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By Chris Lang
SPOTSYLVANIA — Abingdon’s Garland Green charged up the leaderboard on Saturday at Fawn Lake Country Club in the second round of the 45th Virginia State Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship, his 7-under-par 65 giving him a one-stroke lead heading into Sunday’s third and final round.
Green will play in the final group with first-round leader Evan Beck—who followed his opening 65 with a 3-under 68 on Saturday—and Tazewell’s Buck Brittain, who is alone in third at 9 under.
THE STORY
Green recently took a new job in Bristol, giving him far more opportunities to practice and play at The Virginian Golf Club. Those additional reps were evident in his score over the first two days at Fawn Lake. Green opened with a 5-under 67 on Friday and went on a birdie binge on Saturday. He made eight birdies against just one bogey, including four birdies in a row at one point on the front nine.
“I hit the ball well, and then the putts started going in,” said Green, who has a two-day aggregate total of 132. “I made a couple of 30 footers—putts you’re not supposed to make—but they started going in. Overall, I played well.”
Brittain and Green have partnered in VSGA Four-Ball championships in the past, so Brittain is aware of the challenge that awaits in terms to trying to chase Green down from behind on Sunday.
“If Garland plays the way he can, I can’t catch him,” said Brittain, who posted rounds of 68 and 67 for a two-day total of 135. “He’s got to help out. … I’m going to try to make as many birdies as I can and at least challenge him.”
Meanwhile, Beck said he started tentatively on Saturday and was even par for the round after a bogey on the 7th hole.
“I didn’t really make anything, didn’t really have any chances,” Beck said. “I missed a short one for par on 7, and that kind of made me mad and woke me up a little bit.”
Beck (Princess Anne CC) rallied with a birdie on No. 9 to make the turn at 1 under, then played a bogey-free back nine that included birdies on three of his final five holes.
“I stayed patient and made a few putts coming in,” Beck said. “I obviously didn’t play as well as yesterday, but I scrapped it and made do.”
As for why he was tentative, Beck said: “I don’t know. I slept on the lead, and I guess I was just trying to protect it. I thought it was just Jon (Hurst) and me, and then Jon looked at the scores and Garland was beating us by three or four. We realized that we better start making some birdies.”
Beck was in the final grouping of last year’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Bayville Golf Club, and he said he learned some lessons from that experience. He shot 73 and finished in sixth. Blake Carter chased the final group down from behind and won by four strokes.
“I’m going to have to make some birdies,” Beck said. “They’re out there. The greens are soft and doing what you expect them to do. Definitely going to have to make some birdies tomorrow.”
NOTABLE AND QUOTEABLE
- Green, on his gameplan for Sunday’s final round: “I played in an invitational back home at Fincastle. I was in that position (leading going into the final round), but it wasn’t for a state title. I just know I’m going to have to have my A game going and make some birdies and get going quickly. I need a quick start.”
- Beck on the final grouping: “It’ll be a lot of fun. I like Garland a lot. We’ve known each other since we were kids. … We played Virginias-Carolinas together, Virginia-West Virginia Matches together. I’ve known him since I was like 13 or 14. I know his sister (Carol) and Jason Robertson (Carol’s husband). I’ve played golf with his dad Charlie at The Virginian. I’ve known them a very long time. Very nice people.”
- Justin Young and Ryan Rettberg are tied for fourth at 8-under 136. Rettberg returned a 6-under 66 on Saturday that included nine birdies and three bogeys. He opened the round with three straight birdies, made a bogey on No. 4, made consecutive birdies again on 5 and 6 and added another birdie on 8.
- Two-time champion Jon Hurst (Fredericksburg CC) is within five shots of the lead, posting a 7-under, two-day total of 137. Hurst shot a 2-under 70 on Saturday that included five birdies and three bogeys.
- After Hurst, there’s a significant gap on the leaderboard. The four players tied for seventh are at 4-under 140, eight shots behind Green.
- Forty-seven players made cut after Saturday’s round. The players will be divided into appropriate flights for Sunday’s third and final round.
Lang is the VSGA’s manager of media and communications.