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By Chris Lang
POWHATAN — Scott Shingler earned a return trip to the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship on Monday at The Foundry Golf Club in Powhatan. But for Buck Brittain, who shared medalist honors with Shingler after both posted 4-under-par rounds of 68, the experience of competing in the national championship for players ages 25 and older will be a completely new one.
Shingler (Dominion Valley CC) shared medalist honors at The Foundry for the second straight year, shaving two strokes off his 2-under 70 from last August. He’ll make his fourth trip to the U.S. Mid-Amateur, which will be held Sept. 22-27 at Charlotte Country Club in North Carolina.
Shingler was even par through eight holes before getting going with a 10-foot birdie putt on No. 9. He added three more birdies and two putted from 50 feet away on 18 to keep his scorecard clean.
“For me, it’s about being patient without being too aggressive,” Shingler said. “I’m even par almost through nine, and I feel like I have to get to three or four under. So you start saying, ‘Do I need to start taking on some flags? Do I need to be a little more aggressive with my approaches?’ But I made that birdie on 9, just hit some good shots and made a few good putts—and a few good putts for par.”
Brittain, 51, will play in the championship for the first time. Coming off a semifinal appearance at last week’s VSGA Senior Amateur Championship, Brittain (The Virginian GC) made five birdies against just one bogey to secure his spot in the field.
“I’ve been within a shot or two every time I’ve tried,” Brittain said. “I never had any bad rounds, but I never had any good rounds either. … It’s great. At 51, I’m probably playing as good of golf as I’ve ever played.”
Another VSGA member, Suffolk’s Patrick Hawkins, posted a 2-under 70 to earn the third qualifying spot. The fourth went to North Carolina’s Stephen Woodard, who drained a 25-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a 7-for-1 playoff.
The two alternate spots went to VSGA Amateur champion Trey Smith (The Signature at West Neck) and John Obrien of North Carolina.
Shingler and Brittain returned their 68s early in the afternoon. Hawkins’ 70 came in a bit later, leaving him in limbo for much of the afternoon as the field finished up.
“It’s nerve wracking,” Hawkins said. “You’re just hoping for the best. You don’t want to wish bad on anybody. But you’re hoping for the best, hoping it was enough.”
Hawkins, who reached match play at the VSGA Amateur but had to forfeit his first-round match after falling ill, survived back-to-back bogeys at 11 and 12 before bouncing back with back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15 to get back to 2 under.