The Shadow
HOT SPRINGS — With three rounds of under-par play, the team of Jim Grimmett and Pat Carter led all four divisions with a score of 196 as they captured first place in the Senior division at the 21st annual Cascades Invitational.
Considered one of the premier amateur tournaments in Virginia, the three-day event is played annually on The Cascades at The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs.
Going into the final round, the Mid-Amateur division had several teams in the hunt for the championship but it was Chris Crockett and Chip Spratlin who took home the top prize with a score of 202. Close behind were Starell Cox and Scott Campbell in second, Kevin Miller and Ben Beach in third and last year’s winners Buck Brittain and Garland Green in fourth.
Finishing eight strokes behind Senior winners Grimmett and Carter with a total score of 204 was the team of John Newton and Danny Hopkins. The third place team of Roger Newsom and Jeff Overton ended with 205 and Leon Roday and Scott Reisenweaver ended in fourth with 206.
The local team of Tony Smith and Troy Smith shot a three-day total of 218 (74-73-71) and finished in 13th place in the senior division.
In the Legends division, Tim Vigotsky and John Hoffman secured a final round score of 65 for a tournament total of 205 and finished first, besting multi-year champions Vinny Giles and Jack Vardaman by one stroke.
The inaugural winners of the Women’s division were Natalie Easterly and Amy Ellerston who compiled a three-day total of 212. Mimi Hoffman and Kay Tyler finished second with a score of 214.
The Cascades Invitational is a 54-hole four-ball competition played at scratch. This year’s field consisted of 41 teams in four divisions: Mid-Amateur (25 years and older), Senior (50 and older), Legends (65 and older) and Women’s.
