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By Chris Lang
GLEN ALLEN — On the first day of the Virginia State Golf Association Multi-Format Team Championship—a four-ball event featuring a different type of competition in each of its two rounds—going deep is essential.
The format for the championship’s opening day is a two-person scramble. Each player on a side hits his own ball off the tee. The players pick the best shot and each play from there, and so on, until the ball is holed. Considering the format, scores were going to be low Tuesday at The Dominion Club, and the defending champions in the Open and Senior divisions of the event didn’t disappoint.
Ashburn’s Jeff Long and Charlottesville’s Kyle Bailey posted a 12-under-par 60 to open defense of their title in the Open Division; while Martinsville’s Keith Decker and Fredericksburg’s Jon Hurst returned a 16-under 56 to take command of the Senior Division, which they won last fall.
Scores will likely be higher in Thursday’s modified alternate shot format, where each player hits off the tee, the side picks the best ball, and the players alternate from there until the ball is holed.
“You’ve got to be aggressive out there,” Long said of the event’s first day. “You’ve got to get it down there, you’ve got to throw wedges in.”
Long and Bailey are one shot clear of Henrico’s Ryan Taylor and Brandon Ramsuer, who shot 61; and two shots ahead of Richmond’s Alex Sleeker and Ashland’s Tom Vlahakis, who returned 62. Three sides were tied at 9-under 63.
Long and Bailey, who have also won a title together in the retired VSGA Four-Ball Match Play Championship, made 10 birdies and an eagle on the par-5 18th for their 60.
“We were, what, three shots out of the lead last year (during the final round) and came back and won it?” Long said. “So it’s really going to come down to alternate shot.”
Added Bailey: “Alternate shot is a lot of fun. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Keeping a clean scorecard was key in staying in the hunt on the first day. Of the top 12 sides in the Open Division, only one made a bogey.
In the Senior Division, Decker and Hurst hold a three-shot lead over past VSGA Amateur champion Hank Klein and past VSGA Senior Amateur winner Cam Young heading into Wednesday’s alternate shot session. Two other sides—Centreville’s Jon Zampedro and Manassas’ Jeffrey Klatt, and Haymarket’s Ron Clatterbuck and Falls Church’s Blair Johnson—returned 12-under 60s.
Decker and Hurst have paired in plenty of VSGA events, including team competitions, and like Long and Bailey, have won titles together in both the Multi-Format and the Four-Ball Match Play championships. They made 12 birdies and two eagles on Tuesday, shooting 28 on each nine for a smooth 56.
“We left a couple of shots out there,” Hurst said with a laugh.
“Well, we made a couple we shouldn’t have made, and we missed a couple that we could have made,” added Decker. “We missed from about 6 or 7 feet on a short par 4, and we missed two others inside of 8 feet. But we made a 30 footer on the last hole.”
“We hammed and egged it pretty good,” Hurst said. “When I missed a putt, he made it.”
“And I hit one in the water on 18, and he knocks it this close,” Decker said, indicating about a foot’s distance with his fingers. “He almost makes two on a par 5.”
Each of the top four sides in the Senior Division carded an eagle on Tuesday. Wednesday’s round will begin at 9 a.m. with a shotgun start.
Chris Lang is the VSGA’s manager of media and communications.