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By Ben Walls
WILLIAMSBURG—Noah Maclauchlan and Macie Rasmussen won their respective boys’ and girls’ divisions Sunday at the 8th VSGA Junior Golf Circuit Championship, hosted by Williamsburg National Golf Club.
Both players had to participate in playoff contention to win their titles Sunday—it only took Rasmussen one playoff hole to beat Alison Oh from The Dominion Club, but Maclauchlan fought neck-and-neck with Jonathan McEwen from Bide-A-Wee Golf Course until he sunk an eight-foot putt on No. 14 to win after five holes.
Before his early afternoon tee time, Maclauchlan found himself warming up more on the putting green than the range. Eventually, he birdied seven holes Sunday compared to one on Saturday. It paid off, to say the least, but not without a challenge from McEwen who generally drove the ball farther Sunday. McEwen also birdied No. 18 to force the playoff while Macluachlan bogeyed.
“It took everything in me to stay with it,” Maclauchlan said, whose weekend aggregate was 4-under par 138. “(McEwen) hit the ball farther than I did today—he hits it so straight—I was able to keep up with him, though.
“I feel pumped—the adrenaline is still going through me—I saw an opening, after five holes, and I took it.”
Meanwhile, Rasmussen, who had not played a 6,000-yard course until the weekend, recently had been familiar with Williamsburg National’s Jamestown course as she won the intermediate division at the 53rd VSGA Junior Girls’ Championship on the same course in July. She won the division with a weekend aggregate 9-over par 151.
Rasmussen game plan for Sunday—playing defensively. Lillian McDermott, who was grouped with her Sunday, had driven the ball further than Rasmussen and had opportunities to keep her lead as she was 2-under through five holes. What made the difference for Rasmussen was having the edge for approach shots.
“(McDermott) was doing really well. I knew I had to play safe on the back nine,” Rasmussen said.
Rasmusssen’s par-save on No. 13 helped turn the tide—she made par on the hole to take the girls’ division lead by one stroke. Prior to the 13th hole, McDermott and Oh were seriously vying for title contention by leading the division through five and making par on every hole but two in the front nine, respectfully.
Rasmussen’s caddy, Aiden Connor, offered his advice for her to take an 8 iron while 80 yards out to the green to make par instead of using her 3 wood. She considered No. 13 as her most memorable hole on the course.
“(McDermott) was doing really well. I knew I had to play safe on the back nine,” Rasmussen said. “I feel like (No. 13) really changed things for me because I got the fire and I realized where I stood.”
Despite making par on about every hole Sunday, Rasmussen ended up forcing a playoff by two-putting a short putt on No. 17 for bogey.
“It made me mad because, if I made it, I could have won,” Rasmussen said. “I knew [after Saturday] I was four shots off—and I like looking at the leaderboard. It helps me—when I saw the girl on the leaderboard not doing well, I thought, ‘oh, okay, I just need to make some pars.’
“I knew eventually a hole would get to someone, and I didn’t want it to happen to me.”
On the first playoff hole—the par 3 No. 10 on the Jamestown course—Rasmussen nearly hit the green on her drive while her competition, Oh, missed the green just left, landing in one of the two hole’s bunkers. Rasmussen was able to make par to win the girls’ division title.