By Jerry Ratcliffe
Levi Brizendine knew he would have to go under par in Sunday’s final round of the 38th City Amateur Championship on Sunday to walk away with the title, and that’s exactly what the Charlottesville golfer conjured up.
Brizendine fired a tournament-low round of 3-under 68 and came from two strokes back to capture the City crown at Meadowcreek Golf Course. His two-day total of (74-68–142) nipped Birdwood’s John Welsh by a stroke. Nick Brediger of Spring Creek, the tournament’s defending champion, finished third thanks to a strong 2-under final round and ended with a 145.
Meadowcreek’s Wyatt Geisel took the first flight with a 156. Doug Tifft of Anytime Golf (166) won the second flight.
The Senior Division required a little more drama to declare a champion, and the winner was a familiar one.
UVA golf coach Bowen Sargent had to take it to overtime to claim a “three-peat.” Sargent, who after the City tournament, flew to Ireland to coach the U.S. Palmer Cup team, trailed Meadowcreek’s Todd Phillips after Saturday’s opening round. Phillips’ 69 was a stroke better than Sargent (Birdwood), Tony Good (The Hollows) and Kevin Dillard (Army-Navy Country Club, heading into the final round. Three strokes back were Steve DeMasters (Greene Hills), Stacey Larese (Keswick Club) and Matt Paciocco (The Dominion Club) at 1-over 72.
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While the course toughened for Sunday’s play, Sargent and Good found a way to break par with 1-under 70s, forcing a playoff to decide the Senior Division. Sargent. The sudden-death scenario required two holes to settle as both birdied the par-4 16th.
Sargent’s approach shot from a tough downhill lie on the 16th settled within “gimme” range for an obvious birdie, applying pressure on Good to make a long birdie putt, which he did, to extend the playoff to the 17th. From there, Sargent, who was seeking his third straight City Senior Division championship, lasered his approach to a back left pin and iced the title with a short birdie putt.
Charlottesville’s Scott Garrison (151) won the first flight, followed by Meadowcreek’s Eddie Early (157) and Inoch Arnette (Meadowcreek, 158) and Paul Reynolds (Orchard Creek, 162).
In the Super Senior Division, Meadowcreek’s Randy Leshon and Birdwood’s Blair Engle battled all day long in the final round with Leshon’s 2-over 73 (144) edged Engle for the gold medal, winning by a single stroke. Terry Dean of Meadowcreek finished third (155).
In the Legends Division, it was a Meadowcreek sweep for gold, bronze and silver. Dick Rudolph, who opened with a 77, stretched out his lead en route to the title with a 74 (151), as Coach Tom Eckman claimed second 82-8–167, and Larry Johnson, making his City debut, was third 88-81–169.
Tournament director Phillip Seay said, “The course was tough, but fair and we are all looking to expand both participants and community sponsors for next year’s tournament.”
The City is the lone open golf competition in this area of the state and has been played since 1988, started by then Meadowcreek pro Bill Heron, G.L. Kirby and sponsor Peter Reines. Meadowcreek, Charlottesville Parks & Rec, along with Troon Golf are excited about continuing that strong history and growing the event in the future. The course recently underwent a complete irrigation system installation and is healing.
“We thank the community for its continued support of a truly special municipal (muny) golf course,” Seay concluded.
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