This year’s LPGA Futures Tour Eagle Classic started with a military salute and flyover so it should come as no surprise that the most energizing force the tournament has ever seen came in the form of a player named Lyberty.

  She is considered the future of golf but over two days at Richmond Country Club, 15-year-old Lyberty Anderson also played the role of a major contributor to the success of the event for years to come.

  For the past three years, Richmond Country Club pro and Futures Tour event organizer Matthew Schulze has felt the tournament needed a local entrant to really make the championship grow. For the past two years, Schulze has felt that that perfect entrant would be Anderson. Schulze finally got his wish when Anderson agreed to compete in this year’s Eagle Classic. From that moment on the anticipation began to build.

  “I talked to her dad one day last week and he said, ‘I think we’ll have a fair amount of people following her’,” Schulze said on Saturday.

  Previous Futures Tour events at RCC had seen the largest galleries of possibly 20-30 fans following the leaders in the final round. For a Friday opener, a group of 10 following a single group of players would be considered substantial. When Anderson began play on the 10th tee Friday morning, a gallery of approximately 30 was watching. By the end of the day that group had grown to nearly 50.

  “She had a following with her when she started and they stayed with her,” Schulze said.

  Likewise, with Anderson shooting even par on the first day it was a dream come true for Schulze because he knew it would draw more spectators to the Saturday round.

  “It’s been exactly what we thought it would have been,” Schulze said. “I think it confirms a true local amateur versus regional amateur, what a difference.”

  Anderson’s presence and spectacular weather combined to create a record crowd on Friday, but that number was quickly surpassed on Saturday for her second round of play.

  “Yesterday’s attendance was more than we’ve had on any single day in three years,” Schulze said. “Today we were higher again, so we set another record for attendance.”

  A gallery of nearly 75 fans surrounded the first tee as Anderson’s day got under way, but those numbers continued to grow. Coming down the 9th fairway, Anderson’s following had grown to over 100.

  Throughout the course on Saturday, if a spectator displayed a questioning look it was obvious what they were going to ask; “Where is Lyberty Anderson?”

  Henrico’s Stephen Halsey came to the event specifically to watch Anderson play. He along with his young daughter Sara and son Thomas caught up with Anderson on the fourth tee and Halsey quickly ushered his daughter to a good viewing point. “I’ve been trying to get the kids hooked on golf,” he said. “I’ve been a golfer for 30 years. I’m trying to get one of the kids corrupted.”

  Sara, who attends St. Mary’s, enjoyed the opportunity to watch a player only a few years older than herself compete in a professional tournament. “It’s inspiring to watch them,” she said. “It makes you want to play golf more.”

  Halsey was not sure which impressed him more, Anderson or her following. “This is cool,” he said. “Guys out here; professionals and trying to get on the tour and she’s a 15-year-old high school girl from Richmond and she’s got the biggest crowd out here.”

  Saturday marked Halsey’s first visit to the Futures Tour event, but he said it will not be his last. “It’s great so far,” he said. “It’s very impressive.”

  Halsey’s reaction was on par with many others who were making their first trip to RCC for a Future’s Tour event. Though they came to watch Anderson play, they left with the knowledge that there was some exceptional golf taking place across the course and it was truly a spectator event. As such, Anderson’s impact on the tournament will provide long term results.

  Even though Anderson stumbled in the second round, that too could show rewards for the future of the event. With Anderson struggling, some among her gallery took the opportunity to find appreciation among many of the other players in the tournament.

  Goochland’s Laureen Mertz and her seven year old daughter Amy set up camp on the benches by the 9th green. Mertz did not come out to see Anderson but instead to watch the professionals en masse. “My daughter’s interested in learning about golf and she’s really impressed by the girls that are so good,” she said.

  Mertz was not only enthralled by the level of play she witnessed but how close fans could get to the action. “I wish I would have known how this was, we would have been here earlier today.” The pair along with Laureen’s husband already had plans to return on Sunday.

  Professional golfer Mesha Levister boasted one of the largest galleries other than Anderson. The Petersburg resident, who became the first black player to win the Virginia State Golf Association Women’s Amateur Championship in 2004, was followed by a large group of family members. “We’re really proud of her,” said Christopher Leonard who had made the trek from Louisburg, NC to watch his sister play. “This is a once in a lifetime thing.”

  Leonard, who has been to four different Futures Tour events this year was impressed by Eagle Classic. “The facility is really well organized and people her are real nice,” he said. “It’s ran very well.”

  But more than anything else, Leonard was impressed by the level of play he witnessed. “I played college baseball and I could hit the (heck) out of the ball,” he said. “Movement, read it, tell you what somebody’s throwing. But (hitting) that (golf) ball sitting still is truly amazing.”

Photos from day two of the Eagle Classic