1994 River Cup

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Nelson's Record Score Leads CCV to Victory

      Jim Nelson, Captain of the 1994 Country Club of Virginia River Cup team, led his team to a razor thin victory with a record setting score in Sunday's four ball play at a tough Willow Oaks course. Nelson, saddled with a reputation for poor play in River Cup events, scorched the river side course with a 74, the best score in the modern era of the River Cup. Nelson ended a four year losing streak with his torrid round and led his CCV teammates to a 44-40 victory over a Willow Oaks team wracked by dissension caused by Captain J. Langdon Moss' sorry showing in this year's event. Moss' teams have won the Cup the last three years, but his status as Captain after this year's performance is clearly in jeopardy.

      Moss, playing with long time partner Joseph B. Klotz in the anchor match of Sunday's fourball play, matched Klotz' bloated 97 for the day. The duo was blanked in a return match with CCV's George "Ear" Moorman and Doug Westmoreland. Moss and Klotz needed only a halve in their match to maintain Willow Oaks' grasp on the Cup.

      Speaking after the conclusion of the matches, WOCC team member Eddie Eddins spoke out strongly in favor of replacing Moss as Captain in next year's event. "Why Moss split up Doug [Bryant] and me in this year's fourball is a complete mystery to me. I question not only whether Moss should be Captain, but whether he should be allowed to wear the Willow Oaks' cap at all next year." Eddins and teammate Doug Bryant have been paired together the last two years and are undefeated in River Cup four ball play, but were inexplicably split up by Moss this year.

      Moss paired Eddins with John Lees, who has not played in River Cup competition since 1990. The Eddins-Lees duo produced only 1 1/2 points in Sunday's match against CCV's Cliff Culley and Mark Sweeney. Sweeney, a former Willow Oaks member, participated in River Cup play for the first time this year after three years of litigation in which he sought to overturn a ban on his participation in the event. Sweeney's appearance on the River Cup stage was received coolly by his teammates, but his strong performance in singles and fourball play was a key factor in this year's CCV win. Sweeney was paired against WOCC's John Lees in singles and extended Lees' River Cup losing streak to four. Lees is 0-4 in River Cup play. Lees blames his poor record on an obscure River Cup rule which requires that putts inside 5 feet must be holed out. "What kind of rule is that? Who ever putts out?"

      Moss paired Eddins' former partner Doug Bryant with River Cup rookie Kent Puryear for this year's matches. Bryant and Puryear were on the receiving end of a 6-0 shutout at the hands of Nelson and CCV teammate William "Brother" Scott, who failed to contribute to Nelson's win but nonetheless basked in Nelson's spotlight at the awards ceremony at the conclusion of play. "I think I was a big factor in Jim's play," said Scott at the ceremony. "I was clubbing him all day long." Nelson refused to give any credit to Scott. "Hey, look, I've been abused for too long now. I shot my wad out there this weekend and Scott could have been in the bar for all the help he gave me." Nelson has been the subject of scorn for several years as a result of his seven match losing streak in the River Cup, but his performance this year stifled even his most ardent critics. Nelson shot an admirable 83 at CCV's James River Course in Friday afternoon's singles play, but lost his match to Doug Bryant 3-1.

      Willow Oaks rookie Paul S. "Chip" Bliley, Jr., had a strong showing in his maiden River Cup outing with a 4-0 shutout of Doug Westmoreland in Friday's singles play. Bliley staked his claim to this year's MVP award with a convincing 4 1/2 - 1 1/2 win in Sunday's four ball play against another River Cup rookie, Chris Young, and Wes Morck, whose game is characterized more by consistency than quality. Morck ended a streak of sorry 98's with a not particularly compelling 89 in Sunday's matches. Bliley's fourball partner, Charles W. "Chuck" Byrd, failed to contribute in Sunday's match but added a note of humor to the match with a drive on the ninth hole which scattered the crowd on the third tee following the concluding matches in the day's event.

      This year's CCV win was also characterized by a return to form of two River Cup veterans who have suffered under intense criticism the last several years for their lackluster performances. Brothers John and Rob Leitch, pivotal characters in the revival of the River Cup matches after decades of inactivity, produced a combined total of only 6 points in the last three years, but this year had 9 points between them. Rob Leitch soundly defeated Willow Oaks' Eddie Eddins in singles play with a solid 86 on Friday. John Leitch beat a confused Brad Smallwood 4-0, although Smallwood filed an appeal of the match. Smallwood, returning to the River Cup after a several year absence, was unaware of the rules of play. When Leitch advised him play was according to winter rules, Smallwood unsuspectingly agreed only to find out later that summer rules were in effect. Leitch is well known for his disdain for the authority of River Cup Commissioner Paul A. Sinclair, who insists on summer rules for all River Cup matches. Smallwood's appeal was denied by the Tournament Committee, which ruled that all competitors are deemed to have knowledge of the rules of competition.

      

River Cup Rookies Impressive

      The largest contingent of River Cup rookies in the event's history graced this year's play. Jeff Hudgins, a potential star in CCV's future, had a nervous first outing, losing to a woeful Paul Sinclair in singles play, but played well enough to take medalist honors in singles with a respectable 80.

      Hudgins' rookie teammate Chris Young steamrolled WOCC's Chuck Byrd, who sandwiched 91 strokes between birdies on the first and eighteenth holes en route to a dismal 97.

      Byrd rode rookie Chip Bliley's back to a revenge victory over Young and Wes Morck in four ball. Willow Oaks' other rookie Kent Puryear's appearance was noted only for his failure to appear in uniform for Friday's matches, resulting in an as yet uncollected fine.

      

River Cup Hall of Fame Report

      In a videotaped presentation to a River Cup contingent held hostage by known terrorists (see article, p. 3), River Cup Hall of Fame Chairman J. L. Moss, Jr., nominated Cup veteran John Leitch for induction to the Hall. Despite the decline of Leitch's game over the last several years, Leitch's nomination was acted upon with only one dissenting vote. River Cup Commissioner Paul Sinclair, whose position is coveted by Leitch, refused to endorse the selection.

      Leitch is the self-proclaimed unluckiest player in the River Cup, although most observers attribute his ill-fortune more to his unsightly swing than to misfortune. Leitch has blamed his poor performance in recent years on everything from the sun in his face to the shellac on the ball, as noted in Moss' address to a tense River Cup audience at Saturday evening's festivities.

      Moss also announced in his report that the Hall of Fame Committee has selected a permanent site for the Hall and the Museum which will house River Cup memorabilia. The site selected is located at 5001 Grove Avenue. The site is presently used by Jeff Hudgins, a CCV team member, for his dental practice. The site is the boyhood home of WOCC Captain J. L. Moss, Jr. In his misty eyed address, Moss pointed to the room where his grandfather first discovered the River Cup papers in 1947.

      Negotiations are currently under way with Hudgins for space in the facility to house the Hall of Fame.

      

River Cup Hostage Crisis Ends Peacefully; North Negotiates With Terrorists

      Saturday evening's festive social events for the 1994 River Cup began without hint of the terror that awaited the players and their wives. Bagpipe music lilted hauntingly across the expansive Byrd estate as gay banter filled the air at the pre-banquet cocktail party. But the evening soon turned into a nightmare for the group. Upon arrival at Franco's Ristorante, an upscale west end restaurant chosen to host this year's banquet, the party was taken hostage by a splinter group of the terrorist Italian Brigade and was held for several hours before being released. The release came only after Lt. Col. Oliver North, a Virginia Senatorial candidate whose campaign van Rolling Thunder was in the vicinity of the crisis, was called upon to negotiate with the group's leader, Rhonda Rhondazzi, and her husband Paolo, owner of the restaurant, for the release of the group.

      The River Cup hostage taking was an effort to gain media attention for Rhondazzi's cause. Rhondazzi is a militant activist in the "Save Bryant Park" faction of the Italian Brigade. The group is seeking to prevent the construction of a golf course in the Bryant Park area of Richmond, Virginia, site of the annual River Cup. When Rhondazzi announced in a phone call to television station WTVR that she was holding the group hostage until City leaders acceded to her demand to cease all planning for the Bryant Park course, the station dispatched its remote truck to the site of the crisis. The parking lot outside the restaurant soon became a maze of satellite dishes as local and national news reporters arrived to cover the unfolding story.

      Inside the hostage room, Rhondazzi treated the hostages well and for a time the hostages were unaware of the drama unfolding around them. But as the hours grew longer, members of the group later told the press they became uncomfortable and sensed that something was going on. "We were all getting sleepy and the food still hadn't arrived," said a clearly shaken Chris Young after the group was released. "When midnight came and the main course didn't, Rhondazzi finally told us she was not going to release us until her demands were met. The women began crying. As a matter of fact, most of the men did as well. Brother Scott was wailing away in the corner all night long. Rhondazzi never did tell us what she wanted. The food sure was good though - I really liked the eggplant."

      When the party was finally advised of their hostage status, River Cup Commissioner Paul Sinclair stepped forward in an effort to keep the spirits of the group up. "I knew John Leitch wouldn't survive the pressure unless we did something to bolster his spirits. We had already prepared a taped presentation and after Joby Klotz was able to solve some technical problems [it was later learned Rhondazzi was scrambling television reception in the room to prevent the hostages from getting any news from the outside] we decided the best course was to go ahead with our plans in spite of the crisis. I think John's selection to the Hall of Fame calmed him down some."

      Outside the room, North, who learned of the crisis watching the television in his mobile campaign headquarters, was in constant telephone communication with Rhondazzi. He eventually was able to convince her that the City refused to negotiate with terrorists. The hostages were finally released after the parties' dinner bills were paid. After the crisis ended, numerous River Cup players commented that their bills seemed unusually high and there is speculation that ransom money was built into the bills of the party. North refused to respond to inquiries about the existence of ransom money. The campaign staff of Virginia Senator Charles S. Robb is looking into the release of the hostages. In a statement released the morning after the affair, it said it believes that North may have received some of the ransom money which is rumored to have been paid. North denies those allegations.

      

Alternate Sites Considered for '95 Events

      The hostage crisis of 1994 has caused the River Cup Banquet Committee to reconsider the format for future social events. "The threat of terrorism is a real and present danger. We will look for more secure sites for future events. The River Cup Hall of Fame site may be used in the future for our banquet events if security can be properly maintained. We will not give in to terrorism, but we will be ever mindful that we are a prime target for terrorists," read a statement released by the Committee after the hostage crisis had ended.

      

River Cup Isles Tour Under Consideration

      The River Cup Executive Committee has announced the appointment of an Isles Tour Committee to investigate the feasibility of a long rumored River Cup Isles Tour. In its announcement of the appointment, the Committee indicated it was the result of numerous inquiries to River Cup Headquarters from undisclosed broadcast networks which are jockeying for the rights to broadcast the event worldwide. "We are looking into the feasibility of staging River Cup X in 1998 at sites across the United Kingdom. We see this as a chance to bring the River Cup to a larger, worldwide stage," stated Commissioner Paul A. Sinclair at a press conference called for the announcement. "We hope that an appropriate financial package can be worked out that will make this a feasible undertaking. We are looking into all funding sources and have been approached by Golf Digest for magazine rights to the Tour."

      Appointed to the Committee were Sinclair, Team Captains J. L. Moss, Jr., of Willow Oaks and James F. Nelson of CCV, Jeff Hudgins of CCV, and Winfred "Eddie" Eddins, Jr., of WOCC. Hudgins and Eddins conducted a preliminary study of site locations last year while attending the 1993 Ryder Cup in order to determine the international interest in the Isles Tour. Hudgins and Eddins filed a report after their tour with a recommendation that further study be undertaken.

      Speaking at the press conference, Hudgins stated that "the enthusiasm among the European golf community about having the River Cup back on its home soil was overwhelming." Eddins concurred with Hudgins, adding that there have been suggestions that the River Cup and Ryder Cup be staged during the same week. "Jeff and I do not feel that this would be in the best interest of the River Cup, although it would certainly help the prestige of the Ryder Cup to be paired up with us."

      Tentative plans call for the River Cup Isles Tour to fly to Dublin's Shannon Airport aboard River Cup I. After several days of sightseeing in Dublin and the Ring of Kerry, the next leg of the tour would be to Edinburgh. Matches would be played each day in Scotland. Each of the British Open sites would be on the River Cup rota. The matches each day would be heralded by a bagpipe band to add an element of pageantry to this storied event.

      After a week of matches in Scotland, River Cup I will fly the players and their wives to London for several days of sightseeing, photo opportunities, and theatre, with return to Richmond after a two week stay.

      

Bliley First Rookie MVP Since 1991;
CCV's Nelson Undisputed Selection

      Thanks to a generally lackluster showing by his teammates, Willow Oaks' Chip Bliley was named by the MVP Committee as this year's Most Valuable Player for the Willow Oaks' side. Bliley played 36 holes without a club toss and the Committee felt that alone warranted his selection.

      Bliley exploded on the River Cup scene this year like a Notre Dame halfback with a 4-0 shutout over CCV's Doug Westmoreland on Friday. Paired with Chuck Byrd, who also lobbied hard for the MVP award on the basis of his performance in the cocktail party event, Bliley carried his team to a 4 1/2 - 1 1/2 victory over CCV's Chris Young and Wes Morck. Bliley and Byrd were aided in their victory by a triple bogey 8 taken by Young and Morck on Willow Oaks' 8th hole. The triple bogey is the worst score recorded in four ball play in the history of the River Cup. The score would have been worse if not for the triple bogey maximum rule in Cup play.

      Speaking at the presentation ceremony , Bliley attributed his achievement to a Lou Holtz motivational tape. "I stayed up all night watching the Lou tape getting ready for today's matches. I could have beaten Boston College single handed today."

      CCV Captain Jim Nelson, who has struggled for years in Cup play, made up for his past travails with a strong showing in singles play on Friday. He followed that up with his record 74 in fourball play on Sunday. The previous best outing in the River Cup was a John Gentry 75 at CCV's Tuckahoe Creek Course in 1991. "Gentry's a patsy," said Nelson after his round. "I'd like to get a piece of him out here right now."

      Nelson's play was particularly impressive in light of the pressure he has faced since last year's failure to bring the River Cup home to CCV. Nelson replaced former CCV Captain Rob Leitch last year in an effort to improve the Club's performance in the River Cup. "I worked long and hard getting this team prepared for this year's event. I deserve everything that comes my way, including the trip to Bermuda for this year's mid-year meeting."

      

Nelson Streak Ends; Donlan, Sinclair Just Keep on Rolling

      Jim Nelson's convincing end to a 4 year losing streak leaves only positive streaks on the line for 1995's matches. Nelson had lost 7 matches in a row, but ended that with his outing in Sunday's fourball.

      WOCC's Martin A. Donlan, Jr., and Paul A. Sinclair each have 6 match winning streaks on the line going in to next year's event. "I hope I get a chance to play with Paul next year," said Donlan. "I think I can put an end to his streak with a few well timed suggestions on his swing. To hell with his streak, I just want to keep mine alive." Donlan is an impressive 7-1 in River Cup play.

      Sinclair and Donlan paired up in fourball to end Ted Armstrong's undefeated record in River Cup play. Armstrong was hampered in his match by partner Bill Cramme, who blamed his poor play on the fact that he couldn't get his arms to "hang." Observers did not understand that complaint.

      

Sweeney's Inaugural River Cup Uneventful

      Mark Sweeney's appearance in this year's River Cup puts to an end a sordid period in Cup history. Sweeney, a former Willow Oaks member who gave up his membership when he could not qualify for the strong Willow Oaks team, was selected for the Country Club of Virginia team in his first year of membership. Sweeney backed out of the competition at the last minute and was immediately barred from play for a ten year period.

      Willow Oaks team member Mike Augst was subjected to the same fate that year when he also backed out of the event at the last minute. Sweeney and Augst joined in a suit against the River Cup, claiming their ban was arbitrary and capricious. That suit was settled last year and Sweeney was selected to play for CCV in this year's event. He was received without enthusiasm by his teammates, but performed well enough to gain their restrained praise. "Sure, he got a few points," said teammate Cliff Culley, who replaced Sweeney when he backed out of the event in 1991. "But he sure caused a lot of headache for all of us the past few years.