PLAYOFFS HIGHLIGHT SENIOR AMATEUR TOUR EVENT AT GREENSBORO CC
Posted: 7/16/2010 8:46:07 AM
Greensboro, NC (July 15, 2010) - Gary Schatz plays out of the Charlotte Division of the Senior Amateur Golf Tour in the Championship Flight. He decided to make the trip to Greensboro to play in the Triad Division's event at The Carlson Farm Course of Greensboro Country Club, one of the premier private clubs in North Carolina. Schatz birdied 2 of the last 3 holes to finish with a 2-under 70 which tied his cart-mate - Sanford's Alan Dirk for the top spot in the flight.
The 2 players proceeded out to the par-5, 18th hole to start a sudden-death playoff. Dirk, one of the Tour's longest hitters managed to reach the green in 2 shots. Schatz meanwhile, misread a yardage marker and flew his 3rd shot over the green into the long rough. After barely being able to nudge his ball onto the green, Schatz calmly rolled in the 50-foot putt he had remaining to at least force Dirk to 2-putt for his birdie. Being a veteran Tour member, and no stranger to victory, Dirk managed to do just that, registering the birdie that gave him the win.
A similar scenario occurred in the A Flight, where Wiley Barrett of Southern Pines and Durham's Mike Allison both completed their regulation 18 holes with 73s, while hitting from one tee-box shorter than their Championship Flight counterparts. Their playoff didn't generate quite the drama as the "big-boys", as Barrett was able to take the victory with a par on their 1st playoff hole.
Greensboro's Travis Jones posted one of the best B Flight scores of the season with a 75 for the win. He needed every stroke, as he barely edged Statesville's James Dale by 1 shot. Dale's 76 bettered his next best score on Tour this year (in 15 events) by a full 10 shots. The third B Flight member to break 80 was Gene Martin of Apex who logged a 77.
The C Flight, which normally in any given event will have less than a handful of players break 90, saw 16 of 25 Tour members achieve that milestone in today's tournament. As a matter of fact, not one player in the entire event shot over 95, believed to be a first in the 12-year history of the Senior Tour in the Triad.
Leading the C Flight's parade was Dane McCaffrey of Pinehurst who posted an 83. Nipping right at his heels were Jimmy Dollar of Franklinton and Charlotte's Steve Sutherland, both one stroke back.
"Great golf on a great course - that's what this Tour is all about", said Tour Assistant Tom Kubla. "Next week we've got another private course on the schedule - Bentwinds Country Club near Raleigh. We'll see if the low scores will continue there".
THE SENIOR AMATEUR GOLF TOUR
GREENSBORO COUNTRY CLUB (CARLSON FARM COURSE)
TOP FIVE SCORES BY FLIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP (6,639 yards)
Alan Dirk, Sanford 70
Gary Schatz, Charlotte 70
Randy Coppedge, Greensboro 74
Lawrence Hicks, Greensboro 75
Austin Overby, Raleigh 75
Craig Sturdivant, Sanford 75
A FLIGHT (6,181 yards)
Wiley Barrett, Southern Pines 73
Mike Allison, Durham 73
Cecil Lockley, Creedmoor 74
Mike Daniels, Greensboro 75
Terry Lewis, Albemarle 75
Al Makila, Raleigh 75
B FLIGHT (6,181 yards)
Travis Jones, Greensboro 75
James Dale, Statesville 76
Gene Martin, Durham 77
Vic Robertson, Greensboro 80
Lewis Burgman, Greensboro 80
C FLIGHT (6,181 yards)
Dane McCaffrey, Pinehurst 83
Jimmy Dollar, Franklinton 84
Steve Sutherland, Charlotte 84
Richard Farrington, Graham 85
TJ Warren, Greensboro 85