By Arthur Utley
RICHMOND – Here they go again.
The Country Club of Virginia and Mount Vernon Country Club (Alexandria) will square off in championship match of the Virginia State Golf Association Women’s State Team Matches for the fourth year in a row. The 71st renewal of the second oldest tournament on the VSGA women’s schedule is being played at CCV’s Tuckahoe Creek course.
Defending champion and top seed CCV defeated Washington G&CC 32½-21½ in Wednesday’s match play semifinals and advanced to Thursday’s championship flight final. No. 2 seed Mount Vernon (Alexandria) eliminated Westwood CC (Vienna) 31½ -22½.
In the format, each club is comprised of three two-player teams with each hole worth a single point for 54 points total.
CCV won the Nancy Hollenbeck Trophy in 2014 at Danville Country Club. Mount Vernon captured the title in 2015, and CCV won for the 13th time in the tournament’s history a year ago. Mount Vernon has won 12 titles overall.
The sides previously played each other three consecutive years from 2007 to 2009. CCV won in 2007 (having also won in 2006), and Mount Vernon won back to back in 2008 and 2009.
Mount Vernon won five times in six years from 2008 to 2013. The only team to break the two clubs’ victory stranglehold since 2006 is Elizabeth Manor G&CC. The Portsmouth club beat CCV in the 2011 final.
The tandem of Boodie McGurn and Brenda Baril collected 12 points to lead CCV’s effort on Wednesday. Lindsay Wortham and Natalie Easterly contributed 11½ points, and team rookies Libbie Warner and Liza Lewis added nine points.
“We love competing against each other that’s for sure,” McGurn said. “Obviously on paper we look good. [The final] forget the paper. They are such good match players, and they play together all the time. We’re learning some stuff here. [With two rookies] pairings will be important. We’ll be ready. They’re just tough and we know we have to bring our “A” game.”
CCV won last year’s final 31½-22½. The last time the tournament was held at CCV was in 2008 on the club’s James River course. Mount Vernon won.
“Clearly they hold the upper hand. We are playing at their course,” said Mount Vernon captain Linda DiVall. “We have great chemistry. Any pairings we put together against them, we feel positive about. We know they have some young guns. As always, it’s going to come down to putting. The course is playing tough. It’s all about the greens, and they have better course knowledge than we do, but we can handle our own.”
DiVall said her team of veteran competitors in this event is very aware of winning at CCV in 2008.
“That was a long time ago. First and foremost, we’re all good friends, and we love this competition. It’s great to have it at CCV, and I think the course will bring out the best in everybody’s game,” DiVall added.
DiVall and Debbie Simpson partnered to win 12 points on Wednesday. Joan Gardner and Katie Cox picked up 10 points, and Shawn McCullough and Susan Podolsky registered 9½ points.
Both teams have shuffled partnerships each of the first two days and are likely to do so for the final.
Championship matches in remaining flights are Williamsburg GC versus Brandermill CC in the first flight; Evergreen CC vs. GC at the Highlands in the second flight, The Dominion Club vs. James River CC in the third flight and Ivy Hill GC vs. Belmont GC in the fourth flight.
Results following the semifinals of match play at the 71st VSGA Women’s State Team Matches at the Country Club of Virginia Tuckahoe Creek course (stroke-play qualifying score indicated).
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
No. 1 Country Club of Virginia (209) def. No. 4 Washington G&CC (235) 32½ -21½; No. 2 Mount Vernon CC (219) def. No. 3 Westwood CC (233) 31½ -22½.
FIRST FLIGHT
No.1 Williamsburg GC (240) def. No. 4 Hermitage CC (249) 27-27 (2½-½ on 19th hole); No. 2 Brandermill CC (247) def. No. 3 Elizabeth Manor G&CC (249) 29½-24½.
SECOND FLIGHT
No. 1 Evergreen CC (246) def. No. 4 Willow Oaks CC (259) 27-27 (4-2 on 20th hole); No. 2 GC at the Highlands (250) def. No. 3 Greenbrier CC (253) 27½-26½.
THIRD FLIGHT
No. 1 The Dominion Club (245) def. No. 4 Princess Anne CC (261) 34-21; No. 2 James River CC (247) def. No. 3 Bayville GC (248) 27-27 (2-1 on 19th hole).
FOURTH FLIGHT
No. 1 Ivy Hill GC (246) def. No. 4 Meadowbrook CC (252) 29-25; No. 3 Belmont GC (247) def. No. 2 Belle Haven CC (246) 27½-26½.
THURSDAY FINALS (9 a.m. shotgun start)
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
No. 1 Country Club of Virginia vs. No. 2 Mount Vernon CC
FIRST FLIGHT
No. 1 Williamsburg CC vs. No. 2 Brandermill CC
SECOND FLIGHT
No. 1 Evergreen CC vs. No. 2 GC at the Highlands
THIRD FLIGHT
No. 1 The Dominion Club vs. No. 2 James River CC
FOURTH FLIGHT
No. 1 Ivy Hill GC vs. No. 3 Belmont GC
Retired Richmond Times-Dispatch staff writer Arthur Utley is a frequent contributor to coverage of VSGA championships.