Sunday was Triple Crown weekend at the Belmont Stakes.
Unlike California Chrome, Kristin Hearp and Justin Young were able to hold off the rapidly closing challengers down the stretch.
Hearp and Young took home the women’s and men’s Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame championships Sunday afternoon at Hanging Rock Country Club, each posting one-shot victories that weren’t settled until the 18th green.
In the men’s 41st annual event, Young began the day with a two shot lead over upstart Patrick Henry High School graduate Elijah Tackett and three shot edge over leader board mainstay Matt Chandler.
Young birdied the first two holes on Sunday and looked to be in great shape when he pushed his lead to 5 shots on the front nine. But, Young, Chandler and Tackett all began leaking oil on the back nine, and the margin moved up and down as the threesome headed homeward. When Chandler birdied #17, he got to within one shot of Young heading to the par-5 18th. Tackett had taken himself out of contention when he suffered a four-putt midway through the back nine.
Chandler looked ready to forge a playoff when he got to within 20 yards of the green on the final hole, with Young hitting his third shot from 70-yards out. Young lofted a wedge on the putting surface, while Chandler left his chip 18 feet short, Young 2-putted for par. Chandler’s putt to tie slid past the cup to give Young the victory,.
“I played a safe third shot,” Young noted afterward, “I just wanted to get it on the green. Matt had a chance to tie, but the putt ran across the edge. I wanted to stick to my game plan today and it basically worked out. Mainly, I did not want to beat myself. Overall, I played a solid round.”
Tackett, who finished three shots back, was the talk of the tournament for never wavering over the 3-day event.
“It’s usually been those Southwest County high school guys up among the leaders,” Tackett said with a chuckle. “I’m really proud of the way I played. The 4-putt was the killer. I had a chance to stay with Justin.”
When asked if he would be back for the next men’s tournament on the schedule, Tackett said he had other plans.
“Nope, I’m heading to the beach and going to have some fun this summer.'”
On the women’s side, Hidden Valley High School rising junior Kristin Hearp entered Sunday’s final round with a three shot lead over Lord Botetourt grad Lyndsey Hunnell, setting up what could be described as an early Va. Tech- UVA showdown. Hearp has verbally committed to play golf for the Hokies, while Hunnell has already signed with the Cavs and will be a redshirt freshman this fall.
Hearp came out of the gate strong on Sunday, birdieing the par-5 first hole and nearly making an ace on the par-3 sixth before settling for a tap-in deuce.
The 16-year-old looked to be on cruise control until a pulled tee shot on the par-3 ninth left her with a bad lie that led to a great bogey save as Hunnell and playing partner Katie Turk each sank short putts for birdie.
Hearp recovered with a birdie on the par-5 10th before she averted a potential 3-shot swing on the par-5 13th. Hearp pulled her tee shot out of bounds and was hitting her fifth shot from 40 yards out after Hunnell had hit her third shot inside 10 feet. But, Hearp sank a long putt to get up-and-down for a bogey and Hunnell’s birdie try slid by the hole. Only a one shot swing that had designs on a disaster for Hearp.
Hearp sank a bomb from 30 feet on the par-3 15th for birdie to go up by three with three to play.
“That was a huge birdie,” Hearp noted after the round. “I didn’t think it had a chance to go in when I hit it.”
The three-shot lead was still in place when the players arrived at the tee on the short par-4 17th.
Never one to hold back, Hearp hit driver and pulled it into the edge of a green side bunker. Hunnell took the conservative route, staying 100 yards out with her initial shot. Hunnell lofted her approach to within seven feet, eventually making birdie. Out of the sand, Hearp blasted over the green and three-putted coming back. The lead was cut to one and game was on heading to the final hole.
“It’s how I play,” Hearp said of hitting a driver on the 17th. “I’m aggressive. I had an awkward stance and the bunker had new sand that was different from the earlier holes. I just hit a bad shot.”
Hunnell was laying two in the the fairway and Hearp was far right after two shots on the par-5 finisher. Hunnell’s third shot went just over the green and Hearp lofted a beauty 15 feet below the hole. When Hunnell’s long putt slid by, Hearp coaxed her 2-putt par into the jar for the win.
“There was pressure today for sure,” Hearp admitted.” I got here an hour and forty-five minutes early to prepare. This is my biggest win. I’ve got to give credit to Steve (Prater, Roanoke Country Club pro and Hearp’s teacher) for getting me to this point.”
“Very frustrating,” Hunnell said after going into the red numbers with a final-round 69 and falling one shot short. “I executed all day and kept the pressure on. Not quite enough, though.”
In the team competition, Roanoke Country Club won its sixth straight women’s title, while Blacksburg Country Club captured the men’s championship by 12 shots over Hidden Valley.
Bill Turner
