Team closed opening round action with six straight birdies.

CENTREVILLE –– There is a familiar tandem atop the Virginia State Golf Association Four-Ball Championship leader board as Martinsville’s Keith Decker and Manakin-Sabot’s David Partridge combined to shoot 7-under-par 65 and own a one-shot lead following the first round of the 40th State Four-Ball at a chilly Chantilly National Golf and Country Club (7,098 yards, par 36-36—72).

The three-time event winners (1999, 2001 and 2002) closed the day by reeling off six straight birdies and lead the father-son tandem of Tim and Brock Kelley of Ashland by a shot heading into final round action. Glen Allen’s Tony Good and Scottsville’s David Passerell, the 2002 VSGA Four-Ball runners-up to Decker-Partridge, are two back (67, -5), while five other combinations are three off the pace.

Decker helped to supply most of the firepower in the late-match surge that catapulted the team to the top position. A five-time VSGA golfer of the year, Decker got things going with an up-and-down birdie at the par-5 13th hole, before Partridge (pictured left) knocked in a 12-footer at the par-3 14th hole.      

Thereafter, faced with an awkward second shot with the ball below his feet in the fairway bunker at No. 15, Decker hit a spectacular approach shot to 12 feet, before draining the curling putt that never left its line.

“That was the turning point of the round,” said Partridge of his partner’s bunker escape.

Decker then rode a string of solid putting to make three straight birdies down the stretch, holing putts of 18 feet at the par-4 16th hole, two-putting for birdie at the par-5 17th and holing a 20-footer at the last. Following just one birdie at the par-4 second hole by Decker, the longtime four-ball partners combined to shoot 6-under-par 30 on the inward nine (4-2-3-3-4-3).

Following the slow start “we knew that we needed to start playing better,” said the 45-year-old Decker. “We just got on a roll on the back. We’re not giving any of them back.”

Decker-Partridge will look be vying for their third State Four-Ball title in the past five years and fourth overall on Saturday. Two players who are very familiar with one another’s game, they will look for another solid final round on a demanding, but superbly-conditioned layout.

“We know each other’s game and we trust each other,” said Decker, a furniture sales representative. “There’s no quit in either of us.” 

Said Partridge: “Keith and I could write a book on what’s made us successful. We don’t get down on each other and we’re always pulling for one other. We don’t care who makes the birdies as long as we make them.”      

After shooting 65 in Thursday’s practice round, the Kelleys continued their solid ball-striking during first round action, teaming for a bogey-free round of 66. They made four birdies on the outward nine and added two more coming in. Altogether, Tim Kelley (pictured right) made a pair of 12-footers on Nos. 1 and 10, while his son, Brock, drained putts inside of 8 feet at Nos. 3, 6 and 16 and sank a 30-footer on the par-4 eighth hole.

Ten groups are within four shots of the lead heading into the final round.

CENTREVILLE –– Scores following the first round of the 40th VSGA Four-Ball Championship, being played at Chantilly National Golf and Country Club (7,098 yards, par 36-36—72).

Keith Decker (Martinsville)-David Partridge (Manakin-Sabot), 35-30—65

Tim Kelley (Ashland)-Brock Kelley (Ashland), 32-34—66

Tony Good (Glen Allen)-David Passerell (Scottsville), 33-34—67
Ryan Sypniewski (Radford)-Aaron Rygas (Pulaski), 36-32—68

Duff Meyer (Harrisonburg)-Chris Slonaker (Harrisonburg), 33-35—68

Jimmy Angel (Midlothian)-Hunter Russell (Midlothian), 34-34—68

Allen Barber (Yorktown)-Paul C. Erdman (West Point), 35-33—68

Robert Nussey Jr. (Midlothian)-Glenn Mullian (Richmond), 37-31—68

Daniel Hurley (Leesburg)-Joey McLister (Leesburg), 34-35—69

Scott Campbell (Mechanicsville)-Larry Loving Jr. (Mechanicsville), 35-34—69
Craig Groenendaal (Centreville)-Albert Johnson (Centreville), 34-35—69

Steve Serrao (Midlothian)-Jay Serrao (Midlothian), 37-33—70
Greg Henderson (Fredericksburg)-Chester Guzek (Fredericksburg), 35-35—70 
Chris Tuttle (Virginia Beach)-Robert Bradshaw (Virginia Beach), 36-34—70

Tom Vlahakis (Ashland)-Spence Andrews (Glen Allen), 36-34—70

Bill Musto (Sterling)-Andy Heye (Sterling), 33-37—70

Tim Vigotsky (Centreville)-Blair Johnson (Centreville), 38-32—70

Sam Taylor (Roanoke)-Danny Hopkins (Roanoke), 35-36—71

Robert Menefee (Alexandria)-Jason Pool (Alexandria), 36-35—71

Bill McClanan IV (Virginia Beach)-Joseph Morton (Virginia Beach), 36-35—71

Starell M. Cox Jr. (Chesterfield)-Tucker Bradshaw (Chesterfield), 34-37—71

Clark Bixler (Reston)-Ryan Price (Reston), 34-37—71

Jeffrey Klatt (Manassas)-Jimmy Delp (Manassas), 36-35—71

Larry Spielberg (Williamsburg)-Jaymie Martino (Williamsburg), 34-37—71

Brett Chambers (Mount Sidney)-John Rosenstock (Mount Sidney), 37-34—71

Buck Brittain (Tazewell)-Donnie Hankins (Tazewell), 36-35—71

Lance Rice (Purcellville)-Stan Williams (Purcellville), 35-36—71

Mike Brennan (Leesburg)-Steve Douglass (Leesburg), 35-36—71

Mike Howell (Centreville)-John Price (Centreville), 36-35—71

Chad F. Hanes (Vienna)-Grayson Hanes (Vienna), 37-34—71

Michael Kirby (Fairfax)-Craig Mason (Fairfax), 34-37—71

Kevin Dillard (Fairfax)-Jamie Gough (Fairfax), 34-37—71
Jon Zampedro (Centreville)-Jeffrey Topp (Centreville), 35-36—71

Vic Williams (Winchester)-Jeff Tyndall (Winchester), 35-37—72

Scott Inman (Springfield)-Buddy Patch (Springfield), 36-36—72

Brendan Giuseppe (Vienna)-Paul Avis (Vienna), 34-38—72

Todd Burgess (Lynchburg)-Tim Campbell (Lynchburg), 35-37—72

Tim Krouse (Vienna)-Tony DeLuca (Vienna), 38-34—72

Marc Marcuson (Richmond)-Peyton Lawson (Richmond), 36-36—72

Frank Driver (Timberville)-Emmett Clougherty (Timberville), 34-38—72

J.W. Entsminger (Lexington)-David Brogan (Lexington), 37-35—72

Rick Wakefield (Fairfax)-H. Dudley Payne (Fairfax), 34-38—72

Rodney Peters (Woodbridge)-Brad Love (Woodbridge), 36-36—72

Skip Zobel (Virginia Beach)-Keith Champton (Virginia Beach), 36-37—73 
Russ Fricke (Haymarket)-Ron Cooke (Haymarket), 38-35—73

Steve Hartley (Waynesboro)-Jeff Toms (Waynesboro), 35-38—73

Tim Rash (Midlothian)-Tim Lyons (Midlothian), 35-38—73

Tom Offutt (Arlington)-Richard C. Thomas (Arlington), 39-34—73

Brent Daughtrey (Troy)-D.P. Seay Jr. (Troy), 35-38—73

Michael Hudenburg (South Riding)-Mike Stone (South Riding), 38-36—74
Ben Hogan (Centreville)-Mark Graham (Centreville), 37-37—74

Jay Vizgaitis (Alexandria)-Dan Hosek (Alexandria), 37-37—74

John Hudson Jr. (Roanoke)-Powell Holly (Roanoke), 37-38—75
Dean Griffith (Front Royal)-Daniel Yates (Front Royal), 39-36—75

Gordon Shelton (Charlottesville)-Scott Garrison (Charlottesville), 37-38—75

Gary Honey (Potomac Falls)-Dave Spannbauer (Potomac Falls), 37-38—75

John Bolino (Suffolk)-Wayne Leeder (Suffolk), 39-37—76
Steve Southern (Midlothian)-Howard Overbey (Midlothian), 38-38—76

Brian Johnson (Spotsylvania)-Paul Priebe (Spotsylvania), 39-38—77
B.K. Kelley (Chester)-Dustin T. Hussey (Chester), 37-43—80

CENTREVILLE –– Pairings and starting times for the final round of the 40th VSGA Four-Ball Championship at Chantilly National Golf and Country Club (7,098 yards, par 36-36—72) on Saturday, May 7.

No. 1

7:30 a.m.: Mike Brennan (Leesburg)-Steve Douglass (Leesburg); Mike Howell (Centreville)-John Price (Centreville)
7:39 a.m.: Tim Krouse (Vienna)-Tony DeLuca (Vienna); Lance Rice (Purcellville)-Stan Williams (Purcellville)
7:49 a.m.: Jeffrey Klatt (Manassas)-Jimmy Delp (Manassas); Larry Spielberg (Williamsburg)-Jaymie Martino (Williamsburg)

7:58 a.m.: Starell M. Cox Jr. (Chesterfield)-Tucker Bradshaw (Chesterfield); Clark Bixler (Reston)-Ryan Price (Reston)

8:08 a.m.: Robert Menefee (Alexandria)-Jason Pool (Alexandria); Bill McClanan IV (Virginia Beach)-Joseph Morton (Virginia Beach)

8:17 a.m.: Brett Chambers (Mount Sidney)-John Rosenstock (Mount Sidney); Sam Taylor (Roanoke)-Danny Hopkins (Roanoke)

8:27 a.m.: Bill Musto (Sterling)-Andy Heye (Sterling); Tim Vigotsky (Centreville)-Blair Johnson (Centreville)

8:36 a.m.: Chris Tuttle (Virginia Beach)-Robert Bradshaw (Virginia Beach); Tom Vlahakis (Ashland)-Spence Andrews (Glen Allen)

8:46 a.m.: Steve Serrao (Midlothian)-Jay Serrao (Midlothian); Greg Henderson (Fredericksburg)-Chester Guzek (Fredericksburg)

8:55 a.m.: Scott Campbell (Mechanicsville)-Larry Loving Jr. (Mechanicsville); Craig Groenendaal (Centreville)-Albert Johnson (Centreville)

9:05 a.m.: Allen Barber (Yorktown)-Paul C. Erdman (West Point); Daniel Hurley (Leesburg)-Joey McLister (Leesburg)

9:14 a.m.: Jimmy Angel (Midlothian)-Hunter Russell (Midlothian); Robert Nussey Jr. (Midlothian)-Glenn Mullian (Richmond)

9:24 a.m.: Ryan Sypniewski (Radford)-Aaron Rygas (Pulaski); Duff Meyer (Harrisonburg)-Chris Slonaker (Harrisonburg)

9:33 a.m.: Tim Kelley (Ashland)-Brock Kelley (Ashland); Tony Good (Glen Allen)-David Passerell (Scottsville)

9:43 a.m.: Keith Decker (Martinsville)-David Partridge (Manakin-Sabot); Dean Griffith (Front Royal)-Daniel Yates (Front Royal)

No. 10

7:30 a.m.: Brian Johnson (Spotsylvania)-Paul Priebe (Spotsylvania); B.K. Kelley (Chester)-Dustin T. Hussey (Chester)

7:39 a.m.: John Bolino (Suffolk)-Wayne Leeder (Suffolk); Steve Southern (Midlothian)-Howard Overbey (Midlothian)

7:49 a.m.: Gordon Shelton (Charlottesville)-Scott Garrison (Charlottesville); Gary Honey (Potomac Falls)-Dave Spannbauer (Potomac Falls)

7:58 a.m.: Chad F. Hanes (Vienna)-Grayson Hanes (Vienna); John Hudson Jr. (Roanoke)-Powell Holly (Roanoke)

8:08 a.m.: Ben Hogan (Centreville)-Mark Graham (Centreville); Jay Vizgaitis (Alexandria)-Dan Hosek (Alexandria)

8:17 a.m.: Brent Daughtrey (Troy)-D.P. Seay Jr. (Troy); Michael Hudenburg (South Riding)-Mike Stone (South Riding)

8:27 a.m.: Russ Fricke (Haymarket)-Ron Cooke (Haymarket); Tom Offutt (Arlington)-Richard C. Thomas (Arlington)

8:36 a.m.: Steve Hartley (Waynesboro)-Jeff Toms (Waynesboro); Skip Zobel (Virginia Beach)-Keith Champton (Virginia Beach)

8:46 a.m.: Rodney Peters (Woodbridge)-Brad Love (Woodbridge); Tim Rash (Midlothian)-Tim Lyons (Midlothian)

8:55 a.m.: J.W. Entsminger (Lexington)-David Brogan (Lexington); Rick Wakefield (Fairfax)-H. Dudley Payne (Fairfax)

9:05 a.m.: Marc Marcuson (Richmond)-Peyton Lawson (Richmond); Frank Driver (Timberville)-Emmett Clougherty (Timberville)

9:14 a.m.: Scott Inman (Springfield)-Buddy Patch (Springfield); Brendan Giuseppe (Vienna)-Paul Avis (Vienna)

9:24 a.m.: Todd Burgess (Lynchburg)-Tim Campbell (Lynchburg); Vic Williams (Winchester)-Jeff Tyndall (Winchester)

9:33 a.m.: Jon Zampedro (Centreville)-Jeffrey Topp (Centreville); Buck Brittain (Tazewell)-Donnie Hankins (Tazewell)   

9:43 a.m.: Michael Kirby (Fairfax)-Craig Mason (Fairfax); Kevin Dillard (Fairfax)-Jamie Gough (Fairfax)  

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