"Sweet Virginia Breeze"
On Friday, April 15, 2016 a total of
92 Golf Channel Am Tour players from around the country visited Williamsburg,Va., to test their skills against one another at the famed Golden Horseshoe
Gold Course.
The contestants represented 17
different Am Tours and competed in a combination of 9 individual Open and
Senior flights.
The 6,817 yard Robert Trent Jones Sr.
layout built in 1963, awaited the players in an early morning shotgun start and
proved to be a good test of golf leading into the weekends Kingsmill Open.
As the competitors began their round
they would soon find out that the Gold course at the Golden Horseshoe, site of
the 2007 NCAA Men’s Division 1 Championship, was not as much about length as it
was accuracy. With tight tree lined fairways, hilly terrain, forced carries,
quick severely sloped small greens and 4 of the
most spectacular par 3’s on one course anywhere, the “Shoe” is more of the “Old
School” design than the modern day layouts. But undaunted, the contestants were
up for the challenge on this beautiful sunny day that a good stiff breeze would
also add just a little more bite to the course.
But undaunted, the contestants were up for the challenge on this
beautiful sunny day that a good stiff breeze would also add just a little more
bite to the course.
RESULTS
Championship Flight
Three players from the Richmond Tour
would battle it out for the trophy in the Championship flight as Tip Wight,
Christopher Greenfield and Jeremy Horn took turns exchanging the lead
throughout the round. Greenfield got off to the hot start only to be overtaken
by Wight near the end of the opening 9 holes. All 3 players basically matched
each other shot for shot on the back 9 resulting in Tip Wight claiming the “Top
Honors”, with Christopher Greenfield in 2nd and Jeremy Horn
finishing 3rd.
Palmer Flight
Jacob Morton, of the DC Tour, played
a steady round of golf at the Gold course, including 10 pars on the card, on
his way to a first place finish when he posted a 2 shot margin of victory over
Joshua Wheat, of the Birmingham Tour. Ryan McDougle, from the Richmond Tour,
had a strong finishing 9 hole score of 39 to gain a 3rd place
finish.
Senior Palmer Flight
Michael Owens, of the Richmond Tour,
brought his “A” game to the Golden Horseshoe when he toured the course, in the
heart of Colonial Williamsburg, with a round of 77 and grabbed the win over a
full field of Senior Palmer players. By completing each 9 with identical 3 over
par scores, Owens was able to maintain a 4 shot margin over closest competitor
Jim Hicks, of the DC Tour. Sam Bailey, from the Richmond Tour finished 3rd.
Hogan Flight
Derek Apedoe exemplifies what the
Golf Channel Am Tour is all about. The one time Sarazen player has improved his
game to the point of becoming a formidable opponent in the Hogan flight as he
proved by winning the Williamsburg Open. Apedoe’s front 9 score of 40 was the
difference in him being able to hold off
the challenge of Canadian native Derek Johnson, of the Buffalo NY Tour who
finished 2nd, and David Soleye, who finished 3rd representing the Philadelphia Tour.
Senior Hogan Flight
Starting on the 15th hole,
at the Golden Horseshoe Gold course, which is the beginning of the 4 toughest
holes on the course is no easy task. Jeff Couch, of the Richmond Tour managed
to get through them with minimum difficulty and once he got to the beginning 9
holes of the Robert Trent Jones Sr. layout he took full advantage by firing a
score of 39 for a 18 hole total of 84. For Couch, that proved to be the
deciding factor in holding off Bob Fogerty, of the NC/SC Tour by 1 shot. Thomas
Matte and Mark Trimmer, both of the Baltimore Tour finished tied for 3rd.
Sarazen Flight
Virginia Beach native, Mel Imad of
the Richmond Tour lit up the difficult back side of the Gold course with a
stellar 39 to pave the way to victory in the Sarazen flight. Imad’s outstanding
round of 83 was good enough for a 5 shot margin of triumph over 2nd
place finishers, John Chmara, (NC/SC Tour) and Sly Prioleau (Baltimore Tour).
Senior Sarazen Flight
Eighteen holes were not enough to
decide the outcome in the Senior Sarazen Flight as John Fassula and Joe
DeCavage were tied with rounds of 87 at the end of regulation. Both players
started on the 11th hole and by the time they were standing at the 1st
tee Fassula had a 3 shot lead. Fassula played a very steady front side but it
was DeCavage who started to light it up. Over the expanse of 4 holes, beginning
at #3 DeCavage would shoot 1 under par which now put him 1 shot in the lead.
Neither of the 2 seasoned veterans of the Golf Channel Am Tour were going to
cave into the pressure of the stretch run as they matched each other shot for
shot. But on the final hole it would be DeCavage who would stumble the most
allowing Fassula to draw even. In the play-off however it would be DeCavage on
the 2nd extra hole that managed to claim the trophy, relegating
Fassula to a 2nd place finish. Rick Knepp, (Baltimore Tour), Eddie
Stephens, (Chicago Tour), and Steve Fox, (Baltimore Tour) all finished 1 shot
out of the play-off in a 3 way tie for 3rd.
Jones Flight
Toronto native, Ian Lederer, who
plays on the Buffalo, NY Tour, enjoyed the green conditions and Spring time
weather in Williamsburg Va., enough to go out and shoot a round good enough to
gain a 2 shot win over Richmond Tour member Dan Hines. Bob Montgomery of the
Baltimore Tour came home in 3rd place 3 shots back.
Senior Jones Flight
Scott Post, of the NYC/Hudson Valley
Tour, was another of our Northern friends that found being South to his liking
as he rang up identical sides of 43 on the Gold course and lay claim to the
title of Champion in the Senior Jones Flight. Following Post were Grady Lovett,
(DC Tour) 2 shots back in 2nd and Vincent Sarro, (Richmond Tour), 4
back in 3rd.
Snead Flight
Jose Fuentes, of the New Jersey Tour
played solid enough at just the right time to hold off the challenges of 2
Richmond players, George French and Maury Gatewood and squeeze out a 2 shot win
in the Snead flight. Gatewood would end up in 2nd followed by French
in 3rd.
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