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By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Manager, Washington D.C.
**Video player with highlights from No. 18 and post-match interviews is posted below the round results.**
Westfield golf conquered the Northern Region’s deepest district field by 19 strokes en route to the Concorde title on Wednesday. Bulldog senior Tim Ritter used a two-under-par 70 on Day 2 to edge Chantilly sophomore Ji Soo Park by one stroke.
Westfield coach Tom Vigotsky credits him team’s success to a competitive wrinkle instilled weekly at team practices.
“Every week this year we’ve had what we call ‘challenge matches,'” said Vigotsky, who has been using the system for four years. “It’s probably the most pressure — even more than the Districts or individual dual matches — because they are playing against each other every week to see who is going to be in the starting lineup.
“They are so close from a stroke average standpoint, and I know it’s nerve-wrecking for them to have to go out and play each other and beat each other … I don’t just look at scores and hand-pick them, I make them go out and play each other every week to determine who is going to be in our top six.”
Added Ritter, last year’s Northern Region runner-up: “I think we’re
more prepared than any other team because we’re always in a tournament
mode. I think we have an advantage over other teams, being able to
compete against each other all the time.”
Despite the windy conditions at Twin Lakes Country Club on the final day of competition, Westfield’s unparalleled depth — and competitiveness — shined through.
The Bulldogs shot a season-low 292 on Day 2 to finish at 590, clearing the deep Concorde District field by 19 strokes. Chantilly — who defeated Westfield by 9 strokes on Sept 9 — finished second at 609, Centreville was third with 613 strokes.
Every Westfield golfer averaged a score in 70s; they were the only team — in either district competing at Twin Lakes, Concorde or Patriot — to achieve that feat.
“If you don’t have that depth and one of your players has an off day, you could be in some serious trouble,” Vigotsky said. “Where do you get that score from? Who else is going to cover for you?
“If someone on our team has an off day, there’s a pretty good chance that someone else is going to be there to make up for it.”
Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com
Team Results
Westfield — 590
Chantilly — 609
Centreville — 613
Oakton — 625
Robinson — 636
Herndon — 670
Fairfax — 675
Top Ten Individual Finishers
1. Tim Ritter, WF — 143
2. Ji Soo Park, CH — 144
T-3. Amanda Steinhagen, OK — 148
T-3. Wes Liu, WF — 148
T-5. Brian Keith, WF — 149
T-5. Sam Chanhiran, CH — 149
7. John Dupree, RB — 150
T-8. Norri Hyun, CV — 151
T-8. Han Joe Kim, CV — 151
10. Graham Lawyer, OK — 152
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