Mozingo wins golf opener by 10 strokes

Mark O'Connell / Culpeper Star Exponent
Published: August 10, 2007

The appearance of lightning and the sound of thunder cracked violently through the area on Thursday night as a prelude to some much-needed rain.

And the dawn of Friday morning witnessed a wet golf course at the Country Club of Culpeper, the site of the 2007 season opener for the Blue Devils who hosted the Indians of Stafford High School.

Nature didn't interfere with the dual match but Blue Devil senior standout Chad Mozingo cracked an almost electrifying round of 69.

Put mildly, nothing shabby about a 2-under-par round any time, anywhere.

Culpeper coach Shirley Gray smiled, nodded, and knew that Mozingo's performance spoke for itself.

"Any time you shoot under par on a golf course, you've played some good golf," he said.

Mozingo's team and match-best round of 69 ties him with former Blue Devil player Sean McNemar for the school's record for the best round of golf.

He will have other opportunities to break the record he now shares with McNemar.

His record-tying performance also earned him the honor of the match's top medalist. He was ten strokes better than Stafford's best, John Sullivan, who fired an 8-over-par round of 79.

Teamwise, Sullivan's supporting cast had a better day than Mozingo's and the Indians left Culpeper with a 5-stroke, 334-339, win over the Blue Devils (0-1).

For Culpeper, Jake Maloy followed Mozingo with a round of 84, while Tommy Jocz fired a 92 and Justin Carlson and Miles Albritton both shot rounds of 94.

Albritton's round went in the books as the one that counted toward the team's total.

Thomas Byberg played in his first-ever varsity match and shot a 99, which score did not count in the team's total.

For Stafford, Sullivan paved the way five strokes ahead of teammate Ryan Brown, who carded an 84. Ryan Smith was one shot back of Brown with an 85 and Jordan Tackett finished with an 86.

Charles Henderson (90) and Adam Brown (97) played but there scores did not count toward the Stafford total.

Over the 18-hole match, Mozingo shot a 3-under-par round on the front nine for a 33 and a 1-over-par round of 36 on the back nine.

Going into number 15, Mozingo was 4-under-par but he bogeyed on both 15 and 17. He missed a birdie on 16 but made what Gray called "a pro shot" on 17 to get out of the rough and back onto the green. This left him with a bogey on 17 but he recovered on 18 when he shot par.

Maloy shot a 42 on both the front and back nines, which Gray called a "good round" and added: "I was real pleased with his play. I know he will improve during the season and strengthen our team."

Gray expects Jocz (92), Carlson and Albritton (94) to all improve as the team gets further into the season.
Byberg's debut at varsity left Gray feeling optimistic about his future.

"He shot a 99 in his first varsity match," Gray said "and he was nervous at first but he will only get better as the season progresses."

Despite the loss to Stafford, Gray was pleased with the team's effort.

"I was very pleased with the performance of our team today," he said. "Their conduct on the course was outstanding. They represented their school and their community well. This team will improve as they  advance into the season."

The season continues for the Blue Devils next Wednesday when they travel to Spotswood to compete in the Spotswood Invitational Tournament where a year ago Culpeper claimed a fifth-place finish among nine total teams.

Mark O'Connell can be contacted at