Good things happen to those who wait.
Saturday afternoon at Ballyhack Golf Club, 3-time State Open winner and Richmond area pro Jay Woodson had plenty of time to wait before things took a turn for the better.
Trailing fellow-Richmond amateur and future Virginia Tech golfer Mark Lawrence by a whopping 8 strokes heading into the final round, and defending champion Blacksburg pro Lanto Griffin by 6 shots, Woodson scorched the Scottish-style links at Ballyhack. With a 7-under par 65, he slipped into a 3-man playoff and survived in a two hole playoff to win the Delta Dental State Open of Virginia for the fourth time in the last five years.
Woodson, after mastering his 65, had to wait in the clubhouse with his wife and two kids who had made their first trip to watch dad compete in the state’s top event. Woodson watched as the final group of Lawrence and Griffin surrendered opportunities down the stretch to win the championship outright.
“I waited for about 45 minutes after I finished my round,” Woodson said in the Ballyhack clubhouse after accepting the winner’s trophy. “You never know what can happen.”
Even with the 65 posted, it still looked doubtful if it would be enough when Lawrence and Griffin headed to the 16th tee tied for the lead.
Lawrence parred the tough par-4 16th to take a one shot lead after Griffin couldn’t get up-and-down before settling with a bogey-5.
On the par-3 17th, Lawrence missed the green to the right, and Griffin looked ready to grab a two-shot swing when he returned to his cart to reclub and nearly hit his tee shot into the hole before the ball settled 7-feet below the cup.
Lawrence pulled out the up-and-down for par and Griffin’s birdie putt came up short, sending the group to the 18th with Lawrence up by one and most spectators following the group, unaware that Woodson was still in the hunt.
On the par-4 Ballyhack finishing hole, Lawrence pushed his second shot into the right greenside bunker, while Griffin’s second shot ate up the pin before stopping 10-feet past.
Griffin dropped to his knees in disbelief as his potential winning putt stopped inches from the jar, and Lawrence followed by missing his 6-foot par that would have given the Auburn-turned-Hokie golfer the title, opening the door for Woodson who was suddenly thrust into the three-man playoff.
Returning to the 18th tee for the first extra hole, Lawrence was the first to exit the playoff after a three-putt gave him a bogey while Woodson and Griffin parred.
The second trip to the 18th tee saw Griffin push his tee shot well right under a stately oak tree, forcing a second shot to the back left of the green, 60-feet from the pin. Woodson, meanwhile, parlayed a mammoth drive in the fairway into a short approach 12-feet from the flag. Griffin charged his birdie putt well by the hole, but it all became moot when Woodson stroked his 12-foot birdie straight into the cup.
It was a successful game plan that enabled Woodson to overcome the typically insurmountable deficit.
“My game plan today was to be aggressive from the start,” Woodson noted. “Just attack the course. I was able to follow through when I birdied four of five holes tight out of the gate.”
“In a situation like I was in, trailing by 8, there’s a lot of luck involved. Things out of your control… But, I’ll take it and run.”
‘I was comfortable with my game all day,” the winner added. “On the second playoff hole I hit a great drive. The key was being in the fairway, then it was a gap wedge to the hole. I just kept attacking.”
Despite falling in the playoff, Lawrence took home the trophy for low amateur in the event. His chances for winning the whole shooting match took an early hit when he gave up three shots on the opening three holes and found himself trailing Griffin heading to the inward nine. All the while Woodson was charging from behind.
Among Roanoke-area competitors, Salem pro Fielding Brewbaker shot a final round 70 to finish ninth. Cave Spring graduate and current Radford University standout Nick Brediger posted a final round 71 to tie at 18th, while Justin Young finished tied for 27th after closing with a 75.
Another big winner on Saturday was First Tee of Roanoke Valley. Partnered with sponsor Delta Dental, First Tee director Jennifer Blackwood was presented with a check for $17,000 by Delta Dental officials.
It was also announced that a one year extension to return the State Open of Virginia to Ballyhack in 2017 has been put in place.
Bill Turner
