Young Prevails in 67th Roanoke Valley Match Play Championship

Marvin Taylor (left) and Patrick Greeley squared off for the 70-and-over Grand Masters championship Sunday with Taylor prevailing 2 and 1.
Marvin Taylor (left) and Patrick Greeley squared off for the 70-and-over Grand Masters championship Sunday with Taylor prevailing 2 and 1.

Sunday afternoon at Blue Hills Golf Club, the first tee looked like a scene from The Masters. The 67th Roanoke Valley Match Play Championship contestants comprised of the final two golfers in each of four age divisions arrived at the teebox as tournament committee member Woody Deans announced their names.

While the gallery wasn’t the size you’d see at the famed Augusta setting, the golf was just as exciting.
In the prestigious Open Division, Justin Young polished off Kyle Bailey 1 up in a tight match that saw Young come back from an early deficit to get things square, before making his move on the par-3 17th with a seven iron that nestled to within 2 feet of the cup. Bailey conceded the birdie-2 and Young sealed the deal on the 18th with a birdie-4 for the title.

Justin Young launches a tee shot Sunday afternoon during his 1-up win over Kyle Bailey in the final of the Roanoke Valley Match Play Championship at Blue Hills.
Justin Young launches a tee shot Sunday afternoon during his 1-up win over Kyle Bailey in the final of the Roanoke Valley Match Play Championship at Blue Hills.

Earlier in his morning semifinal match, Young had made his big move of the championship with a 2 and 1 win over defending champion Matt Chandler. Chandler was looking for his third straight Roanoke Valley golf major. Last month Chandler had fired a final-round 64 at Old Monterey to win the Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame. Last year in this match play championship final, he had a walk in the park in a 6 and 5 runaway at Hidden Valley over talented Brandon LeCroix.

Sunday morning Chandler spotted Young a 4-up lead and, although cutting the deficit to one late in the round, never fully recovered.

In the other championships Sunday, Tim Chocklett knocked off Jack Allara II 4 and 3 in the 55-and-over senior division, and Bill Proffitt captured the 65-and-over Masters division title with a win over Al Looney in a match that took 21 hole to settle.

Roanoke Country Club member Marvin Taylor took home the 70-and-over Grand Masters division with a 2 and 1 win over Patrick Greeley in a spirited match that saw boh competitors tour the Blue Hills links with shotmaking that rivaled any high school golf team.

– BILL TURNER

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