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By Chris Lang
POWHATAN — It’s pretty simple math: If a club has the two of the best individual four-ball scores in the field, it’s probably going to win the Virginia State Golf Association’s Club Championship.
That was precisely the case Monday at The Foundry Golf Club for Richmond’s Willow Oaks Country Club. The club’s sides of Sean Patterson and Steve Serrao, and Ben Boyer and Joey Jordan each posted 7-under-par rounds of 65, giving Willow Oaks an aggregate total of 14-under 130, allowing the Richmond club to cruise to a four-shot win in the 78th playing of the event.
The twin 65s were one shot short of claiming individual four-ball medalist honors. That went to Cedar Point Club’s Matt Grandy and Del Baker, who posted an 8-under 64. Still, those two 7-under scores together gave Willow Oaks the winning edge.
Willow Oaks’ victory continued a string of dominance for Richmond-area clubs in the event, which was being played for the first time since 2019 after being canceled last April due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A Richmond-area club has won the title every year since 2016, with Independence, Hermitage, The Federal Club, The Foundry and The Country Club of Virginia all securing titles.
This year, it was Willow Oaks’ turn. The club, set hard against the James River, won for the third time, having previously prevailed in 2014 and 2007.
Willow Oaks’ club champion, Jordan, chose the roster for the event. Picking Serrao—the 2019 VSGA Senior Amateur champion—was a no-brainer. Boyer and professional Sean Patterson were also easy picks. As Patterson put it, the day was “pretty stress free,” and the scorecards prove it.
Patterson and Serrao played a bogey-free round, with Serrao contributing seven birdies. Starting on No. 5 in the shotgun format, Serrao bombed home about a 40-foot putt for birdie on their second hole, sending his side on an early run.
“Steve set the tone early for us,” Patterson said. “He made a couple of putts early that you wouldn’t have expected to go in, one bomb and one, I’d say about a 15 footer. After that, it was pretty stress free.”
Jordan and Boyer had just one blemish on their scorecard, a bogey on the par-3 11th. Jordan notched five birdies for the side, and Boyer added three.
Afterward, Jordan extolled the virtues of Willow Oaks’ team.
“Steve (Serrao) is one of the best players in Virginia, so it’s a pleasure to play with him,” Jordan said. “Ben hits it a mile, he played in college, and he can putt the lights out of it. And of course, Sean Patterson, he’s an animal. An absolute animal. He recently hit a hole in one, so he’s been a god with the irons lately.”
Willow Oaks did its damage in the morning wave. Three clubs tried to give chase in the afternoon but came up short. The Country Club of Virginia and Nottaway River Country Club tied for second at 10-under 134. Independence, the 2019 winner, was fourth at 9-under 135. Three teams tied for fifth at 7-under 137: Hermitage and The Foundry’s two entries.
Two other sides joined the Willow Oaks foursome at 7-under 65 in individual four-ball scores: Nottoway River’s David Pleasants and Cameron Yancey, and Country Club of Petersburg’s Eric Blythe and Kenny Clark.
Lang is the VSGA’s manager of media and communications.