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By Chris Lang
LYNCHBURG — Winners were crowned at the 10th Virginia State Golf Association Super Senior Four-Ball Championship on Tuesday at Boonsboro Country Club. Sides competed in one of three age divisions, based on the age of the younger player in the side: 65+, 70+, and 75+.
In the 65+ age division, Mark Boedicker (Robert Trent Jones GC) and David Prokop (Evergreen CC) saved par on 18 to squeak out a one-stroke victory over Dave Pulk and Tim Vigotsky, and Richard Lion and Phil Goldberg. Boedicker and Prokop shot 65-68 over the two days for an aggregate total of 11-under 133.
In the 70+ age division, Bob Rotella (Farmington CC) and Don Robertson (Greene Hills Club) rallied from a two-stroke deficit to start the day to win in convincing fashion, following a 4-under 68 with a 7-under 65 for a two-day aggregate 133 and a five-stroke victory over two sides.
In the 75+ age division, George Owens (Princess Anne CC) and John Casstevens (The Federal Club) ran away with the title for the second straight year, finishing with a 12-under 132, eight strokes better than their closest pursuers. Casstevens captured his fourth title in the event. He won the 75+ division title in 2020 with Tom Vogt and teamed with Tom Grady in 2014 to win when it was a single-age-division championship.
THE STORY
65+: Much like in Monday’s first round, Boedicker and Prokop needed a huge par save on 18. Monday, it was to secure a bogey-free round. On Tuesday, it was to clinch the title.
Lion and Goldberg (Springfield G&CC) had surged into the lead at 11-under at one point but a bogey on the par-3 17th dropped them back to 10-under. They stayed there after a par on 18, while Prokop made a birdie on 16 to move his side to 11-under. Pulk and Vigotsky had a chance to join the 11-under party, but Pulk’s birdie attempt on 18 came up just short, setting up the side-versus-course drama for Boedicker and Prokop.
Both players missed the green on their approach shot. Prokop was short at the front of the green, leaving him a long uphill lag to secure the two-putt par. Boedicker was hole high but in the rough right of the flagstick. After Prokop snugged his lag putt to four feet, Boedicker’s attempt went long, leaving him left-to-right breaking 10 footer for par. He nailed it, and much like Monday, celebrated with a giant fist pump, the first VSGA championship for either player secured.
“I hadn’t made a left-to-right putt in two days, so that was nice,” Boedicker said. “A good time for that.”
Prokop and Boedicker shook off bogeys at 10 and 11 with three straight pars before making birdies on 15 and 16 to regain their lead. Prokop continued his run of success at Boonsboro, having won the Fox Puss Invitational super senior division back in May here.
“This is a special place to us,” Boedicker said. “Dave has really lit it up here. I like the golf course a lot. The people are great. They treat us so well. … And what makes our partnership good? He’s the long guy who makes a lot of birdies and I’m the guy who just tries to keep it in play. It works.”
70+: Rotella, 73, and Robertson, 80, started the day two strokes behind Boonsboro members Rick Bendall and Paul Staley. The latter side opened their round Tuesday with two straight birdies, and suddenly Rotella and Robertson found themselves four shots out of the lead.
“Once we saw that, we really got focused, and we started hitting really, really good shots,” Robertson said.
Robertson and Rotella made birdies on Nos. 4 and 5, jumpstarting a round that featured seven birdies and no bogeys. Staley and Bendall went the opposite direction. They couldn’t work around a double bogey as they did in Monday’s first round. After the 2-under start, they played the rest of their round a 2-over par.
Rotella and Robertson played 36 bogey-free holes, helping Rotella win his second title in the event. (He won with Charles Green III in 2017).
“We made no bogeys and a lot of birdies,” Rotella said. “And we took turns stepping up when the other guy wasn’t there. Team effort.”
Staley and Bendall tied for second at 6-under 138 with Ronald Cornelison and Larry Heishman.
75+: Owens shot 65 (7-under) on his own ball on Tuesday, leaving Casstevens to quip afterward, “All I did was say, ‘What can I do for you, Mr. Owens?’”
Opening the round with a two-shot lead over Rich Fischer and Jim East, Owens and Casstevens blew it open early, making birdies on the first four holes to quickly gain separation from the pack. Jordan Ball and Lou Moelchert—who opened the round at even par, four shots back—shot a 4-under 68 on Tuesday and finished second.
“We talked about it before we started yesterday,” Owens said. “The first four holes are the easiest holes on the golf course, and if you don’t birdie a couple of them, you feel like you’re going to be behind. And we did (make early birdies) both days and got off to a good start.”
Owens and Casstevens played the first four holes at an aggregate 7-under par over the two days.
Lang is the VSGA’s manager of media and communications.