WMGA Four-Ball at Washington G & CC

The WMGA conducted its annual Four-Ball Championship at the Washington G & CC in Arlington, Virginia on Monday, October 18.  A full field played right up to (and slightly beyond) the edge of darkness over the hills and dales of the recently renovated course which lies astride the rolling hills of Arlington and overlooks the skyline of uptown Washington, DC.

The course reopened last season after an extensive renovation which noted architect Tom Doak designed and oversaw.  The results are spectacular and were enjoyed by the large field  – 66 teams – comprised of players in three age divisions – amateurs, seniors, and super seniors.

Full field results ⇒ HERE

The Amateur Division (54 and under) came down to the wire plus one, with Jason Pool (River Bend Club) and Ryan Tendall (Congressional CC) besting Tracy Vallandingham and Kyle Carranza (Breton Bay G & CC) with a birdie on the first play-off hole (no. 1).  Pool and Tendall were five under until they bogey the final hole to finish at -4.  Vallandingham and Carranza were three under and birdied eighteen to reach -4 and force the play-off.  The team of Brandon Cigna (Manor CC) and Billy Peel IV (Columbia CC) were four under with one to go but bogeyed the eighteenth to miss the play-off by one.

The Senior Division (55-64) ended in a tie at 69 (-1).  The teams of Tim Meinhardt & John Vollmer (Manor CC) and Pete DeTemple and Bill Jenner (Breton Bay G & CC) played and tied two holes of their sudden death play-off but darkness drew the curtain and it came to an end.  The two teams shared the Senior title.

The Super Senior Division (65 & up) also ended in a tie at 69 (-1).  Joe Fenlon & Bob Stark (Breton Bay G & CC) and Richard Thomas & Steve Fay (Washington G & CC) came in with darkness rapidly descending and were unable to play-off.  Like the seniors, they would share the title.

The players from Breton Bay G & CC tied for first in two divisions and were runner-up by way of of a play-off loss in another.  Ryan Tendall who won with Brandon Cigna, was the winner of the Middle Atlantic GA Four-Ball in June at The Cannon Club with a different partner.

Jason Pool & Ryan Tendall

View of Uptown DC from the club – National Cathedral to the left and the Russian Embassy to the right – quite a juxtaposition!