LANSDOWNE –– Central Virginian John Cuomo (Richmond), Arlington’s Peter Jacobi and Bob Moyers of New Market posted victories in their respective age divisions as the 19th Virginia State Golf Association Super Senior Amateur Championship concluded today at The Golf Club at Lansdowne’s Robert Trent Jones Course.
The 65-year-old Cuomo bested fellow event rookie Keith Compton of Reston, 3 and 2 to claim the 65-59 age category. In an encounter of players making their first appearance in the 70-74 age division, Jacobi, 70, outlasted Stan Fischer of Richmond in 23 holes. Moyers, 77, captured the 75 and over division by getting past top-seeded Harry Cain, 75, of Williamsburg, 2 and 1.
Cuomo faced a one hole down deficit to Compton, but knocked in an 8-foot birdie putt at the par-5 11th hole to square the match. He then took control of the match by winning three straight holes from Nos. 13-15 to go dormie-3. Cuomo started the stretch by hitting his 7-wood tee shot to 20 feet at the par-3 13th before ultimately making a par to take a 1-up lead. He drained an 18-footer for birdie one hole later and capped the surge by accounting for a par-win at the par-4 15th hole. He closed the match one hole later.
Counting the concessions that are typically a part of match play, Cuomo was one under par and displayed his relentless consistency throughout match play.
“I played much better in match play than I did in qualifying,” Cuomo said. “You get to know the course and the greens a little bit better. It’s just fun to win.”
Jacobi was two holes down with two to play against Fischer, but he drained a clutch 18-foot birdie putt at the par-3 17th and came away with a par-win at No. 18. He completed the comeback at the fifth extra hole, the par-5 fifth. On the 23rd hole of the match, Jacobi converted an up and down for par from the greenside bunker, knocking in a 3-footer for par to decide the match. Fischer’s four and a half foot par putt spun around the hole, but somehow stayed out.
“It was incredible,” said Jacobi, who won last year’s 65-69 age division before turning 70 in late February. “It was a wonderful golf match. No quarter was given either way. It was a hard-fought, grinding, grueling match.”
Moyers birdied the first four holes to build a 3-up lead, never trailed against Cain and was two under par for the match.
“My putter was good the first few holes,” Moyers said. “Anytime to win, no matter how you do it, it’s great.”
Moyers collected his 13th title in a senior event conducted by the VSGA. He’s won six times at the Senior Four-Ball, registered four victories at the Senior Stroke Play, owns a victory at the 2007 Grand Masters Championship (event for players ages 65 and over conducted in 2007 and 2008) and has now recorded two victories in the Super Senior Amateur.
“There has to be a lot of luck with it,” Moyers said. “It’s just a great game. I feel very fortunate.”
View results for Virginia Mid-Senior & Super Senior
ABOUT THE
Virginia Mid-Senior & Super Senior
36 holes of stroke play qualifying (18 holes per day);
the low 8 players
advance to match play. The Mid-Senior field is for
players aged 60-64,
and the Super Senior field is divided into three age
groups (65+, 70+ and 75+). Players will
only compete
against those in their
age group. Open to VSGA members who hold an
active GHIN number
issued by a licensed VSGA Member Club in good
standing.
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