WVGA honors 2022 Players of the Year and Champions

The WVGA 2022 Players of the Year, from left, Men’s Player of the Year Davey Jude, Girl’s Junior Player of the Year Kerri-Anne Cook, Women’s Player of the Year Susan Glasby, Women’s Senior Player of the Year Karen Rainey and Men’s Senior Player of the Year Mike Koreski.

The West Virginia Golf Association (WVGA) celebrated West Virginia’s outstanding golfers on Nov. 11 at Berry Hills Country Club in Charleston.

Davey Jude of Kermit was named the 2022 Men’s Player of the Year.  He qualified for 2023 USGA Four Ball Championship, was runner-up at West Virginia Amateur, Co Medalist at WV Club Team, alternate at USGA Amateur and Mid-Amateur Qualifiers and Low Round at five Flight by Yuengling Amateur Series events.  “It’s an honor to receive this recognition,” Jude said.  “I’m happy to be able to play the WVGA tournaments and represent my hometown.”

Susan Glasby of Chesapeake, Ohio, was named the 2022 Women’s Player of the Year.  She was the 99th WV Women’s Amateur Champion, qualified and advanced to Match Play at USGA Mid-Amateur, was the WV Two Person Scramble Ladies division champion and a member of Virginia’s Carolina’s Ladies Matches.  “This honor is really special to me, mainly because I took eight years off and my first tournament back was with WVGA,” Glasby said.  “It sparked my passion again and I was thrilled with this honor.”

Sidnea Belville of South Point, Ohio received the 2022 Larry Martin Sportsman of the Year Award.  This award is named after Larry Martin, known as “The Old Pro”, who founded the West Virginia Golf Association’s (WVGA) Junior Tour 38 years ago.  Award eligibility is open to a boy or girl 18 and under who is a member of the 2022 Callaway Junior Tour, demonstrates good sportsmanship on and off the golf course, embodies what it means to be a “good sport” and shows class at every golf course and demonstrates what it means to be a member of the Junior Tour.

The Men’s Senior Player of the Year was Mike Koreski of Parkersburg.  He won five WVGA Senior Series events, had a 3rd place finish at WV Senior Open, a top five finish at WV Senior Four Ball, made the cut and was second low senior at WV Open, a member of WV/VA Matches and a member of Captains Putter Matches.  “This is really special for me,” Koreski said.  “It was a solid and consistent year and I’m honored.”

The Women’s Senior Player of the Year was Karen Rainey of Daniels.  She earned the Low Round at seven Flight by Yuengling Amateur Series events, was the Low Senior at WV Women’s Amateur, secured a top five overall finish at WV Women’s Senior Amateur and was First Flight Champion at WV Women’s Senior Amateur.  “’Schoolhouse Rock’ go it right.  Three is the magical number.  I’ve won this honor three times and this is the sweetest of the three,” Rainey said.  “The past two years have been a journey of living life deeper and fuller through golf.”

The Men’s Super Senior Player of the Year was John Duty of Hurricane.  He was Champion at WV Senior Four Ball Championship, had 14 wins in the Silver Division on the WVGA Series and earned seven overall Lor Rounds on that same series.

For the second consecutive year, Argyle Downs of Charles Town was the Boys’ Junior Player of the Year.  He was top 10 in two AJGA events, top five in the WV Junior Amateur, won two Callaway Junior Tour events, was a semi-finalist at WV Junior Match Play, a member of North South Junior Matches and a member of Mid Atlantic Junior Invitational.

Also for the second consecutive year, the Girl’s Junior Player of the Year was Kerri-Anne Cooke of Oceana.  She was the WV Junior Match Play Champion, runner-up at WV Junior Amateur top 10 at WV Women’s Amateur, won 11 Callaway Junior Tour events and was a member of North South Junior Matches.  “It’s really amazing to receive this honor two years in a row.  It’s somewhat unreal and it’s great,” Cook said.

The 2022 Callaway Junior Tour Players of the Year were:

• Boys 12 under:      Matthew Riggleman of Petersburg;
• Boys 13-14:             McCartney Hinkle of Bluefield, Va.;
• Boys 15-16:             Stephen McDavid of Scott Depot;
• Boys 17-18:             Bobby Kincaid of Nampa, Idaho;
• Girls 10-14:             McKenzie Armstrong of Belmont; and
• Girls 15-18:             Kerri-Anne Cook of Oceana.

The 2022 Flight by Yuengling Amateur Series Players of the Year were:

• Player of the Year:  Davey Jude of Kermit;
• Women’s Player:     Karen Rainey of Chesapeake, Ohio;
• Men’s Player:           Josh Howell of Charlton Heights.

The 2022 Senior Series Players of the Year were:

• Senior (50-59):       Chuck Workman of Marlinton;
• Silver (60-69):        John Duty of Hurricane; and
• Gold (70+):             Butch Freeman of Daniels and David Grubb of Charleston.

The 2022 West Virginia Golf Association Champions were:

• Two-Person Scramble: Jeremy Vallet and Cory Hoshoe
• Mid Amateur:          Jess Ferrell
• Senior Open:            Pat Carter
• Junior Match Play: Boys- Tanner Walls   Girls- Kerri-Anne Cook
• Four Ball: Bryson Beaver and Tanner Vest
• WV Open: Christian Brand
• Women’s Amateur: Susan Glasby
• Women’s Senior Amateur: Daneen Shears
• Junior Amateur: Boys- Bryson Beaver | Girls- Savannah Hawkins
• WV Amateur: Noah Mullens
• Parent/Child: Savannah and Larry Hawkins
• Senior Amateur: Todd Westfall
• Senior Four Ball: Harold Payne and John Duty
• Mixed: Tony and Nicole Flood Sawczyszyn
• Club Team: Men’s- Sleepy Hollow; Women’s- Glade Springs;
  Senior-Sleepy Hollow
• Women’s Intra State: Judy Street, Laurie Finley Karen Rainey, Janie Webber

WVGA Executive Director Brad Ullman closed the evening by saying, “We would like to congratulate all of our winners this evening.  This is a great group of golfers and sportspeople.  We’d also like to thank our partners for their continuing and invaluable support this year including Tri-State Roofing & Sheet Metal, Little General Stores, Astorg Auto, Kalaskey Orthodontics, Flight by Yuengling and Pikewood Energy.”