Suffolk men fight for VSGA title

Published 12:33 pm Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Two teams including Suffolk residents are among the top 25 teams after the first day of play on Tuesday at the Virginia State Golf Association Senior Four-Ball Championship at Bay Creek Resort & Club’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Course in Cape Charles.

J.P. Leigh and Tazewell resident Charles Green are 10 strokes out of first place, with a 73, following the first round of play. Suffolk’s George Riefler and Billy Gilpin are one more stroke back, having shot a 74 in the first round. Marshall Fleming of Suffolk and Stewart Fleming of Lexington are at 75, rounding out the Suffolk contingent.

Central Virginians David Partridge of Manakin and Tim Kelley of Ashland shot a scorching first-round score of 9-under-par 63 to own a four-stroke lead entering Wednesday’s final day.

Email newsletter signup

The Partridge-Kelley tandem played bogey-free with nine birdies. Salem’s Jack Allara II and Bill Nunnenkamp of Blue Ridge are their closest pursuers after returning 5-under 67. Cal Coolidge of Lake Frederick and John Hoffman of Fairfax had 4-under 68, while VSGA President E. Lee Coble and fellow Richmonder Donald Coleman as well as Forest residents Bert Allen and Chuck Brewer, the 2009 champions, carded 3-under 69.

Partridge, 57, the reigning VSGA Senior Golfer of the Year, became the first player to win both the VSGA Senior Amateur and Senior Open of Virginia titles in the same rotation in 2011. He’ll be looking to add his name to another VSGA title on Wednesday.