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Pictured: Trey Wren and John Rosenstock
By Chris Lang
GLEN ALLEN — Two sides share the open-division lead after one round of the 4th Virginia State Golf Association Multi-Format Team Championship, held Monday at The Dominion Club. The sides of Scott Shingler/Justin Young and John Rosenstock/Trey Wren each posted rounds of 12-under-par 60 and hold a one-shot lead over three pursuers after the first day of play, which featured a two-person captain’s choice format.
In the senior division, Jon Hurst and David Jordan rolled to a 13-under 59 and hold a four-stroke lead heading into Tuesday’s second and final round.
The second day of the championship features a modified alternate shot format, where both players tee off and the side selects the best shot to move forward. After that, partners will alternate who hits until the ball is holed.
Scores are unlikely to be as low as they were on Monday, as the captain’s choice format lends itself to plenty of birdies—and even some eagles.
The defending championship in each division will start well behind the leaders on Tuesday. Evan Beck and Mikey Moyers, who rolled to a 13-stroke victory in 2021 at Spring Creek Golf Club, are four shots back of the lead in the open division. The two-time defending senior division champs—Jeffrey Klatt and Jon Zampedro—are six shots off the pace after posting a 7-under 65 on Monday.
THE STORY
The VSGA championship season opens with an event that allows players to ease back into championship play after a long layoff over the winter.
“Going into today, we didn’t say we needed to shoot 10 (under) or 15 (under),” said Young. “Really, we wanted to see where our games were from the wintertime. It worked out. We made some lucky shots and hit some putts. It’s one thing to hit balls off mats indoors. You come out here, and now you actually have to hit targets and read the wind.”
Shingler and Young—who have paired in the past in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship—finished with 12 birdies and no bogeys. Wren and Rosenstock finished with 10 birdies, an eagle and no bogeys to share the lead after 18 holes.
Wren and Rosenstock are two of the three voices involved in the Sticks Golf podcast. Wren briefly turned professional after finishing his college golf career at Temple but regained his amateur status and mostly sat out of competition in 2021. As he works his way back into amateur golf, he found a natural partner in Rosenstock for this competition.
“The highlight of the day was that I made a 90 footer for birdie,” Rosenstock said. “On No. 9, I hooked it left into the water, so Trey had to bail out right and keep us dry. We were left with a good 80, 90 feet and somehow I hit it.”
Of the three sides tied for third at 11 under, two are past champions of this event—Kyle Bailey and Jeff Long, and Ryan Taylor and Brandon Ramsuer. Matthew Cannon and Samuel Banks also came in at 61.
The highlight of Hurst and Jordan’s round came on No. 15, a drivable par 4 played nearly entirely over water on which Hurst hit a low-lining driver to the middle of the green, setting up a delicate 20-foot eagle putt. Hurst missed his putt, but Jordan got enough of a read to adjust for the slick green speed. He gave a huge fist pump as he rolled it home.
“He barely tapped it and it went eight feet by the hole,” Jordan said. “I barely nudged mine, and kept it on line, and the cup got in the way.”
Neil Davis and Randy Newsome are tied for second in the senior division after shooting a 9-under 63 on Monday.
NOTABLE AND QUOTEABLE
Lang is the VSGA’s manager of media and communications.