Gallery by Tina Laney
Defending Mountain State Golf Classic champion Davey Jude cannot predict the future, but he did have a good idea how things needed to play out Monday on The Cobb Course at The Resort at Glade Springs.
Holding a three-shot lead after the second day of the three-day tournament, Jude said Sunday, “we’re just going to go out and make some birdies on the first few at Cobb tomorrow and score a little bit. Cobb’s going to be playing tough with how firm it is, but hopefully I’ll make a couple putts.”
The day went exactly as he had hoped.
Rolling in three birdie putts over the first five holes, Jude fired a five-under par round to take home his fourth Mountain State Golf Classic title by a nine-shot margin.
“Shooting 67 on a firm Cobb Course is pretty good,” Jude said. “There were some tough pins, but if you manage your speed out there and can two-putt a lot, you can play some good golf. I have played 100’s of times here, so it is definitely a good feeling.”
The birdie on the first hole quickly increased Jude’s lead to five when Tanner Vest, who was in second place to start the day, opened with a bogey.
When Jude rolled in his second straight birdie, the lead ballooned to six shots.
“The first hole put me where I wanted to be and the second hole even more so. From there it wasn’t about play stupid or play smart, it was just play golf,” Jude said. “Try to hit the correct shots. I had a little rough stretch in the middle of the round where I didn’t hit it great, but I got up and down a few times.”
The lead for the Kermit native was seven shots standing on No. 7 tee when he made his only mistake of the day. A tee-ball to the back of the par-3 green left a tricky down hill shot which led to the only bogey of the round.
It was the beginning of a precarious five hole stretch for the four-time champion, but no one could move closer than within five shots of the lead.
Current WVU Tech standout Bryson Beaver had the best chance to apply some heat to Jude, but the putter failed him at times over the key stretch.
Unfortunately for the reigning River States Conference men’s golf champion, good looks at birdie on holes seven, eight and ten could not find the bottom of the cup.
“I got the ball in play a lot and I didn’t try anything out of the ordinary. If I was out of position, get it back in position,” Jude said. “It was pretty stress free. I made one bad decision on seven where I hit the wrong club. Bryson tried to throw a little pressure on me, but after that I just cruised around hitting some smart shots into the middle of the greens and two-putt.”
Beaver did make a birdie on 11, but the window of opportunity closed as fast as it opened.
Jude matched Beaver with a birdie on hole 12 and pushed the lead back to seven shots when the former Herbert Hoover state champion double bogeyed the par-3, 13th hole.
A birdie at 15 increased the advantage to eight shots before he closed the round with his sixth birdie on hole 18 and a nine-shot win.
“I feel like I had a little bit more experience. When you get in theses situations with a lead, it is about being in that situation. I have been in that situation a lot. I have been on the other side too,” Jude said. “You sometimes just have to out-smart people. Make it to where they are thinking, hey, he is not screwing up right here and they have to do something. It puts a little extra pressure on them.”
Beaver ended the day with a 71 and joined Jude, along with Chris Daniels (70) as the only three members of the championship flight in red figures.
Beaver finished second and Vest was third. Daniels and Shady Spring rising senior Jack Williams tied for fourth.
“This tournament is something that is on my calendar every year. We don’t get but a couple of 54-hole golf tournaments in a West Virginia golf setting,” Jude said. “The more holes that you play, the cream rises to the top. You can’t fake it. You can fake it over 18 holes and 36 holes sometimes. There is a reason that the best get up there to the top.”
The fourth Mountain State Golf Classic title for Jude ties him for second-most with Brandon Reece. Now Jude has his eyes set on the top spot held by Mike Mays who has six titles to his credit.
“It is one closer to Mike, so that is the goal now,” Jude said. “I hope to still be able to compete in this where I can give them some runs. We have been talking about these young kids and I was that young kid one time. I am sure they will be up there fighting for the title in the next few years.”
“This tournament is very good for the area. Mike and Ryan (Neal) along with Little General and the volunteers, do a great job,” Jude went on to say. “It’s premier event for me. My son is three, so I am hoping that I am playing and he is one these thirteen year old players we are congratulating one day.”
Championship Flight
1. Davey Jude, 2. Bryson Beaver, 3. Tanner Vest, T4. Chris Daniels, T4 Jack Williams.
First Flight
1. Tyler Farley, 2. David Cassis, 3. Tyler Beard
Second Flight
1. Zan Hill, 2. Todd Albaugh, 3. Tony Giles
Third Flight
1. Alan Wharton, 2. Craig Kinder, 3. Timmy Boggs
Fourth Flight
1. Tommy Williams, 2. Dave Gorby, 3. Greg Midkiff
Fifth Flight
1. Nate Richmond, 2. Corey Yost, 3. Tink Brown
Sixth Flight
1. Steven Ferguson, 2. Ardie Jenkins, 3. Chris Monk
Seventh Flight
1. Matthew Robinson, 2. Jim Workman, 3. Adam Etris
Eighth Flight
1. Matt Jones, 2. Jon Forren, 3. Steve Davis
Senior Championship
1. Mike Powers, 2. Joe Ferguson, 3. Dennis Vass
Senior First Flight
1. Richard Kissinger, 2. Sonny Bivins, 3. Charlie Houck
