HARRIS TEETER EVENT PROVIDES MANY HIGHLIGHTS!
Posted: 7/18/2009 10:11:25 AM

Elby Hatfield wins "C" Flight!
Fuquay-Varina, NC (July 16, 2009) - So many different story lines emerged from today's Harris Teeter Senior Tour event held at Bentwinds Country Club that's it's hard to decide which to highlight first. There was a four-man, five hole playoff to determine 1st place in the A Flight. The Championship flight saw one member rack-up 7 birdies during his round, including 5 in-a-row, enroute to a 5-under 67 and a runaway victory. A B - Flight Tour member posted a Harris Teeter scoring record with a 72 which also resulted in a blow-out win.
But even with all those fireworks going off, probably the most improbable effort of the day belonged to Spring Lake's Billy Lunsford.
Due to the shotgun-start format of the event, Lunsford's 1st hole to play was the par-3, 139 yard, 11th. On his first swing of the tournament, he arched the ball over a mound guarding the front of the green with a 7-iron. When he and his playing partners got to the green, nobody saw Lunsford's ball. There was a good reason - it had nestled nicely into the cup for his 1st career "ace".
"I started first playing when I was 18", said Lunsford, "but I didn't really start playing seriously until about 3 years ago. This is quite a thrill".
Lunsford also picked the right hole to do it on, as this was one of the closest-to-the-pin holes. Needless to say, it also held-up for a "skin".
The Championship Flight "birdie-machine" was Sanford's Alan Dirk, a past Harris Teeter Tour National Champion. His score also left him only 2-strokes short of the course record. Chuck Ingram, also from Sanford, and Brent Massey of Zebulon were both 5 strokes back at an even-par 72.
Four players tied for the top spot in the A Flight, which, as in all Harris Teeter events, means the combatants headed back out to the course for a sudden death playoff. Greenville's Pat Kelly and Durham's Phil Solesky dropped out of contention quickly, but Raleigh's Al Makila and Lewisville's Mike Smith played on for 5 holes with Makila emerging as the winner.
Marshall Wolfe of Clemmons not only won the $180 gift certificate for finishing 1st in the B Flight, he also won a "battlefield-promotion" to the A Flight with his stunning 72. Wolfe, who had previously competed in the A Flight until a rash of high scores moved his Tour Handicap into B Flight range, shot his lowest all-time Tour score by 4 strokes (including his "A" Flight tenure). His even-par score gave him a more than comfortable 7 stroke cushion over 2nd place finisher Michael Kang of Cary, who was competing in his very first Tour event.
"Looks like Michael is going to be very competitive out here", mentioned Tour Director Bruce Hallenbeck.
One of the Tour's most veteran players, Elby Hatfield of Archdale took top honors in the C Flight with an 82. He didn't have a stroke to spare either, nipping Youngsville's Jeff Brown by only 1.
THE HARRIS TEETER SENIOR GOLF TOUR
BENTWINDS COUNTRY CLUB EVENT
TOP FIVE SCORES BY FLIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP (6,355 YDS)
Alan Dirk, Sanford 67
Chuck Ingram, Sanford 72
Brent Massey, Zebulon 72
Austin Overby, Raleigh 74
Bruce Barnhart, Fayetteville 76
Rick Luzar, Pinehurst 76
Frank Boone, Apex 76
A FLIGHT (5,988 YDS)
Al Makila, Raleigh 75
Mike Smith, Lewisville 75
Pat Kelly, Greenville 75
Phil Solesky, Durham 75
Fred Hollinger, Cary 77
Jimmy Jarrell, Greensboro 77
Dee Blankenhorn, Raleigh 77
B FLIGHT (5,988 YDS)
Marshall Wolfe, Clemmons 72
Michael Kang, Cary 79
David Teal, Fayetteville 80
Matthew Allen, Raleigh 81
Neil Bleau, Durham 82
Richard Pfister, Pittsboro 82
C FLIGHT (5,988 YDS)
Elby Hatfield, Archdale 82
Jeff Brown, Youngsville 83
TJ Warren, Greensboro 86
Benny Miller, Raleigh 86
Charlie Williams, Autryville 86