Grove captures City Championship

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Published: July 13, 2008

As Ty Grove lined up his short birdie putt on the final hole of the day, a one-shot lead in hand, who knows what was racing through his mind. When the ball disappeared into the cup, so did six years of frustration.
Grove, a native Pennsylvanian and a sales rep for the Nicklaus Golf Equipment Company — yes, that Nicklaus — had competed in Central Virginia tournaments ever since relocating to Crozet back in 2003. He had been in the mix several times heading into the final round only to watch someone else step into the winner’s circle.
Not on Sunday in a dramatic shootout in the 21st annual Reines Jewelers Charlottesville City Golf Championship at Meadowcreek Golf Course. Through the first 17 holes and a storm delay, only three shots separated the championship foursome heading to the 18th tee box (normally the par-4, ninth hole at Meadowcreek).
Ever since Grove hit town, at least the area’s golf links, he thirsted for a victory in one of the local tournaments, but had been denied each time. This time, all he had to do was make par and let the others deal with the pressure.
Instead, he nearly holed his approach shot on the uphill, four-par, as his ball skimmed over the cup and came to rest less than two feet from the cup. The only competitor that had a chance at that point was Farmington’s Phil Mahone, who trailed by a mere stroke.
Mahone, who had started the day five strokes back of leader Jeff Toms, had put forth an admirable performance in making Grove sweat to the end. But when Mahone’s 10-footer birdie attempt slid past the cup, all Grove had to do was two-putt from two feet to win.
Instead, he went out like a champion, made the birdie for a final round of 1-under par 69 and a two-shot victory with a three-day total of 3-under 207.
Mahone, who fired a 2-under 68 for a 209, finished as city runner-up for the fourth time in his career, believed to be a record. Toms, like everyone in the lead foursome, was looking for his first city crown. However, his final round of 3-over 73 and a 209 tied for second with Mahone.
Spring Creek’s Jerry Burton, who had taken the lead at 3-under after 14 holes, only to let it slip away over the next two, finished fourth at 212 with a final round 73. Burton bogeyed the 15th hole, then suffered a fatal blow on the downhill 16th with a triple bogey as his approach shot flew over the green and into the brush.
He barely managed to chop out his wedge shot to the bank, then chunked his next shot en route to a disastrous score of seven on the par-4 hole.
Grove, who plays out of Old Trail in Crozet, had been trying to break through ever since his first city tournament in ‘03.
“That’s when I saw Brent Daughtrey win and he was presented the ring (the city presents its champion with a unique ring from sponsor Peter Reines),” Grove said. “I said, ‘Gee, that’s a great trophy. I want to win one of those.’”
When his final putt dropped, Grove was clearly emotional.
“It’s a giant monkey off my back,” Grove said. “I’ve been in the final group numerous times, but this reaffirmed to me that I was doing things correctly and that I could win out here.”
Grove had won various events in his golfing past, two-man titles and the like, and finished 11th in the Pennsylvania amateur once, but Sunday was his breakthrough win.
“This is the most memorable individual win of my golfing career,” he said.
No wonder. This lead foursome played about as tightly as any in memory on the city’s final day. At the turn, only one shot separated the foursome with Toms and Burton tied at -3, Grove and Mahone a single stroke behind.
Toms, who also plays out of Old Trail, essentially took himself out of the picture with a double-bogey on the 11th hole. Burton would falter on the 15th and 16th as Mahone remained in contention.
But Grove was solid all day, recovering from his last bogey on No. 12, then parred his way home until sinking the memorable birdie on the final hole.
“I was nervous early, but I missed nothing of consequence inside of eight feet with my putter all day long,” Grove said. “My putter was definitely the key to my round and gave me
confidence with the rest of my game.”
Because he had been in the mix before but faltered, Grove considered those experiences as lessons learned.
“I didn’t think anybody would go crazy low because of the tough pin placements, so I had remembered that in the past I had shot myself out of the picture early in the final rounds,” Grove said. “This time I just wanted to avoid big numbers, hang around until late and see what happened.”
What happened was the biggest win of his life.
“Under par on this course for three days, the way it was set up, well, I’ll take it,” Grove said.
And, he’ll take the ring as well. As for the giant monkey, well, he’s in search of another back to rest upon.