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By Chris Lang
ZION CROSSROADS — Using a dominating effort in afternoon foursome action, the Carolinas squad took control of the 73rd Captain’s Putter Matches on Friday at Spring Creek Golf Club.
The Carolinas trailed by one after the morning four-ball matches but took nine out of a possible 12 points in the alternate shot matches to take a 14½-9½ lead into Saturday’s singles matches.
The Captain’s Putter is an annual Ryder-Cup style competition featuring top players from the Virginia State Golf Association and West Virginia State Golf Association competing against top players from the Carolinas Golf Association. Singles matches begin Saturday at 9 a.m., with starting times continuing through 10:39.
Jeff Long (Evergreen CC) and Michael Brennan (River Creek Club) were the lone Virginias side to win both of its matches on Friday, defeating the Carolinas’ Sherrill Britt and Daniel Neveu in four-ball 6 and 5 before sneaking out a 1-up victory over James Lightsey and Thomas Todd III in the afternoon.
Long knows his team has a daunting task ahead, but with 24 singles points in play Saturday, it’s not an impossible one.
“You’ve got to go out and get your point,” Long said. “That’s all you can do.”
Added Brennan: “It’s important to see a lot of green (the Virginias color on the scoreboard) early, get a couple of matches off to hot starts. That’ll fire up the guys behind you, showing that we’re right back in this.”
For the Carolinas, two sides finished with the full two points. Seniors Walter Todd and Gary Robinson defeated Matt Sughrue (Trump National Washington D.C.) and John Lombardozzi (Robert Trent Jones GC) 3 and 2 in the morning before slipping past Dave Pulk (Two Rivers CC) and Leon Roday (Kinloch GC) 1 up in alternate shot.
“This morning, we both brought it,” Todd said. “Both of us were in the hole most every hole, and it worked out. I think we shot 8 under this morning. We were solid, we played very well. If you’re going to beat those guys, Matt Sughrue and John Lombardozzi, you’re going to have to play well. And we did.”
The Carolinas’ super-senior combo of Dennis Helms and Russ Perry also took two points, winning both matches against Bill Nunnenkamp (Blue Hills GC) and John Hoffman (Evergreen CC).
Brennan and Long were the only Virginias side to win in foursome play. The Virginias scraped out another two points by halving four matches. West Virginia’s Sam O’Dell and Pat Carter halved both of their matches Friday. After losing in the morning, West Virginia’s Philip Reale and Jess Ferrell salvaged a half point in the afternoon.
Dustin Groves (Glenmore CC) and Erik Dulik (Reston National GC) followed a dominating 6-and-4 win in the morning with a half-point in the afternoon. VSGA Mid-Amateur and Senior Open of Virginia champ Buck Brittain (The Virginian GC) teamed with Rich Buckner (Robert Trent Jones GC) to beat Eddie Hargett and Steve Harwell in the morning before nabbing a half point against Paul Simson and Keith Waters in the afternoon.
Todd has been involved in enough of these matches to know a five-point lead isn’t a sure thing heading into the final day. The last time the matches were in Virginia, in 2016 at Kinloch Golf Club, the Virginias led by three after the first day only to watch the Carolinas’ storm back with an impressive showing in singles to win the Captain’s Putter by three points.
“You can play your butts off in these matches sometimes and never win a point,” he said. “You’re playing against people who are very good and capable of beating you. You may play good and they’ll still beat you. You just have to go out there and have fun and do the best you can.”
Chris Lang is the Editor of Virginia Golfer Magazine and Manager, Digital Media for the VSGA.
73rd Captain’s Putter Matches
At Spring Creek GC, Zion Crossroads
Par 72, 7,191 yards
Friday’s four-ball matches
James Lightsey/Thomas Todd III (C) def. Justin Young/Scott Shingler, 1 up
Michael Brennan/Jeff Long (V) def. Sherrill Britt/Daniel Neveu, 6 and 5
Thomas Owen/Joe Kastelic (C) vs. Sam O’Dell/Pat Carter, halved
Trey Smith/Kyle Martin (V) def. Robert Lutomski/Matt O’Quinn, 1 up
Tim Driver/Clayton Holland (C) def. Ben Keefer/Jimmy Delp, 3 and 2
Scott Lincicome/Chris Cassetta (C) def. Jess Ferrell/Philip Reale, 3 and 2
Erik Dulik/Dustin Groves (V) def. Bailey Patrick/Raymond Wooten, 6 and 4
Buck Brittain/Rich Buckner (V) def. Eddie Hargett/Steve Harwell, 4 and 3
Steve Serrao/Cam Young (V) def. Paul Simson/Keith Waters, 5 and 4
Gary Robinson/Walter Todd (C) def. Matt Sughrue/John Lombardozzi, 3 and 2
Dave Pulk/Leon Roday (V) def. Mike Gravely/Stan Sill, 3 and 2
Russ Perry/Dennis Helms (C) def. John Hoffman/Bill Nunnenkamp, 2 and 1
Virginias leads 6½-5½ after four-ball matches
Friday’s foursome matches
Michael Brennan/Jeff Long (V) def. James Lightsey/Thomas Todd III, 1 up
Sherrill Britt/Daniel Neveu (C) def. Justin Young/Scott Shingler, 2 and 1
Thomas Owen/Joe Kastelic (C) def. Trey Smith/Kyle Martin, 2 and 1
Robert Lutomski/Matt O’Quinn (C) vs. Sam O’Dell/Pat Carter, halved
Tim Driver/Clayton Holland (C) vs. Jess Ferrell/Philip Reale, halved
Scott Lincicome/Chris Cassetta (C) vs. Erik Dulik/Dustin Groves, halved
Bailey Patrick/Raymond Wooten (C) def. Ben Keefer/Jimmy Delp, 6 and 5
Eddie Hargett/Steve Harwell (C) def. Steve Serrao/Cam Young, 1 up
Paul Simson/Keith Waters (C) vs. Buck Brittain/Rich Buckner, halved
Gary Robinson/Walter Todd (C) def. Dave Pulk/Leon Roday, 1 up
Mike Gravely/Stan Sill (C) def. Matt Sughrue/John Lombardozzi, 3 and 2
Russ Perry/Dennis Helms (C) def. John Hoffman/Bill Nunnenkamp, 4 and 3
Carolinas leads 14½-9½ after foursomes
Saturday’s singles matches
Carolinas player listed first
Starting hole #1
Chris Cassetta vs. Pat Carter, 9 a.m.
Matt O’Quinn vs. Justin Young, 9:09 a.m.
Raymond Wooten vs. Ben Keefer, 9:18 a.m.
Robert Lutomski vs. Jimmy Delp, 9:27 a.m.
Scott Lincicome vs. Kyle Martin, 9:36 a.m.
Joe Kastelic vs. Erik Dulik, 9:45 a.m.
Daniel Neveu vs. Jess Ferrell, 9:54 a.m.
Clayton Holland vs. Philip Reale, 10:03 a.m.
Tim Driver vs. Scott Shingler, 10:12 a.m.
Bailey Patrick vs. Michael Brennan, 10:21 a.m.
James Lightsey vs. Trey Smith, 10:30 a.m.
Thomas Owen vs. Jeff Long, 10:39 a.m.
Starting hole #10
Dennis Helms vs. Bill Nunnenkamp, 9 a.m.
Russ Perry vs. John Hoffman, 9:09 a.m.
Stan Sill vs. Rich Buckner, 9:18 a.m.
Gary Robinson vs. Steve Serrao, 9:27 a.m.
Steve Harwell vs. Leon Roday, 9:36 a.m.
Walter Todd vs. Buck Brittain, 9:45 a.m.
Mike Gravley vs. Cam Young, 9:54 a.m.
Keith Waters vs. John Lombardozzi, 10:03 a.m.
Eddie Hargett vs. Dave Pulk, 10:12 a.m.
Paul Simson vs. Matt Sughrue, 10:21 a.m.
Thomas Todd III vs. Dustin Groves, 10:30 a.m.
Sherrill Britt vs. Sam O’Dell, 10:39 a.m.