32nd VSGA Junior Match Play Championship Event Hub
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Dates: Tuesday, June 20 - Friday, June 23
Format: Two rounds of stroke play qualifying. Field will be cut to the low 60 players and ties after Tuesday's first round. The top 16 players after Wednesday's second round will advance to match play. Round of 16 and quarterfinals scheduled for Thursday. Semifinals and 18-hole championship match scheduled for Friday.
Host site: Kiln Creek Golf Club & Resort
Day 4
(Pictured: Talon Dingledine. Photo Credit Abby All/VSGA)
NEWPORT NEWS -- The morning of the final round did not look as it was anticipated. Nate Faulkner conceded the match due to medical reason early this Friday morning, putting Jonathan McEwen into the final match automatically. McEwen was able to play a practice round at his 7:30 am tee time before his match in the final round. Grady Williams and Talon Dingledine faced off on time at 7:45 am to fight their way into the final match. Williams and Dingledine fought hard for their spot in the final but ultimately Dingledine overcame Williams to proceed to the final two.
McEwen and Dingledine teed off at 12:30 pm to start the final round of the week. Not long into the round play was suspended at the 2nd hole green due to lightning and impending heavy rain. After almost two hours of suspension, play was resumed to get one step closer to our champion.
After another shorter suspension of play our players were able to more quickly through the course and one step closer to our final winner. Despite the weather and watery play conditions our finalists trudged on through each hole until Dingledine was able to take the win over McEwen on the 13th hole. The players and spectators were both in good spirits after a long fought week of play.
Noteable:
- Dingledine took the win on hole 13 racking up four birdies and staying on par for most of the round.
Quoteable:
- Please see the below Instagram post for interviews (in order of appearance): McEwen and Dingledine.
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Day 3
(Pictured: Nate Faulkner. Photo Credit Abby All/VSGA)
NEWPORT NEWS -- Tensions were high as our Junior golfers headed into the first round of match play. After sending our top 16 players off into the field. It was an eventful morning that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. Each pair put up a fight as they fought their way to make it to the top 8 players. After a smooth morning of play our top 16 encountered ideal conditions with no rain and a minimal breeze.
After a successful morning of match play and narrowing down our Junior group to 8 players. Our groups teed off again to play another eventful round. Spectators gathered with each group to cheer on their players and opponents. The afternoon presented with a short lightning delay that brought the whole field indoors out of precaution. Following the short suspension of play our pairs went out again to finish their rounds, resulting in our final four. Moving onto tomorrow highly anticipated last day are Nate Faulkner, Jonathan McEwen, Talon Dingledine, and Grady Williams.
Tomorrows play will begin with tee times at 7:30 am and 7:45 am followed by our final championship round afterwards.
Noteable:
- The Round of 16 and Quarterfinals encountered no rain on day 3 of a rain filled week of play.
- Jonathan McEwen had an eagle on hole 6 during his Quarterfinal round against Owen Love.
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Round 2
(Pictured: Grady Williams. Photo credit Abby All/VSGA)
NEWPORT NEWS -- Continuing with this weeks events, the gloomy day started with a start delay until 10:30 when play would behind with a shotgun start. Players eagerly awaited the start time in excitement to get the second round under way. With strong winds plowing through the course all day, it challenged the players with a difficult second round.
Brandon Sipe had an impressive round considering the windy conditions, coming in at 2-under par for his final score of the day. Sipe made four bogies during his round, only coming in a handful of times over par. Close behind him coming in at second place were Major Ewing and Thomas Aman both 1-under par. Both Ewing and Aman finished the day with two birdies, remaining on par for most of the day.
The day ended with torrential rainfall to close out our shotgun start day. After scoring was concluded four players faced off in a playoff with Hudson Pace sneaking into the round by winning the playoff holes.
Thursdays round will begin at 7:30 am with our first round of match play with our top 16 players facing off.
Notable:
- Hudson Pace finishing his round by winning a playoff that put him in the top 16 playoff.
- Nate Faulkner came away with an eagle on hole 15.
- Grady Williams had an eagle on hole 15 early in his round for the day.
- Noah Maclauchlan pulled out an eagle on hole 15.
- Charles Lange move up 24 spots in the leaderboard today after completing his second round.
Quotable:
- Please see the below Instagram post for interviews (in order of appearance): Sipe, Ewing, and Aman.
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Round 1
(Pictured: Bryce Jones. Photo credit Abby All/VSGA)
NEWPORT NEWS -- Come rain or shine the 32nd VSGA Junior Match Play Championship is well under way after a soggy first day. In the lead at first place coming in at 5-under par is Grady Williams (pictured above). Williams is joined in the lead by Bryce Jones who came in close second at 3-under par. Both Williams and Jones finished their impressive rounds with five or more birdies, skyrocketing them to the top of the leaderboard.
Despite the challenges of the deathly combination of heavy rain and wind, the Junior group finished strong to start off the week. After battling some rain in the early part of the day, the players were faced with torrential rain in the afternoon resulting in an hour of suspended play. Players patiently waited for the rain to subside and water to drain from the course before resuming play at 2:00 pm.
Two players tied for third, Finn Watson and Brandon Sipe, coming in at 2 under par as they head into another challenging day of play tomorrow. Both players racked up their low scores with multiple birdies on the back and front nine, only going over-par two to three times. With a five way tie for fifth place is Tyler Brand, Jonathan McEwen, Major Ewing, Thomas Aman, and Charlie White all wrapping up the day 1-under par.
All were in good spirits in light of the difficult day of play with rain and wind that created many challenges. Tomorrow seems to present more difficulty for the players as they head into another day forecasted with rain and wind. Stay tuned to see what this impressive group of players has in store for us tomorrow with round two of the Junior Match Play Championship.
Wednesday's round will start back up at at 8:00 am from the 1st and 10th tees.
Notable:
- Nick Alexander from Leesburg, VA made an impressive shot early on in his day by making an eagle on hole 6 to start off his day strong.
- Williams ended his day with six birdies and only one shot above par.
- Jones wrapped up the first round with six birdies and three bogeys.
Quotable:
- Please see the below Instagram post for interviews (in order of appearance): Williams and Sipe.
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