The winning Virginia team
(CGA Photo)

Trailing by one point (12½-11½) to begin the singles matches, the Carolinas needed 12.5 more points in order to retain the Captain’s Putter Trophy, while the Virginias needed 12 points for a victory. A win in each match scores one point in the Ryder Cup-style format, and if a match goes 18 holes without a decision, one-half point is awarded to each side.

The Virginias team grabbed 13½ of the 24 total points available on Saturday. The Virginias regulars outscored the Carolinas regulars 10-4 in singles. Making his first Captain's Putter appearance, 15-year-old Michael Brennan of Leesville, VA defeated 2017 South Carolina Amateur champion Gregg Jones of Florence, S.C., 6 & 5. "I'm very happy with the way I played," said Brennan, the Virginias Junior Match Play champion, who was 4-under-par thru 13 holes Saturday. "Getting two wins for my team this weekend was big."

Virginias team members Steve Serrao, Philip Reale, Jeffrey Long, and John Rosenstock all won their singles matches to post perfect 3-0 records. The Carolinas super senior competitors of Ron Carpenter and Evan Long also tallied all three points possible for an individual to earn each year during the Captain's Putter Matches.

The 73rd Captain's Putter Matches will be played in 2018 at Spring Creek Golf Club in Gordonsville, VA.

The Carolinas team leads all-time 49-22-1.