WMGA Four-Ball Brings 2022 Season to a Close
The 2022 WMGA Four-Ball, contested at the Laurel Hill GC in Lorton, Virginia, brought the 2022 season to a close. Played under seasonal temperatures with a couple of showers late in the day, the scoring was solid over the course that hosted the 2013 U. S. Amateur Public Links Championship. The cool temperatures, fairways softened by rain earlier in the week, and a couple of afternoon showers combined with a stiffening breeze stretched out the posted yardage by a bunch.
The course was played at a par of 71 and 6,772 yards for the Amateurs, 6,349 for the Seniors (55-64), and 5,989 for the Super Seniors (65 and over). Every club in the bag is needed at Laurel Hill, and often it is going to be more of the long ones than short ones. The course seems to defy geography as for every downhill hole there are two or three uphill ones. And some of them play really long.
In the Super Senior Division Richard Lion and Phil Goldberg, both from Springfield G & CC, went out in one under 35. Five straight pars on the back followed by a birdie, par, par, birdie stretch run, brought them to the house in 33 for a 68 total (-3). Close behind, for awhile, was the Congressional CC team of Skip Tendall and Ben Brundred III. They went out in 35 and with birdies on 13 and 14 pulled two ahead. Bogeys on 14 and 15 erased their advantage and with four straight pars to finish, came up two shots short.
The Senior Division was not decided until the last few groups. In early with 67 (-4) were Vance Welch (Hobbit’s Glen GC) and Tim Krouse (Westwood CC). Going out in 35 they returned in 32, five fours and four threes. They birdied every third hole on the back and parred the rest. Joel Sandler and Kevin Duffy from Montgomery CC, paired with Welch and Krouse, returned a 70, as did the late finishing teams of Lee Flemister (Worthington Manor GC) and Tom Grem (Hunt Valley CC) along with Paul Gural (International CC) and Bob Digby (Loudoun GCC). Flemister and Grem, with solid ball striking, made nine straight pars on the back but nothing dropped for them providing them with a ‘what if’ round.
The Amateur Division was won by Travis Benson and Zach Verses, both from Trump National GC – Wash DC. Benson, gaining some steam in local amateur competition, was leading the Middle Atlantic Amateur with one round to go. Verses is another player ramping up his game of late, typically finishing near the top of the leaderboard. Their round was consistent with 32-33–65 (-6). Seven birdies – 2, 5, 7, 9, 14, 16, and 18, and one bogey on the par 5 15th. That 65 kept them in front all day. Starting at 10:10 AM they had to wait until the final two amateur teams that started at 12:50 came in. It came down to that last group. In at 66 were Kevin Ferris and Mark Cusik representing Breton Bay G & CC. Six birdies and one bogey kept them one shy. It was the last group which decided the outcome. Tracy Vallandingham and Kyle Carranza, also from Breton Bay, went out in 33. A bogey on 14 put them behind by two shots but birdies on12, 15, and 17 got them within one of Benson and Verses. A birdie on 18 would tie it up. Carranza was in with an unexpected bogey and Vallandingham, needing the birdie, charged the putt but just missed, running it by farther then he planned. The return miss and resultant bogey were of no consequence and it was over with Benson and Verses finally able to celebrate.
Full field results are ⇒ HERE
Past results are ⇒ Amateur Four-Ball and ⇒ Senior & Super Senior Four-Ball
Skins Game Results ⇒ HERE
Travis Benson & Zach Verses
