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.
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