Virginia (VSGA) Mid-Amateur Championship

PETERSBURG, VA (September 25, 2005) -- Martinsville’s Keith Decker, 45, shot a final round 4-under-par 68, erased a final day three-shot deficit and posted a one-shot victory as the 29th Virginia State Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship concluded today at The Country Club of Petersburg (6,862 yards, par 36-36—72). Decker ended the championship with a 9-under-par 207 (66-73-68) aggregate to close action a stroke ahead of Army Col. Albert Johnson Jr. of Fort Monroe (72) and 1997 and 1999 winner Allen Barber of Yorktown (70), who each finished at 8-under 208. Manakin-Sabot’s David Partridge, the 1988 and 1993 champion, had a final round-best 67 and finished three back (210, -6). Decker collected his third straight VSGA Mid-Am title and record seventh win overall in the event. He is the first golfer in the history of the championship to win three years in a row. It was an admittedly emotional week for Decker, who dedicated the week and the win to his late father, John, who passed away less than two weeks ago following an illness. He’d be calling the golf shop by now checking on me,” said Decker with tears welling in his eyes following the round. “This one just means more.” Starting the day three back, Decker, playing a group ahead of Johnson, drew even after nine holes after shooting 3-under 33 on the outward nine. Decker took his first lead of the day following a birdie at the par-5 11th hole. Johnson responded and owned a share of the top spot with a birdie at the par-4 13th hole, but he hooked his tee shot out of bounds at the par-4 14th to fall two back. Decker ballooned his advantage to three shots moments later with a birdie at the par-5 15th to get to 10 under for the championship. Johnson and Barber, the next nearest pursuers, were seven under heading to 16. “I found out that Keith was 10 [under] on 16, and by then it was, ‘See how many birdies you can make,’” Johnson said. Barber nearly caught the leader by making three birdies coming in (Nos. 15, 17 and 18), but also had a costly bogey at the par-3 16th hole. Even with a Decker bogey at the last, Barber and Johnson, who also finished with a birdie at No. 18, couldn’t quite catch the top-ranked golfer in the commonwealth. “I played well, but just needed to play a little better,” Barber said. “I just let [Decker] get too far ahead of me.” Johnson, a 26-year veteran who is stationed at the Fort Monroe headquarters for Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), continues to build on an impressive season, having already claimed the Valentine Invitational and Portsmouth City Amateur this year. “I felt good about my game the whole week and had a lot of confidence,” Johnson said. “Second place is never good, but Keith is a very tough competitor. I competed, but just got beat today.” With his triumph, Decker, a furniture sales representative, has now racked up 15 major VSGA titles – three State Opens, two State Ams, three State Four-Ball events and seven Mid-Ams. “I hit it as well today as I have in a long time,” said Decker, who won the M.W. “Dyke” Peebles Trophy, honoring the past VSGA president (1977-78). “Winning never gets old. Everyone wants a VSGA title.” PETERSBURG –– Results following the final round of the 29th Virginia State Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship at The Country Club of Petersburg (6,862 yards, par 36-36—72) from Sunday, Sept. 25. Keith Decker (Martinsville), 66-73-68—207 Albert Johnson Jr. (Fort Monroe), 68-68-72—208 Allen Barber (Yorktown), 67-71-70—208 David Partridge (Manakin-Sabot), 70-73-67—210 Roger W. Newsom (Virginia Beach), 72-67-74—213 Paul C. Erdman (West Point), 73-73-69—215 Scott I. Bemberis (Richmond), 72-74-70—216 Jimmy Angel (Midlothian), 72-71-73—216 Richard C. Thomas (Oakton), 67-76-73—216 Tim Kelley (Ashland), 75-73-70—218 Steve Serrao (Midlothian), 77-70-71—218 Bryant Reese (South Hill), 74-73-71—218 Tim Vigotsky Jr. (Centreville), 72-74-72—218 Greg Bales (Glen Allen), 70-74-74—218 Craig Groenendaal (Centreville), 73-76-70—219 Skip Zobel (Virginia Beach), 73-75-71—219 Hank Klein (Glen Allen), 69-78-72—219 Ralph Knapp (Virginia Beach), 71-74-74—219 Donnie Hankins (Tazewell), 74-76-70—220 Chuck Brewton (Virginia Beach), 78-71-71—220 Frank Moore (Chesapeake), 75-73-72—220 Jon Zampedro (Centreville), 79-72-70—221 Buck Brittain (Tazewell), 76-71-74—221 Dr. Bob Rotella (Keswick), 70-75-76—221 Nathan Lash (Richmond), 72-77-73—222 Starell M. Cox Jr. (Chesterfield), 73-75-74—222 Bill Williard (Virginia Beach), 71-75-76—222 Miller Baber (Roanoke), 77-73-73—223 Dave Schmidt (Wytheville), 73-76-74—223 Jay Serrao (Virginia Beach), 75-71-77—223 Stephen T. Whitfield (Norfolk), 75-77-72—224 Donald Jeanes (Fairfax), 74-78-72—224 Jack M. Allara II (Salem), 75-75-74—224 David Ziemba (Annandale), 74-73-77—224 Robbie Phillips (Locust Grove), 76-69-79—224 Allen McCarthy (Chesapeake), 74-77-74—225 Dan Hosek (Alexandria), 72-77-76—225 David Brogan (Lexington), 72-76-77—225 J.W. Enstsminger (Lexington), 77-78-71—226 Tom Grady (Marshall), 77-75-74—226 David Johnson (Springfield), 75-77-74—226 Garrett McGehee (Portsmouth), 76-74-76—226 Lance Rice (Purcellville), 81-72-74—227 Ray Montgomery (Clifton), 72-79-76—227 Chris Tuttle (Virginia Beach), 75-73-79—227 Rick Bauer (Petersburg), 74-77-77—228 Paul Malgee (Colonial Heights), 80-70-78—228 Sam Taylor (Roanoke), 77-77-75—229 J.D. Fenessy (Petersburg), 75-77-77—229 Cam Young (Richmond), 75-78-76—229 Tony Good (Glen Allen), 76-76-77—229 Scott Garrison (Charlottesville), 77-74-78—229 Michael McLister (Leesburg), 77-78-75—230 Bernie Murrell (Chesterfield), 77-78-75—230 Michael E. Hays (Virginia Beach), 78-76-76—230 Bill Moore (Petersburg), 77-77-76—230 Steve Isaacs (Richmond), 77-73-80—230 Mark Boedicker (Great Falls), 74-79-80—233 Jaymie Martino (Gainesville), 78-77-79—234 Bert Wilson (Mechanicsville), 76-77-81—234 Tommy Kidd (Petersburg), 77-78-80—235 Jeffrey Hooper (Midlothian), 79-74-83—236 Ron Reedy Jr. (Marion), 77-78-82—237 Richard Ogden (Chesapeake), 77-77-83—237