Virginias Owns One Point Lead After Day 1 at Captain's Putter Matches

Creighton Farms Hole #12

ALDIE, Va. –– The Virginias team leads their Carolinas counterparts by a one-point margin (12½-11½) at the 69th Captain’s Putter Matches being conducted at The Club at Creighton Farms. Altogether, 24 golfers from the Virginias and the Carolinas are competing in the matches.

Virginias claimed morning four-ball matches by one point (6½-5½), before the two teams split foursome encounters (6-6). A victory in each match scores one point in the Ryder Cup-style format, and if a match goes 18 holes without a decision, one-half point is awarded to each side. The event concludes with 24 final-day singles matches on Saturday.

All told on day one, Virginias regulars outscored Carolinas by two points (9-7), while Carolinas’ contingents won eight senior matches (4½-3½). The first day result seemingly illustrates how evenly-matched the two teams’ are in depth and talent.

In morning four-ball matches, Virginias regulars won five of eight matches and halved another. For Virginias, team match veterans Buck Brittain, Keith Decker and Scott Shingler each were a part of securing wins. Brittain partnered with Jimmy Delp (Arlington, Va.), Decker combined with Jon Hurst (Fredericksburg, Va.) and Shingler teamed with Justin Young (Roanoke, Va.) for triumphs.

Virginias’ youthful contingent also played well, with fellow 17-year-olds Mark Lawrence Jr. (Richmond, Va.) and Logan Yates (Ruckersville, Va.) posting a decisive victory. Fellow twenty-somethings in Richmond residents Bryce Chalkley and Jordan Utley also notched a win.

For Carolinas’ regulars, the tandems of Logan Harrell (Huntersville, N.C.)-Michael McGowan (Southern Pines, N.C.) and Ross Thomson (Daniel Island, S.C.)-Dean Channell (Cary, N.C.) scored victories.

Each of the morning matches on the seniors’ side was closely contested, with Carolinas’ winning three of the four encounters. The combinations of Jim Grainger (Charlotte, N.C.)-Gary Robinson (Fayetteville, N.C.) as well as Gary Brown (Charlotte, N.C.)-Ron Carpenter (Durham, N.C.) and Rick Cloninger (Fort Mill, S.C.)-Steve Sharpe (Greensboro, N.C.) each came away with hard-fought victories. Virginias’ lone win in senior four-ball matches came courtesy of Jack Allara II (Salem, Va.) and Dave Pulk (Williamsburg, Va.).

After lunch in foursome matches, for Virginias, Shingler-Young and Utley-Chalkley posted victories to complete an undefeated first day. West Virginians Sam O’Dell (Hurricane, W.Va.) and Tad Tomblin (Alum Creek, W.Va.) added a victory.

For Carolinas, McGowan collected all of the possible two points on day one, teaming with Thomson for an afternoon triumph. Also scoring wins for Carolinas in foursomes were Matt Crenshaw (Burlington, N.C.)-Thomas Walsh (High Point, N.C.), Bo Andrews (Raleigh, N.C.)-Walter Todd Sr. (Laurens, S.C.) and Eric Brady (Cary, N.C.)-Steve Liebler (Irmo, S.C.). 

In senior four-ball encounters, for Virginias, Allara-Pulk recorded a win to complete a blemish- free first day. West Virginians Rick Moore (Spencer, W.Va.)-Harold Payne (Hurricane, W.Va.) also combined for a triumph. On the Carolinas’ side, Ron Carpenter (Durham, N.C.)-Steve Sharpe (Greensboro, N.C.) teamed for a win and both were a part of an undefeated day.

Virginias will be vying for its fourth straight victory when the event concludes with 24 concluding singles matches on Saturday. Virginias has never claimed the event four straight years in the matches’ history. Virginias needs 10½ more points in order to reclaim the Captain’s Putter Trophy, while Carolinas needs 13 points for victory.

The matches rotate annually between sites in the Virginias and Carolinas.

ALDIE, Va. –– Results following morning four-ball matches at the 69th Captain’s Putter Matches at The Club at Creighton Farms on Friday, Oct. 17.

REGULARS

Buck Brittain (Tazewell, Va.)-Jimmy Delp (Arlington, Va.) def. Steve Liebler (Irmo, S.C.)-Walter Todd Sr. (Laurens, S.C.), 5 and 3

Matt Chandler (Hardy, Va.)-Brad Ferguson (Gordonsville, Va.) halved Bo Andrews (Raleigh, N.C.)-Eric Brady (Cary, N.C.)

Mark Lawrence Jr. (Richmond, Va.)-Logan Yates (Ruckersville, Va.) def. Will Miles (Hilton Head, S.C.)-Thomas Walsh (High Point, N.C.), 5 and 3

Keith Decker (Martinsville, Va.)-Jon Hurst (Fredericksburg, Va.) def. Matt Crenshaw (Burlington, N.C.)-Jonathan Jackson (Chapel Hill, N.C.), 2 and 1

Scott Shingler (Haymarket, Va.)-Justin Young (Roanoke, Va.) def. Chris Cassetta (Winston-Salem, N.C.)-Scott Harvey (Greensboro, N.C.), 4 and 3

Bryce Chalkley (Richmond, Va.)-Jordan Utley (Richmond, Va.) def. Josh Nichols (Kernersville, N.C.)-Brian Westveer (Charlotte, N.C.), 2 and 1

Logan Harrell (Huntersville, N.C.)-Michael McGowan (Southern Pines, N.C.) def. Phillip Reale (Charleston, W.Va.)-Trent Roush (Mason, W.Va.), 2 and 1

Ross Thomson (Daniel Island, S.C.)-Dean Channell (Cary, N.C.) def. Sam O’Dell (Hurricane, W.Va.)-Tad Tomblin (Alum Creek, W.Va.), 1 up

Virginias regulars won morning four-ball matches, 5½-2½

SENIORS

Jim Grainger (Charlotte, N.C.)-Gary Robinson (Fayetteville, N.C.) def. Rick Moore (Spencer, W.Va.)-Harold Payne (Hurricane, W.Va.), 2 up

Jack Allara (Salem, Va.)- Dave Pulk (Williamsburg, Va.) def. Russ Perry (Winston-Salem, N.C.)-Jim Pearson (Charlotte, N.C.), 1 up

Gary Brown (Charlotte, N.C.)-Ron Carpenter (Durham, N.C.) def. Al Bello (Stafford, Va.)-Pat Tallent (Vienna, Va.), 1 up

Rick Cloninger (Fort Mill, S.C.)-Steve Sharpe (Greensboro, N.C.) def. James Gallagher (Yorktown, Va.)-Jim Nirich (Catlett, Va.), 2 up

Carolinas seniors won morning four-ball matches, 3-1

Virginias won morning four-ball matches, 6½-5½    

 

ALDIE, Va. –– Results following afternoon foursome matches at the 69th Captain’s Putter Matches at The Club at Creighton Farms on Friday, Oct. 17.

REGULARS

Matt Crenshaw (Burlington, N.C.)-Thomas Walsh (High Point, N.C.) def. Mark Lawrence Jr. (Richmond, Va.)-Logan Yates (Ruckersville, Va.), 4 and 2

Keith Decker (Martinsville, Va.)-Jon Hurst (Fredericksburg, Va.) halved Jonathan Jackson (Chapel Hill, N.C.)-Will Miles (Hilton Head, S.C.)

Scott Shingler (Haymarket, Va.)-Justin Young (Roanoke, Va.) def. Chris Cassetta (Winston-Salem, N.C.)-Josh Nichols (Kernersville, N.C.), 1 up

Bryce Chalkley (Richmond, Va.)-Jordan Utley (Richmond, Va.) def. Scott Harvey (Greensboro, N.C.)-Brian Westveer (Charlotte, N.C.), 3 and 2

Michael McGowan (Southern Pines, N.C.)-Ross Thomson (Daniel Island, S.C.)  def. Phillip Reale (Charleston, W.Va.)-Trent Roush (Mason, W.Va.), 3 and 1  

Sam O’Dell (Hurricane, W.Va.)-Tad Tomblin (Alum Creek, W.Va.) def. Logan Harrell (Huntersville, N.C.)-Dean Channell (Cary, N.C.), 3 and 1

Bo Andrews (Raleigh, N.C.)-Walter Todd Sr. (Laurens, S.C.) def. Buck Brittain (Tazewell, Va.)-Jimmy Delp (Arlington, Va.), 3 and 2

Eric Brady (Cary, N.C.)-Steve Liebler (Irmo, S.C.) def. Matt Chandler (Hardy, Va.)-Brad Ferguson (Gordonsville, Va.), 1 up

Carolinas regulars won afternoon foursome matches, 4½-3½

SENIORS

Rick Moore (Spencer, W.Va.)-Harold Payne (Hurricane, W.Va.) def. Russ Perry (Winston-Salem, N.C.)-Gary Robinson (Fayetteville, N.C.), 1 up

Jack Allara (Salem, Va.)-Dave Pulk (Williamsburg, Va.) def. Jim Grainger (Charlotte, N.C.)-Jim Pearson (Charlotte, N.C.), 4 and 3

Al Bello (Stafford, Va.)-Pat Tallent (Vienna, Va.) halved Gary Brown (Charlotte, N.C.)-Rick Cloninger (Fort Mill, S.C.)

Ron Carpenter (Durham, N.C.)-Steve Sharpe (Greensboro, N.C.) def. James Gallagher (Yorktown, Va.)-Jim Nirich (Catlett, Va.), 2 and 1

Virginias seniors won afternoon foursome matches, 2½-1½

Carolinas seniors’ won first day four-ball and foursome matches, 4½-3½

Virginias leads following the first day of four-ball and foursome matches, 12½-11½