the 18^th hole both had recorded identical scores of 84.
On the 1^st playoff hole Yeager would make par to pick up his first win of the season. Only one shot back of making the playoff was Jerry Taaffe.

SARAZEN FLIGHT

There would be no concern for worry of the distance combined with the high slope and rating on the choice of tees selected for the Sarazen flight for Jerry Jones as he successfully dissected the layout routed through Williamsburg’s newest retirement community with a posting of 89. Unbeknown to Jones however was the charge of the Sarazen flights newest participant, Michael Eaton. Eaton had worked his way back from a 2 shot deficit at the turn to pull even going to the finishing hole. Unfortunately one errant shot for Eaton on 18 would relegate him to a 2^nd place finish.
Finishing 3^rd was Denver Tour player Derrick Goodwin.

JONES FLIGHT

With the Points Races heating up down the stretch towards seasons end the top players in the Jones and Senior Jones flights were on hand to battle it out for the coveted points. In a quest to overcome a huge deficit in the “Player of the Year” standings, Michael Radan has been on a tear lately with 4 wins in his last 7 tournaments. Having to come from 2 strokes back at the turn  Radan was able to add another trophy to this year’s collection. Finishing 2 shots back in 2^nd were Peter Socha and Stephen Despres.

SNEAD FLIGHT

Playing in all likelihood his last competitive tournament in the Snead flight, Keenan Davis lit the course up with the low round of the tournament on Saturday with a round of 83. Trailing by 1 shot after 9 holes, Davis took dead aim on the inward 9 with a spectacular score of 39 for the victory. Finishing 2^nd was BillGoodman with DC Tour member John Henry coming home in 3^rd.

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS

Sat. July 25   The Wide Land Masters @ Kiskiack

{registration closes Mon July 20)

Sat. Aug 1   The Battle for Fredericksburg @ Lee's Hill

Sat. & Sun. Aug 8&9   Richmond Tour Championship @ Viniterra

Sat. Aug. 15   The Va. Beach Open @ Va. Beach National

Sat. Aug. 22    The Hanover Open @ The Federal Club

Just Added:

Sun. Aug. 23  The Tournament of Champions @ Swan Point

Tournament of Champions @ Swan Point Yacht and Country Club, Issue, MD. Open to all Am Tour Members this event will be a shotgun start with a buffet at the end. Baltimore, DC, and Richmond Am Tour “Players of the Year” will be awarded their bags and trophies during the buffet. Also, this tournament counts for “Order of Merit Points” toward the 2015 Nationals for all players. 

Richmond Players Tame RNK

             Old Friends reunited in the Winners Circle

                                                               4 for 4

On July 5^th, 2015 Golf Channel Am Tour Players representing 5 different Tour met in Providence Forge VA To take on the  “Toughest of them all” when they challenged the Royal New Kent layout in the Traditional. As if the course isn’t already difficult enough, an overnight storm further softened the conditions to make the 7100 yard Mike Strantz design play even longer.

With threatening skies overhead all day, 8 ½ miles of cart path, blind shots,  hilly terrain and the vast undulating greens  to deal with, the mental state of the game came into full effect as players tested their skills in 6 individual flights.   

The “Love/Hate” relationship many players have with Royal New Kent seems to be the drawing attraction that makes it one of the most popular tournaments on the Richmond Golf Channel Am Tour schedule. The lure of “I know I can do better on that course”, brings them back each year to try it one more time. The mental challenge of playing with-in one’s ability and taking what the course offers is tough to do throughout the course of the day. Picking and choosing

the right shot and landing area to set up the next shot takes the utmost concentration on the part of even the most skilled golfer. Royal New Kent lays in wait for those that want to challenge it, and it doesn’t suffer a bad shot with any mercy.

(Click on players name for full scorecard)

CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
Ryan Clark, making his long anticipated return to the competition of the Richmond Golf Channel Am Tour, showed NO fear of Royal New Kent. Already winning 2 of his first 3 tournaments this season, including the Battle for the Homestead 2-day Major, Clark took dead aim on Sunday and challenged the course. Buoyed by an Eagle on the tricky, “Risk/Reward” 2^nd hole, with a 240 yard all carry 2^nd shot to the green, Ryan went on to post an even par round of 72 to take top honors. Finishing 2^nd was National Championship qualifier, Tip Wight, followed by Jeremy Horn in 3^rd.

PALMER FLIGHT
Another player making his return to the Richmond Tour and already owning a Major title this season is Shawn Watkins. Watkins wasted little time in obtaining his first Local Tour win as he posted identical sides of 40 to pull out a 3 shot margin of victory over Jay Corazza. Mike Sheehan finished 3^rd

HOGAN FLIGHT
Jerry Taaffe picked up his first ever trophy on the Golf Channel Am Tour when he navigated the Providence Forge layout with a score of 86 in the Hogan flight. Tom Yeager and Ferdinand Hudencial finished tied in 2^nd

SARAZEN FLIGHT

Ric Beltz officially punched his ticket to the Senior National Championship Tournament to be held at PGA West in Palm Springs when he picked up his 3^rd win of the season over a strong Sarazen field. Beltz had to come from behind for the victory as second place finisher Bob Fogerty (Carolinas Tour) went out with a very impressive 3 over par 39. The two, playing in the same pairing remained tight coming through the finishing holes until Beltz took the lead on 17 with a birdie. Sly Prioleau (Baltimore Tour) finished 3^rd.

JONES FLIGHT
"Finally" was the statement after 7 second place finishes this season
JB Martin closed the deal at Royal New Kent when he posted 5 pars on the inward 9 holes to pull out a 1 shot margin of victory over Ken Cherry. Grady Lovett (DC Tour) and Del Jackson (Carolinas Tour) finished tied for 3^rd

SNEAD FLIGHT
Another player to use a strong finishing back 9 to secure a win was KeenanDavis. Davis’s 5 pars on the inward 9 gave him the come from behind victory over 2^nd place finisher Maury Gatewood. George French finished 3^rd.

WELCOME NEW MEMBER

Larry Mosca


UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS

July 18  The Colonial Invitational @ Colonial Heritage
               (Registration closes Monday July 13)

July 25  The Wide Land Masters @ Kiskiack

Aug 1  The Battle for Fredericksburg @ Lee's Hill