The Greater Richmond Golf Classic just keeps getting better. This year’s Duramed FUTURES tournament at Richmond Country Club brought the biggest crowds yet and without a question the best finish.

  A blow-for-blow stretch run produced a two-hole sudden death playoff between 20-year-old Jennifer Song and 17-year-old Jenny Shin that was in itself a classic, leaving the large gallery around the 18th hole cheering.

  Any question about the level of play among the Duramed players can be answered in the fact that the two LPGA members in the tournament, Reilley Rankin and Lisa Meldrum finished in ties for 9th and 33rd place.

  After months of a horrendous drought, the course was in beautiful shape. And though rain fell on two of the three tournament days, the weather did not keep crowds away.
  So with exciting finishes brought about by a high level of play, a beautiful course and good weather, what does the Richmond Classic need to grow even further?

  To bring the event to the next level the tournament needs a hometown hero to root for.

  In a tournament that brings players from as far as away as Argentina, Thailand, New Zealand and Russia among others, six golfers from the state of Virginia began play on Friday. But only one made it past the cut.

  Suffolk’s Lauren Doughtie was the lone Virginia golfer on the course for the final round of play. On Friday, Doughtie was in the hunt shooting three under, but stumbles on Saturday moved her back to even par and dropped her back to the middle of the pack.

  “I played well the first day,” Doughtie said. “I shot three under but didn’t quite keep that going as good as I would have liked.” 

  On Sunday Doughtie had an up and down round with four birdies and three bogies before a shot into the bunker on 17. “I made a double on 17 which kind of leaves a sour taste in your mouth, other than that it was pretty solid,” she said.

  Such was not he case for her fellow Virginia golfers.

  Sara Hurwitch of Potomac Falls withdrew early in the contest. Amateur Amanda Steinhagen from Oak Hill was done in by a disastrous +10 opening round, which could not be salvaged by the 75 she shot on Saturday. Norfolk’s Kristen Simpson and Richmond’s Jill Briles-Hinton were consistent but did not turn in low enough scores to reach the cut while Jenny Suh of Fairfax missed out on Sunday play by two strokes.

  After a year and half on the Duramed tour, Doughtie said she has seen the difference a hometown crowd makes. “It feels good to be able to play all three days here in Virginia, pretty much at home,” she said. “I’m glad I was here to represent. It was nice. It feels really good when it feels like the home tournament for us.”

  Doughtie pointed out that the professionals recognize that Richmond already draws some of the best galleries on the tour. “The crowd out here, there’s so many spectators come out here in Richmond it’s great for us we really enjoy it,” she said. “We don’t always get it everywhere we go. Usually we have a decent crowd but this is probably one of the biggest crowds we get. It feels great. It feels like they really want us here and support it.”

  As the only professional golf tournament in Virginia, Doughtie said it is important that Richmond holds on to the Duramed event. “I’m definitely a big advocate for that, so whatever needs to be done, let me know,” she laughed. “I’m a little partial here but it’s definitely one of the best courses and definitely one of the best finishes you’ve got on any course that you play. Anything can happen coming down the stretch here. It’s a lot of fun.”

  The reaction of the gallery after this year’s dramatic finish appeared to indicate they thought it was also fun to watch. Now they just need a hometown hero to root for.