68th Captain's Putter Team Matches Set for October 11-12

West End, NC - The Captain’s Putter Team Matches sounds innocuous enough.  But there is a little more to this annual event between top amateur players in North Carolina and South Carolina versus their counterparts in Virginia and West Virginia.

This year’s event is set for October 11 and 12 at Grandfather Golf & Country Club in Linville, N.C.

Carolinas leads the all-time series 47-19-1, but Virginias owns a 6-5-0 lead dating back to 2002. In last year’s matches, the Virginias squad posted a five-point victory in final-day singles matches against their Carolinas counterparts to score a 27-21 triumph at The Resort at Glade Springs’ Cobb Course in Daniels, W.Va..

Virginias retained the Captain’s Putter Trophy awarded to the champions and notched its first repeat victory in the matches since 2003-04.

 “It’s good for the matches to have had the Virginias side win so many times in the last decade.  The matches are more balanced and very competitive,” said CGA playing captain Walter Todd of Laurens, S.C.  “Playing in the team matches is about the camaraderie and a reward for playing well all year.  But, everyone that tees it up wants to win.”

Each team is comprised of 24 amateurs: eight senior and 16 “regulars” who will play three different formats in the two-day competition.  Friday’s (Oct. 11) matches are four-ball and foursomes.  Single matches are played Saturday (Oct. 12), with a total of 48 points available over both days. Virginias needs 24 points to retain the Captain’s Putter trophy while the Carolinas needs 24 ½ points to win.

Teams are chosen based upon point systems from their respective state and regional golf association. The Carolinas Golf Association (CGA), Virginia State Golf Association (VSGA) and the West Virginia Golf Association (WVGA) jointly conduct this annual event where the host site rotates between the Carolinas and Virginias.

This year’s Carolinas team includes:

Regulars—Blair Bowland of Burlington, NC; Steven Brame of Henderson, NC; Sherrill Britt of West End, NC; Daniel Claytor of Rocky Mount, NC; Matt Crenshaw of Burlington, NC; Scott Harvey of Greensboro, NC; J.D. Hoft of Bluffton, SC; Jonathan Jackson of Chapel Hill, NC; Ron Kirkpatrick of Charlotte, NC; Jonathan Mathias of Columbia, SC; Chris Mitchell of Prosperity, SC; Gary Robinson of Fayetteville, NC; Rob Simmons of Beaufort, SC; Pat Thompson of Asheville, NC; Walter Todd Sr. of Laurens, SC (who also serves as team captain); and Brian Westveer of Charlotte, NC.

Seniors—Rick Cloninger of Fort Mill, SC; Andy Congdon of Murrells Inlet, SC; Preston Edmondson of Morrisville, NC; Jim Grainger of Charlotte, NC; James Pearson of Charlotte, NC; Russ Perry or Winston-Salem, NC; Paul Simson of Raleigh, NC; and David Strawn of Charlotte, NC.

The Virginias team players are:

Regulars—Ben Beach of Glen Allen, VA; Buck Brittain of Tazewell, VA; Pat Carter of Huntington, WV; Matt Chandler of Hardy, VA; Keith Decker of Martinsville, VA; Jimmy Delp of Arlington, VA; Wes Eklund of Charlottesville, VA; Adam Horton of Chesapeake, VA; Jon Hurst of Fredericksburg, VA; Mikey Moyers of Stanardsville, VA; Vincent Nadeau of Gordonsville, VA; Sam O’Dell of Hurricane, WV; Philip Reale of Charleston, WV; Trent Roush of Mason, WV; Scott Shingler of Haymarket, VA; and Justin Young of Roanoke, VA.

Seniors—Jack Allara of Salem, VA; Steve Fox of Huntington, WV; James Gallagher of Yorktown, VA; Tom Grady of Marshall, VA; Billy Jahn of Virginia Beach, VA; John Long of Centreville, VA; Harold Payne of Hurricane, WV; and Pat Tallent of Vienna, VA.

The matches are making their fifth visit to Grandfather Golf and Country Club, where Carolinas owns a 3-1-0 all-time advantage. Virginias won the last time the matches were held at Grandfather in 2003. Previous encounters in 1971, 1985 and 1999 were claimed by Carolinas. 

Nestled in the heart of North Carolina’s majestic Blue Ridge Mountains in Linville, N.C., Grandfather Golf and Country Club is a private club community, owned exclusively by its membership. Designed by Ellis Maples, the championship course is listed among Golf Digest’s 2013-14 ranking of ‘America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses.’ Grandfather has been hailed by the North Carolina Golf Panel as the second best course in North Carolina; only Pinehurst No. 2 has been rated higher.

Day 1 Friday Matches and Starting Times

Foursomes Matches (AM)

		Virginias		Carolinas
Time	Tee	Regulars
8:00	1	Jimmy Delp-Adam Horton		Walter Todd-Chris Mitchell
8:09	1	Ben Beach-Matt Chandler		Sherrill Britt-Gary Robinson
8:18	1	Wes Eklund-Mikey Moyers		Matt Crenshaw-Blair Bowland
8:27	1	Pat Carter-Sam O'Dell		Scott Harvey-Rob Simmons
8:36	1	Keith Decker-Jon Hurst		Brian Westveer-JD Hoft
8:45	1	Philip Reale-Trent Roush		Daniel Claytor-Pat Thompson
		Seniors
8:00	10	James Gallagher-John Long		Andy Congdon-Preston Edmondson
8:09	10	Pat Tallent-Billy Jahn		Rick Cloninger-Russ Perry
8:18	10	Jack Allara-Tom Grady		David Strawn-Jim Grainger
8:27	10	Steve Fox-Harold Payne		Paul Simson-Jim Pearson
		Regulars
8:36	10	Vincent Nadeau-Scott Shingler		Steven Brame-Ron Kirkpatrick
8:45	10	Buck Brittain-Justin Young		Jonathan Mathias-Jonathan Jackson

 

Four-Ball Matches (PM)

		Virginias		Carolinas
Time	Tee	Seniors
12:30	1	Steve Fox-Harold Payne		Rick Cloninger-Preston Edmondson
12:40	1	Jack Allara-Tom Grady		Andy Congdon-Russ Perry
12:50	1	James Gallagher-John Long		Jim Grainger-Jim Pearson
1:00	1	Pat Tallent-Billy Jahn		Paul Simson-David Strawn
		Regulars
1:10	1	Buck Brittain-Justin Young		Daniel Claytor-Jonathan Mathias
1:20	1	Vincent Nadeau-Scott Shingler		Ron Kirkpatrick-Jonathan Jackson
		Regulars		Regulars
12:30	10	Ben Beach-Matt Chandler		Walter Todd-Gary Robinson
12:40	10	Jimmy Delp-Adam Horton		Chris Mitchell-Sherrill Britt
12:50	10	Pat Carter-Sam O'Dell		Matt Crenshaw-Blair Bowland
1:00	10	Wes Eklund-Mikey Moyers		Scott Harvey-Brian Westveer
1:10	10	Keith Decker-Jon Hurst		Rob Simmons-JD Hoft
1:20	10	Philip Reale-Trent Roush		Pat Thompson-Steven Brame

For more information on the Captain’s Putter Team Matches including results and scoring visit: https://www.carolinasgolf.org/championship/home/cava/year/2013