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By Chris Lang
NELLYSFORD — Golf courses around Virginia have taken precautions when it comes to COVID-19, and Devils Knob at Wintergreen Resort is no different. Touching a flagstick? Still off limits, for the most part. And those cut pool noodles that clubs have used to minimize touch points around the cup? Devils Knob still has them.
Why is this important?
Let’s fast forward to the 18th hole of the final match of the 74th Virginia State Golf Association Women’s State Team Matches. The final in the championship flight came down to the 18th green, and specifically, one putt. Mount Vernon Country Club’s Joan Gardner had about an eight footer for par that would have tied an intense match with the Country Club of Virginia and sent the final to a playoff.
Gardner set up and made a confident stroke and watched as the ball sped toward the hole. It hit the flagstick, dropped halfway down, hit said pool noodle and popped right out. With that, CCV had a 27½-26½ victory, and Gardner was left with a stunned look on her face as she shook her head in disbelief.
“How much closer can you get?” a frustrated Gardner said. “What fun that would have been to be in a playoff with them. Oh my gosh. As much as COVID-19 has done for getting people out on the golf course, the COVID flagstick took it right away.”
CCV won its 15th title in the event, tying Army Navy Country Club atop the all-time wins list. Even CCV captain Boodie McGurn was surprised about what transpired on the 18th green.
“It was a great putt,” McGurn said. “I was ready for the playoff, because Joan makes every putt she looks at 90 percent of the time. I’m like, ‘OK, we’ve got to get ready for the playoff.’ Great putt, maybe a little too firm? I don’t know. (The pool noodle bounce) happened to other people throughout the day too. But she couldn’t have hit a better putt.”
In the format, each club is comprised of three two-player teams with each hole worth a single point for 54 points total.
CCV’s Lindsay Wortham and Liza Lewis won the final match 9 ½-8 ½ over Gardner and Linda DiVall. Every match in the championship final was tight. McGurn and Natalie Easterly went out in the ‘A’ position for CCV and defeated MVCC’s Shawn McCullough and Diane Willkens 10-8. Mt. Vernon’s Debbie Simpson and Susan Podolsky returned the favor, besting Brenda Baril and Cheryl Grigg 10-8 in the ‘B’ match.
In the final match, Wortham and Lewis won five holes, Gardner and DiVall won four holes, and the sides halved the other nine holes. Gardner and DiVall put the pressure on their opponents by making a birdie on No. 17 to cut the lead to one going to the final hole.
“Just another spectacular match, and we’ll go for win No. 15 next year,” Gardner said. “More power to CCV. I don’t know about the other matches, but we got up and they battled back. It was just spectacular.”
CCV certainly has something to look forward to in next year’s matches: The opportunity to pass Army Navy and move atop the all-time wins list in the event.
“I bet Army Navy puts a team together next year,” McGurn said. “It’s motivation for us, for sure.”
The Women’s State Team Matches also featured competition in three non-championship flights. Spotsylvania’s Fawn Lake Country Club topped Midlothian’s Brandermill Country Club 34-20 to win the first flight; Haymarket’s The Piedmont Club defeated Glen Allen’s The Dominion Club 32½-21½ in the second flight; and The Belmont Ladies Golf Association defeated James River Country Club of Newport News 31-23 in the third flight.
Lang is the VSGA’s manager of media and communications.
74th VSGA Women’s State Team Matches
At Wintergreen Resort Devils Knob Golf Course, Nellysford
Thursday’s championship matches
Championship flight
#1 CC of Virginia 27½, #2 Mount Vernon CC 26½
First flight
#1 Fawn Lake CC 34, #3 Brandermill CC 20
Second flight
#1 The Piedmont Club 32½, #2 The Dominion Club 21½
Third flight
#1 Belmont Ladies Golf Association 31, #3 James River CC 23