Home Turf Triumph; Vannucci, Hollins Capture 94th New Jersey Four-Ball Championship
MARLTON, N.J. – Home-course knowledge, timely birdies and unwavering composure carried Troy Vannucci and Brian Hollins to victory Thursday afternoon at Little Mill Country Club, where the Little Mill members captured the 94th New Jersey Four-Ball Championship with a 3-and-2 victory over Cody Cox and Matthew Porter.
For Vannucci and Hollins, the victory marked the first New Jersey Golf championship title for both players, made even more meaningful by accomplishing it in front of friends, family and fellow members at their home club.
“Just over the moon, really,” Vannucci, three-time New Jersey Player of the Year expressed. “It’s just awesome to do it on home turf. Been searching for a long time and couldn’t partner up with a better guy than Brian to protect home turf. It was really special.”
After dropping the opening hole of the final, the hometown duo quickly settled in and seized control of the match across the front nine. Vannucci and Hollins rolled in birdies on Nos. 3 and 6 before winning the par-4 eighth with a par to build a 3-up advantage heading to the turn.
On the ninth hole, both sides electrified the growing gallery with lengthy birdie conversions, producing one of the loudest moments of the afternoon before the match turned to the inward side.
Vannucci and Hollins kept the pressure on immediately at the drivable 307-yard 10th, where the pair birdied again to maintain momentum.
Cox and Porter, however, responded with a surge of their own. On the par-3 11th, Cox stuffed his tee shot inside eight feet and converted the birdie putt to trim the deficit. One hole later, the challengers captured another point after the Little Mill duo made double bogey, suddenly swinging momentum back into the match.
But with the championship tightening, Vannucci and Hollins answered once again.
On the par-4 15th, Hollins knocked his approach to within four feet, setting up a birdie that restored a 3-up advantage with three holes remaining. Then on the 16th green, Vannucci cozied his birdie attempt close enough for it to be conceded by Cox and Porter, clinching the championship and igniting a celebration among the hometown crowd surrounding the 16th green.
“It’s a long day, so you just want to stay poised,” Vannucci added of the long semifinal and find round marathon. “We have all the belief in each other. Just play our game. Legs are tired, but you’re not going to lose it on one hole. Just keep your head down and keep grinding.”
Vannucci and Hollins rallied past Patrick Scenna and Ethan Lee, 3 and 1, after trailing by one through nine holes. The momentum shifted on the par-4 10th when Vannucci nearly drove the green before clipping a delicate chip to within two feet for a conceded birdie to tie the match. The Little Mill members later won Nos. 15, 16 and 17 consecutively to close out the semifinal.
The second semifinal required 21 holes, as former Penn State University teammates Cox and Porter outlasted Mike Puorro and Austin Devereux in the longest match of the championship week. On the decisive 21st hole — the par-3 third — Porter stuffed his tee shot inside eight feet while the other three players missed the green. After the remaining competitors failed to save par, Porter calmly two-putted to send he and Cox into the championship match.
With family, friends and members following every step throughout the marathon day, Hollins said the support helped carry the pair across the finish line.
“It’s a lot of golf, so we’re exhausted,” Hollins said. “But it was great to have all the members, my wife and my daughter out there watching. It helped us keep going and keep pushing while we were playing.”
After the final putt was conceded and the championship secured, Hollins summed up the moment simply.
“Great,” Hollins said. “Excellent.”
Vannucci added with a smile: “Loss for words. Ready to party.”
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