Week After Claiming Kalkreuth, Bilby Bags West Virginia Open Championship

Jul 29, 2023

Current Marshall student Ryan Bilby, pictured with the 90th annual West Virginia Open Championship trophy after winning the event on Friday, July 28 at Berry Hills Country Club.

CHARLESTON – When you’re hot, you’re hot.

If that old adage is true, then Ryan Bilby is sizzling right now. The Marshall University junior-to-be carded a 5-under Friday to cap an outstanding three days of golf to win the 90th annual West Virginia Open Championship.

The Follansbee native and Brooke High graduate shot 10-under for the tournament, which was two shots better than Mason Williams of Bridgeport, W.Va.

Only one other golfer, Scott Depot’s Christian Brand, finished in the red at the 6,345-yard, par-70 Berry Hills Country Club.

“They say it’s all about getting hot and riding the wave,” Bilby said in a telephone interview late Friday. “I putted phenomenal all week. I hit the ball good but not great.”

When asked if it had sunk in yet that he was the champion, Bilby quickly replied “no it hasn’t.”

“It doesn’t seem real, but it is very much so.”

Bilby, who won the Kalkreuth Amateur championship flight and best-ball last weekend at the Jones Course in Oglebay Park in a playoff, fired a 68 on Wednesday and was tied with three others for the lead. He was minus-3 on the front nine and eagled No. 4.

On Thursday, Bilby carded a 67 that featured five birdies. His 135 was tied with Williams as the two headed to the final 18 holes on Friday.

The 20-year-old Bilby had a pair of birdies and seven par’s for a 34 on the front nine, but trailed Williams by one shot at the turn.

A bogey on No. 10 left him two shots back, but a birdie on No. 12 and a bogey by Williams made it a match.

An eagle on the par-5 No. 13 turned out to be the key shot, not only of the day Friday but the tournament, as it propelled him to the lead and he birdie No. 17 to secure the win.

“That eagle kick-started me for the stretch run,” he noted. “That jumped me ahead.”

Bilby credited his play at Marshall as being the reason he’s playing so well this summer.

“I’ve definitely become a better golfer since I’ve gone to college,” he said. “We play a lot of 36-hole, 14-hour days. It’s a grind, grind, grind. It’s made me mentally stronger.”

Five other northern panhandle golfers took part with Wheeling’s Bryan Myers shooting a 218 to tie for 25th. It was Myers who lost to Bilby in a playoff last weekend after capturing the Bordas & Bordas Amateur and W.Va. Seniors championships earlier in the summer.

Wheeling’s Thadd Obecny II tied for 31st at 221, which was five shots better than Wheeling’s Noah Seivertson.

Wheeling’s Jacob Nickell finished in a tie for 44th at 228. Wheeling’s Dan Ackerman carded a 231 which was tied for 52nd.

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