CAROLINAS GOLF ASSOCIATION
For release upon receipt
Event: 72nd Captain's Putter Team Matches
Host Site: Greenville Country Club (Chanticleer), Greenville, S.C.
Playing Dates: October 20-21, 2017
Social Media: #CaptainsPutter
Virginias Team Reclaims Captain's Putter
GREENVILLE, S.C. (October 21, 2017) – Two talented teams produced a dramatic final day as the 24-golfer Virginias team notched a four-point victory (26-22) at the 72nd Captain’s Putter Matches hosted by Greenville Country Club's Chanticleer Course. The Virginias team reclaimed the Captain’s Putter Trophy awarded to the champions and ended the Carolinas' two-year win streak.
Related: Championship Website [icon name="external-link" class="" unprefixed_class=""] | Scoring [icon name="external-link" class="" unprefixed_class=""] | History [icon name="external-link" class="" unprefixed_class=""] | Photos [icon name="external-link" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
The Virginias team grabbed 13½ of the 24 total points available on Saturday. The Virginias regulars outscored the Carolinas regulars 10-4 in singles. Making his first Captain's Putter appearance, 15-year-old Michael Brennan of Leesville, VA defeated 2017 South Carolina Amateur champion Gregg Jones of Florence, S.C., 6 & 5.
"I'm very happy with the way I played," said Brennan, the Virginias Junior Match Play champion, who was 4-under-par thru 13 holes Saturday. "Getting two wins for my team this weekend was big."
Trailing by one point (12½-11½) to begin the singles matches, the Carolinas needed 12.5 more points in order to retain the Captain’s Putter Trophy, while the Virginias needed 12 points for a victory. A win in each match scores one point in the Ryder Cup-style format, and if a match goes 18 holes without a decision, one-half point is awarded to each side.
Virginias team members Steve Serrao, Philip Reale, Jeffrey Long, and John Rosenstock all won their singles matches to post perfect 3-0 records. The Carolinas super senior competitors of Ron Carpenter and Evan Long also tallied all three points possible for an individual to earn each year during the Captain's Putter Matches.
The 73rd Captain's Putter Matches will be played in 2018 at Spring Creek Golf Club in Gordonsville, VA.
The Carolinas team leads all-time 49-22-1.
Singles Matches (Saturday)
| Match | Points | Virginias | Thru | Carolinas | Points | Match |
| 0 | Leon Roday | vs | Rick Cloninger | 1 | 2 & 1 | |
| 4 & 3 | 1 | Matt Sughrue | vs | Preston Edmondson | 0 | |
| 4 & 3 | 1 | Harold Payne | vs | Patrick Thompson | 0 | |
| 0 | Allen Barber | vs | Geno Berchiatti | 1 | 1 up | |
| 0 | Vinny Giles | vs | Ronald Carpenter | 1 | 2 & 1 | |
| 0 | Charles Green | vs | Evan Long | 1 | 3 & 1 | |
| 2 up | 1 | Jimmy Delp | vs | Parker Dudley | 0 | |
| 2 & 1 | 1 | Brian Anania | vs | Brandon Reece | 0 | |
| 6 & 5 | 1 | Michael Brennan | vs | Gregg Jones | 0 | |
| 2 & 1 | 1 | Jeffrey Long | vs | Thomas Lilly | 0 | |
| 3 & 1 | 1 | Philip Reale | vs | Steven Brame | 0 | |
| 2 & 1 | 1 | Christopher Williams | vs | Jarrett Grimes | 0 | |
| 4 & 3 | 1 | Justin Young | vs | Justin Tereshko | 0 | |
| 0 | Jordan Utley | vs | Thomas Todd | 1 | 2 & 1 | |
| 1 up | 1 | John Rosenstock | vs | Brett Boner | 0 | |
| 0 | Jon Hurst | vs | Josh Branyon | 1 | 2 & 1 | |
| 0 | Keith Decker | vs | Paul Simson | 1 | 2 & 1 | |
| All Square | 0.5 | David Partridge | vs | James Pearson | 0.5 | All Square |
| 0 | Stephen Fox | vs | Walter Todd | 1 | 6 & 5 | |
| 4 & 3 | 1 | Jon Zampedro | vs | Gary Robinson | 0 | |
| 0 | Buck Brittain | vs | Jamie Lightsey | 1 | 6 & 5 | |
| 1 up | 1 | Scott Shingler | vs | Josh Nichols | 0 | |
| 0 | Sam O'Dell | vs | Kevin O'Connell | 1 | 1 up | |
| 2 & 1 | 1 | Steve Serrao | vs | Chris Cassetta | 0 | |
| 13.5 | 10.5 |
Four-Ball Match Results (Friday AM)
| Match | Points | Virginias | Carolinas | Points | Match | |
| 0 | Vinny Giles + Charles Green | vs | Ronald Carpenter + Evan Long | 1 | 1 up | |
| All Square | 0.5 | Leon Roday + Matt Sughrue | vs | Geno Berchiatti + Paul Simson | 0.5 | All Square |
| All Square | 0.5 | Keith Decker + David Partridge | vs | Walter Todd + Patrick Thompson | 0.5 | All Square |
| 0 | Buck Brittain + Jimmy Delp | vs | Steven Brame + Brandon Reece | 1 | 5 & 4 | |
| 5 & 3 | 1 | Steve Serrao + Jordan Utley | vs | Chris Cassetta + Parker Dudley | 0 | |
| 0 | Brian Anania + Christopher Williams | vs | Josh Branyon + Thomas Lilly | 1 | 1 up | |
| 0 | Jon Hurst + Justin Young | vs | Kevin O'Connell + Justin Tereshko | 1 | 3 & 1 | |
| 4 & 3 | 1 | Sam O'Dell + Philip Reale | vs | Josh Nichols + Jarrett Grimes | 0 | |
| 1 up | 1 | Michael Brennan + Scott Shingler | vs | Jamie Lightsey + Thomas Todd | 0 | |
| 6 & 5 | 1 | Jeffrey Long + John Rosenstock | vs | Brett Boner + Gregg Jones | 0 | |
| All Square | 0.5 | Allen Barber + Jon Zampedro | vs | Rick Cloninger + James Pearson | 0.5 | All Square |
| 0 | Stephen Fox + Harold Payne | vs | Preston Edmondson + Gary Robinson | 1 | 3 & 1 | |
| 5.5 | 6.5 |
Foursomes Match Results (Friday PM)
| Match | Points | Players | Players | Points | Match | |
| 3 & 1 | 1 | Sam O'Dell + Philip Reale | vs | Kevin O'Connell + Justin Tereshko | 0 | |
| 0 | Jon Hurst + Justin Young | vs | Josh Nichols + Jarrett Grimes | 1 | 2 & 1 | |
| 5 & 3 | 1 | Jeffrey Long + John Rosenstock | vs | Jamie Lightsey + Thomas Todd | 0 | |
| 0 | Michael Brennan + Scott Shingler | vs | Brett Boner + Gregg Jones | 1 | 1 up | |
| All Square | 0.5 | Stephen Fox + Harold Payne | vs | Rick Cloninger + James Pearson | 0.5 | All Square |
| 2 & 1 | 1 | Allen Barber + Jon Zampedro | vs | Preston Edmondson + Gary Robinson | 0 | |
| 0 | Vinny Giles + Charles Green | vs | Ronald Carpenter + Evan Long | 1 | 4 & 3 | |
| All Square | 0.5 | Keith Decker + David Partridge | vs | Geno Berchiatti + Paul Simson | 0.5 | All Square |
| 3 & 2 | 1 | Leon Roday + Matt Sughrue | vs | Walter Todd + Patrick Thompson | 0 | |
| 0 | Brian Anania + Christopher Williams | vs | Steven Brame + Brandon Reece | 1 | 4 & 3 | |
| 4 & 3 | 1 | Buck Brittain + Jimmy Delp | vs | Chris Cassetta + Parker Dudley | 0 | |
| 4 & 3 | 1 | Steve Serrao + Jordan Utley | vs | Josh Branyon + Thomas Lilly | 0 | |
| 7 | 5 |
About the Captain's Putter Team Matches
The Captain’s Putter is an annual set of matches pitting top golfers from North and South Carolina against top players from Virginia and West Virginia (Virginia State Golf Association and West Virginia State Golf Association). The matches consist of two days of competition, with opening round four-ball and foursome matches (Friday, Oct. 20), followed by final-day singles matches (Saturday, Oct. 21). A victory in each match scores one point in the Ryder Cup-style format, and if a match goes 18 holes without a decision, one-half point is awarded to each side.
About the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA)
The CGA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization that was founded in 1909 to promote and to protect the game of golf in the Carolinas by providing competitions, education, support and benefits to golf clubs and golfers. The CGA is the second largest golf association in the country with over 700 member clubs represented by nearly 150,000 individuals.
The CGA annually conducts 48 championships and five team match competitions for men, women, juniors, and seniors. It also runs over 150 One-Day (net and gross) events as well as qualifying for USGA national championships. The CGA serves golf in the Carolinas with numerous programs such as: the USGA Handicap System; tournament management software and support; course measuring and course/slope ratings; agronomy consultation; answers about the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, and Handicapping; Carolinas Golf Magazine; Interclub series; Tarheel Youth Golf Association; Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame; expense assistance for USGA Junior and Girls' Junior qualifiers from the Carolinas; and the Carolinas Golf Foundation (CGF). The CGF has distributed nearly $2,000,000 since 1977 to benefit Carolinas' golf initiatives including junior and women's programs.
For more information about the CGA, visit our website [icon name="external-link" class="" unprefixed_class=""].