VCAP – Heritage Hunt Classic

The Virginia Capital Amateur Players Tour returned to Heritage Hunt Golf & Country Club on Sunday, October 25 in Gainesville, Virginia for a premier amateur golf tournament. A field of 30 players competed across five divisions, with the Mid-Am Net and Senior Net games running alongside; players are flighted into divisions based on their APT Tournament Index. The chapter’s schedule of Richmond amateur golf tournaments and stops across Central Virginia pulled entries from well beyond the state line, with members of the Maryland and Central Pennsylvania chapters making the trip.

Heritage Hunt, which opened in 2000, measures out at a par of 72 and hangs its reputation on the par-5 12th. It was a beautiful day with light winds, but the greens were the story: firm, fast and quick enough to catch everyone off guard. The putting surfaces, not the breeze, did the defending. The par-5 4th played the hardest hole on the course at 1.8 strokes over par and surrendered just two birdies in 30 plays, while the par-4 15th did not give up a single birdie all day.

In Division 1, Ian Patterson of Hyattsville, Maryland posted a 7-over 79 for medalist honors and the low round of the day, four clear of the field. Patterson built it on patience, making 10 pars and turning in 2-over 38 before coming home in 5-over 41, his lone birdie arriving at the par-5 12th. Joe Bautista of Accokeek, Maryland kept it to a single shot through six holes and was four back at the turn before taking runner-up honors at 11-over 83. Sean Heath of Fairfax finished third at 13-over 85.

Division 2 belonged to Drew Bragg of Chantilly, who broke through for his first career victory with the Amateur Players Tour, and he did it with the putter working on greens nobody else could solve. Bragg made five birdies on the day — three in a row at the 3rd, 4th and 5th, including one of the two birdies the brutal par-5 4th gave up all day — and added more at the par-4 10th and the par-5 14th. He turned in even-par 36 and signed for an 8-over 80, a ten-shot win. Wes Power of Silver Spring, Maryland claimed runner-up honors, with Christopher Wright of Quinton third.

Division 3 produced the tightest finish of the gross divisions. Ac Rendon of Stafford opened a seven-shot cushion through six holes, then had to hold on as Anson Smith of Gainesville cut the margin to three by the turn and to two with three to play. Rendon answered where it mattered most, playing his final three holes in even par to card a 12-over 84 and win by two over Smith’s 14-over 86. Rendon’s lone birdie came at the par-5 4th. Thomas Luebrecht of Woodbridge finished third.

Division 4 needed more than 18 holes to decide a champion. Mike Barton of Leonardtown, Maryland and Jordan Miller of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania both signed for 23-over 95, with Miller four adrift of Barton with three holes to play before drawing level at the line. Barton took the title in the playoff. James Sims of Greenbelt, Maryland and Rolf Granger of North Chesterfield tied for third at 25-over 97, with four players finishing within two shots of the lead.

In Division 5, George Ross of Fredericksburg closed out a 29-over 101 for a two-shot win, and he had to earn the last of it. Elizabeth Massarin of Washington, D.C. was a stroke back after six holes and had edged a shot in front by the turn, still holding that advantage with three to play, before Ross finished it off. Massarin took runner-up honors at 31-over 103, and Jim Pritchett of Moseley was third at 32-over 104.

The Mid-Am Net went to Rendon, who completed the double-dip on a day when nobody else in the chapter won twice. Bautista held a three-shot edge through 12 holes, but Rendon’s net even-par 72 was six better than anyone else by the end, with Bautista second at net 6-over 78. Heath and Luebrecht tied for third at net 10-over 82.

Senior Net turned late. Sims led Smith by four through 12 holes before Smith moved three clear with three to play and finished it off, posting a net 4-over 76 for a three-stroke win over Sims’ net 7-over 79. Ross and Barton tied for third at net 8-over 80 to round out the money positions, each adding a net result to a division title.

Closest to the pin honors, worth $25 in tournament credit apiece, went to Ross at the 4th, Bautista at both the par-3 9th and the par-3 11th, and Sean Newsom at the par-3 18th.

The chapter raised $185 for Folds of Honor on the day, bringing Virginia Capital’s total to $1,685 for the year. Our thanks to Heritage Hunt Golf and Country Club for donating a foursome for the raffle.

Next up in the Virginia Capital chapter — the Gauntlet, an Elevated Event, on Saturday, November 7th. Space is limited and registration closes November 1st.