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By Chris Lang
MIDLOTHIAN — Soon after defending champion Mark Lawrence Jr. completed an interview on Saturday at Independence Golf Club, air horns blared and players were whisked off the course, lightning in the area making it to dangerous to continue play.
The second round of the State Open of Virginia, presented by Virginia Lottery, will be completed beginning at 7:30 Sunday morning, with the third and final round slated to begin soon thereafter with a double-tee start for the 60 players and ties that make the 36-hole cut. The round will still be televised from the 4-6 p.m. window on WTVR in Richmond, WAHU in Charlottesville, WTKR in Norfolk, WSET in Lynchburg/Roanoke and WEMT in Bristol. Saturday’s original delay began at 5:36 p.m., and by 7:15 p.m., play was called off for the day.
Ross Funderburke posted the round of the morning, a 5-under-par 66 that vaulted him into contention. Afterward, he had some insight on what might occur in the afternoon. With the wind steadily ramping up, he predicted higher scores in the second wave of starting times.
For the most part, he was correct. Of the group near the lead after Friday’s first round, only Evan Beck was able to go particularly low. Through 17 holes, he was at 4 under par for the day and 9 under overall, which left him a stroke clear of Lawrence at the time of suspension of play.
Beck, the 2010 State Open champion, had with five birdies and a bogey Saturday and was on the 18th hole when play was halted.
Lawrence, the defending champion who is playing in his first tournament as a professional, shot a 3-under-par 68 for a two-day, 8-under 134. He finished with four birdies—including a chip-in on 14—and one bogey. He also caught a crucial break on the par-3 9th when his tee shot plugged near the lip of the greenside bunker.
When he took his stance, Lawrence was standing on the upslope and had to dig in to stop from sliding. When he did, his right foot kept sliding on the rock lining of the bunker. Unable to get a proper stance, the lining was deemed an obstruction, allowing him relief to an area in the bunker to the right of the original spot where he could get solid footing. He got up and down for a crucial par.
“It ended up not being embedded any more, so that helps,” Lawrence said. “When I saw where it was originally, my mindset was just make four, it’s not going to kill you. So yeah, getting three instead of four there was good.”
Behind those two, 2019 State Open champion Jack Montague lurks after rallying from a tough start to sit at 6 under par with two holes yet to play in his second round. Montague was 3 over on the front after a birdie, a bogey and a double bogey but rattled off four birdies on the back to get back into contention.
Funderburke, a junior at Furman University, shot even-par 71 in his first round but recovered nicely for the 66 on Saturday. He made four birdies, an eagle and one bogey. He also made a key up-and-down for par out of the bunker on No. 9 to end his round.
“I was a little better at everything today,” Funderburke said. “Nothing was really great today. I mean, I hate to say that because I shot 5 under. But I just putted a little better, chipped a little better. I started on the back and hit three greens on that side and shot 2 under, which was weird, but whatever gets the job done, I guess.”
Funderburke was joined at 5 under by amateurs Connor Johnson Jr. (Virginia Tech) and Kyle Bailey of Keswick. Both went out in the morning, with Johnson posting a 68 and Bailey returning a 67.
“I just kept the big numbers off the card,” Bailey said. “I kept it in front of me, no three-putts, and I had a couple of really good up and downs. Pretty simple, boring golf.”
First-round leader Robb Kinder of Christopher Newport University was one of three players at 4 under, though he still has three holes to complete on Sunday morning. University of Virginia fourth year Sam Jung and Kinder’s CNU teammate, Alex Price, completed their rounds in the morning and are tied for seventh with Kinder. Jung shot a 1-under 70 on Saturday, Price a 1-over 72.
Lang is the VSGA’s Manager of Media and Communications. The State Open of Virginia is jointly conducted by the VSGA and Middle Atlantic PGA.