3 go 2 for 2

                     "The Chase for the Cup Part 2"

                                                       

On Sunday, May 1, 2016 the 2^nd in the series of 8 tournaments for the “Chesapeake Challenge Cup” took place at Nansemond River Golf Club in Suffolk, Va., hosted by the Baltimore Golf Channel Am Tour.

With the threat of heavy rains in the forecast, players representing 4 different Am Tours set out in competition against each other, the course and the conditions in hopes of raising the trophy in one of 5 different flights.

After competing at Riverfront Golf Club the day before, the players were looking for a course and greens that would be a little more forgiving of demanding shots and a perfect touch on the greens, but they wouldn’t find it at Nansemond River GC. Although to the eye Nansemond River looked a little more wide open, it still demanded precision accuracy from the tee and fairway and the greens were none the less undulated than the previous day. 

Several holes offered carry shots that at first glance appeared intimidating to the casual golfer. The Am Tour players were ready for the challenge and took to the course, suited in their rain gear, in their quest for valuable points to decide not only Player of the Year but also esteemed “Chesapeake Cup Challenge” points.

Although for most of the round the rains held off and even a glimpse of the sun at one point gave promise, the rain did come, and heavy at times, the Am Tour players trudged on in their pursuit to be named Suffolk County Classic Champion.

RESULTS

Championship Flight

Tip Wight (Richmond Tour) prevailed in the Championship flight for his 2^nd win of the 2016 Richmond Golf Channel Am Tour local season with an outstanding round of 2 over par 74. Wight’s identical sides of 37 included 4 birdies on the card. Jennifer Kitchen turned in a good round as well to earn a 2^nd place finish.

Hogan Flight

The Hogan flight provided the dramatics of the day when it took an extra hole in a 4 person play-off to decide the eventual winner. Playing in the same pairing, Hudson Crabb, Mike Miller and Tom Yeager, all representing the Richmond Tour, returned their cards to the scoring table, not even realizing they were tied or having any aspirations of winning. They would have been correct in their assumptions as Allison Cherry, also from the Richmond Tour, in the group behind them was playing very well. However a disastrous 17^th hole relegated Cherry to the play-off as well. In the play-off, Hudson Crabb made quick work of it and claimed the victory on the very 1^st extra hole. For Allison Cherry it was the third 2^nd place finish of the season for the Tour Rookie.

Sarazen Flight

Victor Avillanoza pulled double duty by winning his 2^nd tournament in as many days, and jumping out to a quick lead in the Sarazen Flight, Chesapeake Cup Challenge standings. Avillanoza’s excellent round of 87 also gave the Richmond Tour valuable points in the team competition. Also gaining important points were JB Martin (Richmond Tour) with a 2^nd place finish and Ken Cherry, (Richmond Tour), who finished 3^rd.

Jones Flight

Another Richmond player went Back to Back over the weekend, as Bill Crowley doubled up on the trophy count. Crowley’s victory didn’t come with as much cushion as it did on Saturday however as DC Tour player Willie Winfree, after a sluggish front 9 start made a ferocious charge on the back nine to serve a serious challenge to Crowley, only to come up 1 stroke back. Regardless, Winfree’s back 9 score of 41 will serve notice that the DC players are after “The Cup” as well. Another DC player Thomas Porter made it know he will be a force to be reckoned with as he matched Winfree’s score for a 2^nd place tie.

Snead Flight

Oludare Ogunmedawe carried the torch for the DC Tour over the weekend as he also went 2 for 2 in the trophy department. Ogunmedawe’s victory on Sunday wasn’t certain however until he had completed 20 holes. Eric Clevenger, of the Richmond Tour, had matched Ogunmedawe’s score of 42 on the outward 9 holes. On the inward 9 holes the pair seemed to play a game of “Who doesn’t want it” as each time one would grab the lead, even by as much as 2 shots, that person would immediately relinquish it back to the other. On the last 3 hole a 2 shot swing would go to each golfer until finally when the dust had settled and the scores were posted they were headed to a play-off. After each player recorded par on the 1^st play-off hole, Ogunmedawe scored par on the 2^nd extra hole to secure the victory. George French from the Richmond Tour finished 3^rd.