DANIELS, W.Va. (April 29, 2007)-- The Virginia team’s four-player senior contingent recorded a final day one-point win in singles matches (6½-5½) and the 24th Virginia-West Virginia Team Matches ended in a 36-36 tie as the event concluded today at Glade Springs Resort and Country Club’s Cobb Course. The deadlock marked the first tie in series history.
Virginia owned a three-point advantage (19½-16½) following day one foursome and four-ball matches, but West Virginia outscored their counterparts by the same three-point count in final day singles play. On the last day, West Virginia’s regulars were 14-10 victors. However, with today’s one-point win by its seniors, Virginia outscored their opponents 16½-7½ over the two days, including 10-2 on day one. In the format, a point is earned by winning the outward nine, the inward half and the overall match.
With the matches tied at 34½ going to the last match featuring Roger Newsom of Virginia Beach against Sam O’Dell (Hurricane, W.Va.), the players conceded one another’s three-foot par putts at the 18th hole to halve their match and the ’07 event.
On the seniors side for Virginia, Suffolk’s J.P. Leigh contributed his team-best ninth point of the matches by shutting out Jim Mason (Mineral Wells, W.Va.), 3-0. Meanwhile, George B. Owens of Virginia Beach (pictured left) also scored a 3-0 blanking. For West Virginia, senior competitor Charles Persinger (Scott Depot, W. Va.) accounted for two-and-a-half points against John Price (Chantilly), while Tom Foxworth (Hurricane, W.Va.) posted a three-point shutout.
On the regulars side, Yorktown’s Allen Barber (two-and-a-half points), Tazewell’s Buck Brittain (two points) and Midlothian’s Paras Pandya (two points) registered wins for Virginia on the last day of the matches. The Newsom-O’Dell match was the only halved match of the day.
West Virginia’s regulars posted a pair of shutouts, with Tim Fisher (Ripley, W.Va.) and Tad Tomblin (Man, W.Va.) combining for final day blankings and six points altogether. Fisher chipped to six inches to set up a birdie at the last to secure all three points andn his match against Adam Horton (Chesapeake). Huntington, W.Va., residents Steve Fox and Pat Carter scored two points, with Christopher Reeves (Alexandria) and Jim Nirich (Catlett) coming away with one point for Virginia, respectively in those matches.
With the tie, Virginia, which had claimed 13th consecutive victories in the matches dating back to 1994, retained the Ye Ole Feudin’ Stick.
--Story courtesy VSGA
ABOUT THE Virginia-West Virginia Team Matches
Team matches between amateur teams representing
the Virginia State Golf Association (VSGA) and the
West
Virginia Golf Association (WVGA). Ryder Cup style
format with Foursomes, Four-Balls and Singles
matches.
View Complete Tournament Information