Whitsett, NC (June 19, 2014) - Over 100 players showed up to play the Senior Amateur Golf Tour event at Stoney Creek Golf Club with temperatures also pretty close to that 100 mark. Despite the heat, scores across the board were impressive. It took a very low number to be "in the money" in 3 of the 4 flights.
"The heat must have helped these guys hit the ball a long way", mused Tour Director Bruce Hallenbeck, "because this is a fair but challenging golf course".
Leading the parade of flight winners with strong efforts was Raleigh's Rick LaFata who fired a 1-over 72 to grab the top spot in the A Flight. He edged Winston-Salem's Jim Blaylock by a single shot. The top six players in the flight were separated by only 4 strokes.
The B Flight saw Sanford's Dick Kuehl out-duel Cary's Chris Riggsbee in a sudden death shootout after both shot 76s in regulation play. Kuehl made quick work of it on the first hole of the playoff with a par when Riggsbee failed to get up & down from a green-side bunker.
John Henely bettered his best score of the 2014 season by 7 strokes in taking the C Flight crown with an 80. "John had failed to break 90 in 10 of his last 12 Tour outings", said Hallenbeck, "it was good to see him break through. Henely needed every good shot he hit as he bettered Zebulon's Willie Brady by one shot.
In the Championship Flight multiple Tour winner Craig Sturdivant again proved to be the class of the field with a 74 that nipped Greensboro's David Coolidge by a single shot. "Although Craig and the other Championship Flight guys play from tees that are considerably longer that the other flights, his consistency this year has been very impressive. Going into each event I like his chances", said Hallenbeck.
The next Tour stop is the season's 3rd Major Championship at Pinewood CC in Asheboro. That event is sold out.
THE SENIOR AMATEUR GOLF TOUR
STONEY CREEK GOLF CLUB EVENT
TOP FIVE SCORES BY FLIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP (6327 yds)
Craig Sturdivant, Sanford 74
David Coolidge, Greensboro 75
Joey Moffitt, High Point 77
James Dill, Cary 77
Arch Reed, Pinehurst 79
Mike Hallisey, Colfax 79
A FLIGHT (5983 yds)
Rick LaFata, Raleigh 72
Jim Blaylock, Winston-Salem 73
Jim Powers, Advance 74
Tom Fagerli, Yadkinville 75
Steve Williams, Reidsville 76
Randy Bunn, Zebulon 76
Joe Preirie, Asheboro 76
B FLIGHT (5983 yds)
Dick Kuehl, Sanford 76
Chris Riggsbee, Cary 76
Dick Schuler, Pittsboro 77
Glenn Wright, Pittsboro 77
Patrick Warren, Chapel Hill 80
Parker Whitt, Winston-Salem 80
Dawson Strider, Advance 80
C FLIGHT (5983 yds)
John Henely, Pinehurst 80
Willie Brady, Zebulon 81
Anselmo Arellano, Greensboro 83
Charles Gunn, Greensboro 83
Doug Harvey, Knightdale 85
Richard Glick, Raleigh 85