The winning team of Jay Woodson, Kenneth Cocolin, Starell Cox and TJ Austin
(VSGA Photo)

The Foundry Golf Club, tucked off Huguenot Trail in Powhatan County, has hosted the annual VSGA Club Championship for the last four years. It came close to winning in 2016, finishing in a tie for second, one shot behind champion Country Club of Virginia.

Monday, behind the strong play of four-time State Open of Virginia champion Jay Woodson, The Foundry finally earned its first title, capturing the 75th VSGA Club Championship. The team of Woodson, Kenneth Cocolin, Starell Cox and TJ Austin posted an 11-under-par 133 in the morning, good for a three-shot victory over Hermitage Country Club.

Lexington Golf and Country Club and Salisbury Country Club tied for third after posting 7-under 137s. Spring Creek Golf Club’s ‘B’ squad took fifth with a 5-under 139, finishing just ahead of the club’s ‘A’ team, which shot a 4-under 140.

Five teams tied for seventh after shooting 3-under 141: Independence Golf Club, River Bend Club, Stonehenge Golf & Country Club ‘B’, Two Rivers, and Winchester CC ‘B’.

The VSGA Club Championship features four-player teams divided into two four-ball sides. The club’s total score is determined by adding the two four-ball scores together. Thirty-eight teams participated on Monday. Clubs are allowed to field one professional per team.

Woodson and Cocolin posted the best score of the day, an 8-under 64, two shots better than Hermitage’s Craig Callens and Ben Beach.

“We played great,” Woodson said. “We dinged and donged just right. The couple of holes where one of us made bogey, the other one picked us up. And we both made our fair share of birdies.”

The Foundry’s professional was certainly one of the most accomplished ones in the field. Woodson, who won his fourth State Open of Virginia title in 2016 in a playoff, also has two VSGA Amateur championships to his credit. He has status this year on the Mackenzie Tour (PGA Tour Canada).

“It’s pretty easy to play with this guy, because he’s always right behind you,” Cocolin said of Woodson. “You just say, ‘Go pin seeking.’ That’s literally what I thought. Just hit good shots, get it to the middle of the green and roll the putts in.”

Callens had a chance to win titles with two different clubs in back-to-back years. He was part of CCV’s winning team in 2016 but recently took over as the director of golf at Hermitage. CCV finished in a tie for 13th after posting a 1-under 143.

But the day belonged to the home team. Cox and Austin shot 3-under, good for a tie for 10th and enough to augment the stellar round Woodson and Chocolin posted.

“We’ve played a lot together since he’s joined,” Woodson said of Chocolin. “We just play our game. He hits it a long way, so we can take advantage of some of the shorter holes and the par 5s. Just play good golf, stay loose and have fun. That was the whole point.”

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