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By Chris Lang
VIENNA — As Steve Serrao stepped to the first tee Thursday afternoon at Westwood Country Club for his opening match, he didn’t have jitters because he was defending his title at the Virginia State Golf Association Senior Amateur Championship. But he did have a few nerves because he was the stroke-play medalist and the top match-play seed in the 73rd playing of the event.
“You’ve heard of UMBC, right?” Serrao cracked. A former University of Virginia golfer and Wahoo superfan, Serrao was invoking the painful memory of UVa’s stunning NCAA basketball tournament loss in 2018.
No worries for Serrao, however, who was in control all afternoon in recording a 6-and-4 win over David Forsythe and a 5-and-4 win over 2017 Senior Am stroke-play medalist Michael Keating to reach the quarterfinals.
“I was a little uptight, but I worked my way into both rounds,” Serrao said.
Serrao will face fellow Midlothian resident Scott Reisenweaver in Friday’s quarterfinals. Also advancing to the quarterfinals were three-time champion Keith Decker, two-time Senior Open of Virginia champion Buck Brittain, 2018 quarterfinalist Mike Howell, Senior Am rookie Jon Hurst, 2019 semifinalist Phil Mahone and University of Virginia men’s golf coach Bowen Sargent.
The winners Friday morning will advance to the semifinals in the afternoon. The 18-hole championship match is scheduled for Saturday morning.
Thursday’s matches were delayed by three-plus hours due to sustained, soaking rain that battered northern Virginia all morning. As a testament to Westwood’s superior drainage, the heavy rain stopped around 10 a.m. and matches began an hour later. Play wrapped up at around 7:45 p.m. in the fading daylight.
The top two seeds—Serrao and Decker—cruised into the round of 16 with convincing wins. Serrao (Willow Oaks CC) and Reisenweaver (Salisbury CC) have some history playing against each other, especially in Richmond Golf Association events. Reisenweaver, who defeated past Senior Am champion Rich Buckner 2 and 1 in the morning before topping Carlos Aranda 3 and 2 in the afternoon, said he has a tall task ahead of him Friday if he wants to advance to the semifinals.
“It was a pillow fight with Carlos,” Reisenweaver said. “I hit some good shots, but he gave me a couple early and I just kind of parred him to death. It was like Chinese water torture.
“(Serrao) is just playing great. I hope I don’t go out there and lose 8 and 7. He shot 62 at Westhampton over the weekend and shot 64 yesterday. He’s just playing great golf. He hits it 50 yards by me, so I don’t know what I’ll do.”
Decker (Ballyhack GC) eliminated Virginia Wesleyan golf coach Dennis Nelson 5 and 4 before taking out Midlothian’s Robert Nussey 4 and 2 in the afternoon. Decker will now face Hurst (Fredericksburg CC). The two are longtime four-ball partners who have won two VSGA events together.
Decker’s last Senior Am title came in 2016 at The Homestead’s Cascades Course.
“I take a lot of pride in this event,” Decker said. “I’d love nothing more than to win another one. I don’t take it lightly. I try to come ready.”
Brittain, who was medalist at last year’s Senior Am at The Homestead but lost in the first round of match play, found an extra gear Thursday, defeating Russ Fricke 3 and 2 in the morning before holding on to best Tom Winegardner 2 up in the afternoon. He’ll meet Howell in Friday’s quarterfinals.
“Two years ago, I played really well,” said Brittain, a member at The Virginian GC. “You know, everybody who gets into match play is good, and if you don’t play a good match, you can lose. So I was excited to get back out there.”
Mahone had to survive a grueling day to punch his ticket to the quarterfinals. He outlasted Paul Gural in 21 holes in the round of 32 before sinking a 4-foot par putt on No. 1 to defeat Matt Sughrue—a past U.S. Senior Amateur finalist—in 19 holes. Mahone will meet Bowen Sargent in the last quarterfinal.
Sargent (Birdwood GC) topped Bob Bailey 2 up in the round of 32 before defeating Buddy Patch 5 and 4 in the afternoon. Patch needed 25 holes to beat Marc Hogan in the morning, and his match with Sargent didn’t begin until after 5 p.m. Though Patch held a 1-up lead early, Sargent tied the match on No. 6 and won six of the final nine holes to secure the victory.
Lang is the VSGA’s manager of media and communications.