Bailey, Nussey log historic 59 en route to VSGA Senior 4-Ball win
May 30, 2019 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
see also: View results for VSGA Senior Four-Ball, Elizabeth Manor Country Club
The 59 broke the single-round championship record by two and is believed to be the first 59 ever recorded in a VSGA championship.
When Bob Bailey and Robert Nussey Jr., combined for a 13-under 59 on Thursday in the second round of the VSGA Senior Four-Ball Championship, it was the round hear ‘round Virginia.
The 59 broke the single-round championship record by two shots and is believed to be the first 59 ever recorded in a VSGA championship. It led Bailey and Nussey to a one-shot victory at Wintergreen (Va.) Resort’s Stoney Creek Golf Course.
“It’s a special round,” said Bailey, a member at James River Country Club in Newport News. “I’ll never forget it.
“There’s a guy at our club who likes to do these prop bets, and he asked me what I thought I’d shoot if I played a four-person captain’s choice with me hitting all four balls. I told him, 12 (under), maybe. You have to roll a lot of putts in. So to do that in two-person best ball, that’s special.”
Bailey and Nussey bookended the round with eagles on an opening and closing par 5. They had a string of five consecutive birdies from Nos. 5-9, and four consecutive from Nos. 12-15.
“We knew we had to hit some good drives on that last hole to give us some eagle opportunities,” Nussey said. “I thought we were at 60, actually. I didn’t realize we had a chance at 59.”
Added Bailey: “When we got to 10 under, I thought if we could make a couple of more, we could at least get the other guys thinking.”
After shaving 10 shots off their opening 69, the winning duo finished ahead of Keith Decker and Matt Sughrue. Interestingly, Sughrue paired with Brandon Cigna to win the Virginia Four-Ball earlier this month. Information from VSGA used in this report
The 59 broke the single-round championship record by two shots and is believed to be the first 59 ever recorded in a VSGA championship. It led Bailey and Nussey to a one-shot victory at Wintergreen (Va.) Resort’s Stoney Creek Golf Course.
“It’s a special round,” said Bailey, a member at James River Country Club in Newport News. “I’ll never forget it.
“There’s a guy at our club who likes to do these prop bets, and he asked me what I thought I’d shoot if I played a four-person captain’s choice with me hitting all four balls. I told him, 12 (under), maybe. You have to roll a lot of putts in. So to do that in two-person best ball, that’s special.”
Bailey and Nussey bookended the round with eagles on an opening and closing par 5. They had a string of five consecutive birdies from Nos. 5-9, and four consecutive from Nos. 12-15.
“We knew we had to hit some good drives on that last hole to give us some eagle opportunities,” Nussey said. “I thought we were at 60, actually. I didn’t realize we had a chance at 59.”
Added Bailey: “When we got to 10 under, I thought if we could make a couple of more, we could at least get the other guys thinking.”
After shaving 10 shots off their opening 69, the winning duo finished ahead of Keith Decker and Matt Sughrue. Interestingly, Sughrue paired with Brandon Cigna to win the Virginia Four-Ball earlier this month. Information from VSGA used in this report
About the VSGA Senior Four-Ball
36-hole four-ball stroke play competition (18 holes per day). Open to VSGA Members who will are at least 50 years old and have an active GHIN number issued by a licensed VSGA Member Club in good standing.
Most Popular Articles
FINAL RESULTS: 2026 Australian Men’s Amateur Championship
Feb 6, 2026Billy Dowling pulled away with a closing 7-under 63 to win the 2026 adidas Australian Men’s Amateur Championship at 18-under.
LIVE SCORING: 2026 Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific
Feb 14, 2026Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific is heating up heading into the final round as Yunseo Yang holds on to the lead.
Koivun powers Auburn to breakthrough Amer Ari victory
Feb 7, 2026Koivun’s 25-under week sparks Auburn’s record-setting win in Hawaii
2026 Ben Hogan Award Watch List: 35 Names to Know This Spring
Jan 29, 2026The 2026 Ben Hogan Award watch list is out—35 college golf standouts are in the early mix for the game’s top individual honor.
Titleist Fitting Philosophy: The Competitive Amateur’s Fastest Path to Lower Scores
Jan 26, 2026Competitive golf is a game of small edges. Titleist’s fitting approach combines expert human insight and honest data