John Hunter Wins 83rd Valentine Invitational at Hermitage Country Club
Mid-Am Champion: John Hunter — 204 (-12)John Hunter capped off a thrilling Sunday with a birdie on the 72nd hole, draining a 30-foot putt on the Sabot course to secure a one-shot victory. His rounds of 66 (Sabot), 68 (Manakin), and 70 (Sabot) gave him a total of 204 (-12), edging Kyle Downey by one stroke.
Mid-Am Leaderboard (Top Finishers)
| Pos | Player | To Par | R1 | R2 | R3 | Total |
|---|
| 1 | John Hunter | -12 | 66 VSab | 68 VMan | 70 VSab | 204 |
| 2 | Kyle Downey | -11 | 64 VSab | 68 VMan | 73 VSab | 205 |
| 3 | Jordan Utley | -10 | 65 VSab | 72 VMan | 69 VSab | 206 |
| 4 | Blake Micholas | -8 | 70 VSab | 67 VMan | 71 VSab | 208 |
| T5 | Drew Brockwell | -6 | 74 VSab | 67 VMan | 69 VSab | 210 |
| T5 | Kyle Bailey | -6 | 65 VSab | 70 VMan | 75 VSab | 210 |
Senior Division Champion: Brian Quackenbush
Brian Quackenbush of Aiken, SC dominated the Senior Division with consistent play across all three rounds. Quackenbush posted scores of 68 (Manakin), 69 (Sabot), and a final-round 67 (Sabot) for a total of 204 (-12), matching Hunter’s Mid-Am total and clinching the Senior title by a single stroke over Scott Shingler.
His final day included a clutch birdie on Sunday’s back nine that sealed his victory in the Senior Division.
Senior Leaderboard (Top Finishers)
| Pos | Player | To Par | R1 | R2 | R3 | Total |
|---|
| 1 | Brian Quackenbush | -12 | 68 VMan | 69 VSab | 67 VSab | 204 |
| 2 | Scott Shingler | -11 | 64 VMan | 67 VSab | 74 VSab | 205 |
| 3 | Steve Serrao | -10 | 71 VMan | 68 VSab | 67 VSab | 206 |
| 4 | Tony Good | -3 | 72 VMan | 70 VSab | 71 VSab | 213 |
| T5 | Yancey Johnson | E | 70 VMan | 75 VSab | 71 VSab | 216 |
| T5 | Chris Cassetta | E | 71 VMan | 72 VSab | 73 VSab | 216 |
About the Frederick S. Valentine Trophy
In the height of the Great Depression, Richmond business owner Frederick S. Valentine generously donated an extravagant silver trophy in support of Hermitage Country Club and the new amateur golf tournament that had been established.
History
In 1931, golf professional Tommy Galloway organized a premier amateur tournament to be hosted at Hermitage. Member and local businessman Frederick S. Valentine donated a trophy for the event and The Valentine Invitational was born.
Over the years the Valentine Invitational has become one of the most prestigious amateur events in the Mid-Atlantic. Past champions include Virginia Golf Hall of Famers Vinny Giles (2), Keith Decker (4), David Partridge (5 Championship, 2 Senior), Richard Smith (1), Wynsol Spencer (1), and Wayne Jackson (3). Other notable champions include Richmond legend Nelson Broach (5) and the Hermitage father-son pair Mark Lawrence (3) and Mark Lawrence Jr. (2). The event annually attracts an elite amateur field with competitors who have teed it up in the Masters, U.S. Opens, U.S. Senior Opens, U.S. Amateurs, U.S. Mid-Amateurs, and more.
Recent Champions
- 2024: Christian Brand, 198 (-18), by one over Sam Beach; Senior winner Scott Shingler by two over Jon Hurst.
- 2023: Sam Beach, 202 (-14), by two over Jack Montague; Senior winner Steve Serrao at 203 (-13) by six over Jon Hurst.
ABOUT THE
Valentine Invitational
The Valentine has been hosted by Hermitage Country Club since the event began in 1931. 54 holes of individual stroke play on Hermitage’s Manakin and Sabot golf courses. The field has a Mid-Amateur division and a Senior division (ages 50 and over). Given the August calendar date, the Valentine is a great tune-up for the U.S. Mid-Amateur.
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