They were once Washington area schoolboy rivals. But these days, Sheldon Buytenhuys gives Jason Pool swing advice.
Last weekend at River Creek, when Pool, a former Virginia AAA state champion at Langley, won the 36th Northern Virginia Amateur, he credited Buytenhuys, a former Churchill standout, now a teaching pro at Trump National.
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Pool, 33, a member at River Bend, shot 68-74-73 — 215 to beat Blair Johnson (Chantilly National) by two strokes, winning the tournament for the first time after runner up finishes in 2001 (to Brian Quackenbush) and 2005 (to Dan Hosek).
“It was nice, especially being so close before,” said Pool. “It kind of came out of the blue. I had not been playing well all year.”
Helping spark the turnaround was a session with Buytenhuys Thursday night. The next day, Pool shot a 4-under-par 68 to take a lead that he held for much of the tournament.
“Sheldon showed me video,” said Pool. “My footwork was sloppy. It’s something I’ve always had to fight — my lower body being too active.”
With a “quieter” swing, Pool, a resident of Dunn Loring, enjoyed solid ball striking throughout the tournament. Making four birdie putts from outside 20 feet in the first round also helped.
In Sunday’s final round, when playing partners Pat Talent (Westwood), Ryan McFarland (River Creek), and Ryan Patrick (Hidden Creek) faded badly, shooting a combined 21-over-par, Pool had little idea where he stood with the rest of the field. His lone pursuer turned out to be Johnson (75-71-71 — 217), who jumped into contention with back-to-back birdies at No. 12 and 13.
Pool was missing greens, but survived with a hot putter, playing the first 14 holes of the final round in even par. On No. 15 trouble loomed as his drive came to rest in a divot. Pool hit his approach on the par 4 hole into a hazard, but minimized the damage with a 30-yard pitch to within four feet and a bogey-saving putt.
No. 17, a taxing 224-yard par 3, provided the final margin. After Johnson, playing a group ahead, made a bogey, Pool saved par with a clutch 12-foot putt.
“I didn’t hit the ball very well in the last round,” said Pool. “It was a combination of having the lead and going back to some old habits. But I made some putts and held it together.”
