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By Chris Lang
GLEN ALLEN — As a steady downpour came down at The Federal Club on a dreary Sunday afternoon, the title matches in the 3rd VSGA Four-Ball Match Play Championship were tight as could be.
In the regular division, the top-seeded side of Jimmy Delp (Laurel Hill GC) and Justin Young (Ballyhack GC) finally found some separation on the final two holes, each making a birdie that propelled the side to a 2-up victory over Kyle Bailey (Roanoke CC) and Jeff Long (Evergreen CC).
In the senior division, Dave Pulk (Two Rivers CC) was made four birdies in the first 13 holes. But partner Skip Zobel (Princess Anne CC) made a clutch two-putt par on 18 to send the match to extra holes, and he clinched the title by sinking a par putt on No. 1, giving his side a 19-hole win over top seed Scott Reisenweaver (Salisbury CC) and Leon Roday (Kinloch GC).
Young, who won the VSGA Mid-Amateur title in September, claimed his second VSGA title in the last six weeks. Delp capped a strong year with his second VSGA championship, his first since 2009. Oddly enough, both Young and Delp have titles in the retired VSGA Public Links Championship, which was essentially replaced on the calendar by the Four-Ball Match Play Championship.
“For us to ham and egg it the way we did, it made it very comfortable out there,” Delp said.
Delp and Young lost only four holes and made no bogeys during their four-match run to the title. When they needed to dial up birdies, they found them at the most critical times.
With the championship match squared after 16 holes, Young’s tee shot on the par-3 17th landed four feet from the flagstick, and he converted the birdie to give his side a 1-up edge heading to 18.
“It was a perfect yardage for me, and Jimmy was like, ‘Just hit your normal shot,’” Young said. “If I hit it good, it’s about a one- or two-yard fade. When I hit it, I knew it was good. I didn’t even see it land. I just reached down and picked up the tee.”
On 18, it was Delp’s turn to pick up the slack. His drive landed in the middle of the fairway, 161 yards from the flagstick. He hit his 9-iron approach to within 10 feet, putting pressure on Long and Bailey to match. Long’s second shot went left of the green, leaving him a difficult shot for birdie. Bailey’s approach was about 25 feet past the hole, and his birdie putt went long, meaning Delp needed only a two-putt to win.
Delp didn’t have to worry about a second putt. It rolled in for birdie, and Delp gave a little fist pump after clinching the 2-up win.
“You always want to make the putt on 18,” he said. “We had read it perfectly. As soon as I hit it, it went right over our marks. I knew it was good.”
The senior championship was equally competitive. Neither side got more than 2 up over the course of the match, and Roday and Reisenweaver squared things by winning 14 and 15. The match remained tied going to 18, where Zobel came through with the big two-putt.
“He made it from about 45 feet, from off the green,” Pulk said. “They were already in with four because Scotty chipped it within a few inches.”
When the match went back to No. 1, Zobel knocked in a five footer for par to win the match after Reisenwewaver and Roday made only their second bogey of the championship.
“I didn’t play all that well all week … it was kind of the Dave Pulk show,” Zobel said with a laugh. “But finally, I found a little something today. And it worked out.”
“Skip was always there when we needed him,” Pulk added. “You don’t win a match without a partner. He really came through, especially today, with big tee shots at the right time.”
Zobel claimed his second VSGA Four-Ball title, having been on the winning side at the 2010 VSGA Senior Four-Ball Championship. Pulk, who earlier this year won the VSGA Senior Stroke Play title, added a four-ball championship to his resume.
“We lost to (Keith) Decker and (Pat) Tallent here in a playoff on 18, as matter of fact,” Zobel said, referring to the 2015 Senior Four-Ball Championship at The Federal Club.
Added Pulk: “So it was nice to win a playoff and win a four-ball.”
Chris Lang is the Editor of Virginia Golfer Magazine and Manager, Digital Media for the VSGA.