By Arthur Utley
RICHMOND – The Country Club of Virginia leading stroke-play qualifying and claiming the top seed in match play at the Virginia State Golf Association Women’s State Team Matches comes as no surprise.
The 71st renewal of the second oldest tournament on the VSGA women’s schedule is being conducted on CCV’s Tuckahoe Creek course this year.
The six-golfer CCV team posted a 7-under-par total of 209 on Tuesday to shoot the low qualifying score and earn the top seed in the four-team championship flight for the second year in a row.
Defending champion CCV has won two of the past three titles. CCV’s closest pursuer in the qualifying round, Alexandria-based Mount Vernon Country Club, is the other constant in this tournament.
Mount Vernon is the No. 2 seed after finishing 10 shots back at 3-over 219 on a sweltering, energy-sapping day. Westwood CC of Vienna shot 233 and is the third seed. Washington G&CC (Arlington) returned 235 for the fourth seed. CCV plays Washington G&CC on Wednesday, and Mount Vernon meets Westwood.
Last year’s victory at Princess Anne CC in Virginia Beach was the 13th time CCV has won the title. Mount Vernon, winner of six of the past nine renewals, has won 12 times overall.
Twenty teams are participating in this year’s tournament. Each club consists of three two-person teams. There are five flights. Qualifying scores determined the four teams in the championship flight. The remaining flights were predetermined by handicaps and seeded by qualifying scores.
Lindsay Wortham and Libbie Warner teamed to shoot a better-ball score of 3-under 69 to lead CCV. That was the low score of the day. Boodie McGurn and Natalie Easterly registered 2-under 70 as did Brenda Baril and Liza Lewis.
The highlight of Easterly’s day was a hole-in-one on the 131-yard eighth hole. She used an 8-iron for her eighth ace.
The tandems of Linda DiVall and Shawn McCullough and Joan Gardner and Susan Podolsky each shot 72 for Mount Vernon. Katie Cox and Debbie Simpson had 75.
Championship matches in all flights are set for Thursday.
These are the pairings for the semifinal matches in each flight. Qualifying scores are in parentheses.
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
No. 1 Country Club of Virginia (209) vs. No. 4 Washington G&CC (235); No. 2 Mount Vernon CC (219) vs. No. 3 Westwood CC (233).
FIRST FLIGHT
No. 1 Williamsburg GC (240) vs. No. 4 Hermitage CC (249); No. 2 Brandermill CC (247) vs. No. 3 Elizabeth Manor G&CC (249).
SECOND FLIGHT
No. 1 Evergreen CC (246) vs. No. 4 Willow Oaks CC (259); No. 2 GC at The Highlands (250) vs. No. 3 Greenbrier CC (253).
THIRD FLIGHT
No. 1 The Dominion Club (245) vs. No. 4 Princess Anne CC (261); No. 2 James River CC (247) vs. No. 3 Bayville GC (248).
FOURTH FLIGHT
No. 1 Ivy Hill GC (246) vs. No. 4 Meadowbrook CC (252); No. 2 Belle Haven CC (246) vs. No. 3 Belmont GC (247).
Retired Richmond Times-Dispatch staff writer Arthur Utley is a frequent contributor to coverage of VSGA championships.