Chris Bloebaum, Terry Desmond, Hal Moore, Gary Nivens, Sam Wynn all won the 2025 Senior Amateur Tour Smoky Mountain Regional hosted by Sequoyah National Golf Club in Cherokee, NC 

The regional tour series continued the 2025 Senior Amateur Tour Season at Sequoyah National hosting the fifth regional contest on May 13 and14th. Competitors from 14 local tours all traveled in to take on the demanding course carved out of the mountains of Cherokee, NC. Competition among the field of 84 participants did not disappoint and each of the five flight winners punched their ticket to the 2025 National Championship this October!

Charlotte Championship Flight player, Jay Barnes, carded a two-stroke lead over the field with a one under 71 on day one. Barnes, the points leader in Charlotte, had three birdies on the day. Two competitors, Scott Roberts, also from Charlotte and Chris Bloebaum from Central North Carolina started the second day two back from Barnes. It was Bloebaum with 2 birdies that played his way into a play-off with Barnes to determine the championship. Bloebaum was victorious on the first hole playoff to take the 900 points and the Champ Flight trophy. Barnes took second place and Roberts finished third.

In the A Flight, Terry Desmond of Columbus, OH jumped out to a hot start on day one, driving the green on his first hole (#4) and draining 4 birdies to card an Even Par, 72. The next closest competitor was 7 shots back. Desmond cruised to the trophy on the second day clearing the field by 9 shots (152 total). Charlotte Tour’s Masa Kokubu took second place with a consistent 80-81 (161) performance and four players jammed up for a tie for third (164 Total): Mike Gonsalves (Eastern NC); Bradley Maxwell (Columbus, OH); Billy Cauthen (Charlotte); Johnny Moffett (Charlotte).

Eastern NC’s Hal Moore, set the pace in the B Flight with a solid 80 supported by one birdie on day one. The field was all bunched up just two shots back of Moore. On day two, several players charged up the leaderboard including Charlotte’s Kevin Lepage, who sunk two birdies on the day and closed the gap with a final 79. Moore bested his performance from the first day with a one-birdie final day 79 (159 total) to take the trophy and the ticket to Nationals. Lepage finished second (166), with James Smith, of Nashville finishing third (167) and three players tying for 4th place: Doug Chapman (Michigan); Jack Ortman (Charlotte); Gary Vaughn (Jacksonville).

In the C Flight, Tim Wall (Eastern NC) matched his best round of the 2025 season with a handy 82, supported by one birdie on day one. The field was two strokes back starting the second day and Charlotte’s Gary Nivens, climbed from a 7-shot deficit to finish the day tied with Wall for a playoff. Nivens took the play off and the trophy back to Charlotte. Sam Patel (Charlotte) also made a charge on the second day fueled by his FIRST HOLE-IN-ONE on number 17. Patel finished in a tie for third and carded a nice 81. Bart Cragen of Eastern NC tied with Patel. 

In the D Flight, James Marty (Charlotte) set the pace on day one with a one-birdie 91. The field started day two bunched up and the winner was determined by a wild day two finish with Richard Pfister (Central Carolina) and Sam Wynn (Charlotte) tangling up with total scores of 182 and a playoff. Wynn went on to take the ticket to Nationals and the 900 points home for the overall points season lead in Charlotte. Chris Webb (Augusta) finished just 3 shots back with a total 185 for third place and Phil Smith of Arkansas finished in fourth place.

The Golfweek Amateur Tour operates Local Tours in over 45 markets across the country and hosts both one-day and two-day tournaments. To get your tour card, visit www.amateurgolftour.net, complete the Join the Tour form, pay your annual membership, and become part of the oldest and largest nationwide amateur golf tour in the United States as we enter our 31st season. The Senior Amateur Tour also hosts one-day and two-day tournaments in over 25 markets nationwide and is open to players 50 years of age and older. Consider joining us by visiting www.senioramateurgolftour.net, completing a Join the Tour form, and paying your annual membership for our 27th season.

Left to Right: Chris Bloebaum (Central Carolina) - Champ Flight
Terry Desmond (Columbus, OH) - A Flight
Hal Moore (ENC) - B Flight
Gary Nivens (Charlotte, NC) - C Flight
Sam Wynn (Charlotte, NC) - D Flight