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By Chris Lang
CAPE CHARLES — In classic four-ball fashion, Blake Carter and Adam Houck each contributed a birdie in the final two holes on Tuesday, helping them to a one-stroke victory in the 57th Virginia State Golf Association Four-Ball Championship, held at Bay Creek Resort.
Carter, of Martinsville, and Houck, of Richmond, posted an 8-under 64 Tuesday for a two-day aggregate 15-under-par 129 and finished clear of Richmond-area players Drew Brockwell and Joey Jordan, who returned a 14-under 130 after shooting their second straight 65. Both sides were among the four sides who entered Tuesday’s second and final round tied for the lead after shooting 7-under 65s on Monday.
Haymarket’s Scott Shingler and Roanoke’s Justin Young finished alone in third, two shots back at 131 after posting 65-66 over the tournament’s two days.
Carter (Chatmoss CC) won his second VSGA championship, while Houck (The Federal Club) hoisted a VSGA championship trophy for the first time.
THE STORY
Carter won the 2020 VSGA Mid-Amateur Championship at Bayville Golf Club, just across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in Virginia Beach. Because of the pandemic, the VSGA’s Four-Ball Championship that year—scheduled for May—was pushed to October. After some discussion at Bayville, the two decided to join up to play in the event at Poplar Grove Golf Club. They finished tied for fifth, and a partnership was born.
On Monday, Houck carried the load with his putting while Carter shook off some of the rust from a long layoff from competitive tournament golf. Tuesday, the roles were reversed, as Houck struggled with his ball striking. Carter compensated, collecting five birdies in the first 10 holes to keep the side in the hunt.
Carter remained a positive presence for his partner, who despite his struggles did everything he could to help the side compete.
“You’re always in the fight,” Houck said. “The only thing you’re trying to do when you’re not playing well, you’re trying to do anything you can to help your friend. If it’s on a (putt) read, or if it’s on reading the wind direction. Anything. Hitting a putt so they can see the line. Anything, because it’s the two of us out there.”
Houck settled in and made his contributions late, notching birdies on Nos. 15 and 17 before Carter rolled home a 25-foot birdie putt on 18 to seal the win.
“I said we can’t lose if we make birdie here,” Carter said with a laugh, noting his side held a one-shot edge going into the final hole. The win was assured when neither Brockwell nor Jordan were able to hole out from the fairway for eagle on the final hole.
Jordan and Brockwell, who were teammates at Virginia Tech, made their surge late after early struggles with putting.
“We couldn’t buy one until about 7 or 8,” Brockwell said. “We were hitting it so solid. We just had to keep at it and stay positive.”
They finished with birdies on five of their last seven holes to put pressure on Carter and Houck. On the par-5 15th, both Brockwell and Jordan had legit eagle opportunities but just missed, settling for birdie. They managed a “good par, with a mud ball” on the par-3 16th before finishing with a pair of birdies.
“Congrats to (Houck and Carter), birdies on 17 and 18, that’s strong,” Jordan said. “We were hoping for a par.”
“For how we struck the ball, we played great,” Brockwell added. “We just needed to make a few more putts.”
No. 15 was also a key hole for the third-place finishers. Shingler’s approach landed in the bunker short and left of the green, and he was unable to get up and down for birdie. Young’s approach flew the green and landed in a sandy spot of grass. He too was unable to get up and down for birdie. After getting to 13 under through 13 holes, Shingler and Young finished with five straight pars.
Houck had fond memories of competing in the old Bay Creek Invitational. Though he never won it, he considers Bay Creek one of his favorite courses, and his knowledge of the greens played a huge role in his side’s victory.
“His ability to read the greens is unbelievable,” Carter said. “Honestly, I wouldn’t play as well here as I did without that. There were a lot of times when I was four or five inches off, and he was like, ‘no, it’s right there.’ He putted great yesterday. I putted great today. And it worked out.”
NOTES
- Jason Pool and Ryan Stinnett tied for fourth at 12-under 132, as did Bobby Dudeck and Daniel Goode.
- Three sides tied for sixth at 11-under 133: The father-son combo of Ray and Talon Dingledine; Christopher Newport University teammates Robb Kinder and Alex Price; and Fauquier Springs CC members Greg Pappas and Chris Ferrell.
- The winners’ 64 matched the best round of the day. Others who shot 64 included Pool and Stinnett and Weston Ringer and Todd Haynes.
- This marked the fourth straight year that the winning score was below 130.
Lang is the VSGA’s manager of media and communications.