Holly Springs, NC - (March
21, 2013) Raleigh's Dan Harness made it worthwhile to come out on a
chilly, windy day to compete in The Senior Amateur Golf Tour Devils Ridge
Country Club event today with just one swing of his club. Playing the 130
yard, par 3, 8th hole Harness arched a shot toward the right side of the
green. As soon as it hit the bank on the green and started moving toward
the hole, playing partner Marty Carpenter of Southern Pines said "That's
probably going to win the closest-to-the-pin (prize)". It not only succeeded
in winning that prize, but also dropped smoothly into the cup for Harness' 2nd
career hole-in-one, and his 1st on the Senior Amateur Tour.
"That shot was the
one bright spot of the whole day for me" quipped Harness afterward.
"It was a tough day otherwise". Harness was somewhat modest, as
his 95 under tough conditions did wind up in the upper 50% of the 30 man C
Flight.
Another milestone was
reached in the A Flight as Joe Cox of Apex assured himself of a Tour win in
three consecutive seasons with an 81 for the victory. Cox edged
Fuquay-Varina's Mark McKenna and Zebulon's Dale Casey by a single stroke.
Smithfield's Randy
Robbins made it 2 wins in-a-row in the B Flight. After notching a win at
last week's Foxfire Country Club event, Robbins' 79 was the only score under 80
in the flight. David Niehaus of Whispering Pines was 2 shots back with an
81.
Playing from the Blue
tees in the Championship Flight, Raleigh's Mark Craige turned in the lowest
number of the day with a 75. Johnny Adams of Cary was second with a
77. "In the cold and wind that was one heckuva score from those
tees", stated Tour Director Bruce Hallenbeck.
What surely would have
been the lead story in the C Flight if not for Harness' "ace" was Jim
Tesch's winning score of 83. He was 4 strokes clear of his nearest
competitor, High Point's Richard Hartley, and one of only 3 guys to break 90 in
the Flight (Southern Pines' Marty Carpenter being the other).
Next week brings the
season's 1st Major event for the 2013 season at Brier Creek Country Club.
That event offers double points for all finishes, and an automatic invitation
to the year-ending National Championship event held in Pinehurst in November
for all 4 flight winners. Any amateur golfer over 50 is welcome to join the
Tour and compete next week and all season long "on-Tour". If
interested, call Hallenbeck at 336-495-6556 or email him at behgolf@aol.com.
THE SENIOR AMATEUR GOLF
TOUR
DEVILS RIDGE COUNTRY
CLUB EVENT
TOP FIVE SCORES BY FLIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP (6430
yds)
Mark Craige,
Raleigh 75
Johnny Adams, Cary
77
Ron Hockensmith,
Pinehurst 78
Trip Barclift,
Raleigh 81
Rick LaFata,
Raleigh 83
Doug Michal,
Raleigh 83
A FLIGHT
(6005 yds)
Joe Cox, Apex 81
Mark McKenna,
Fuquay-Varina 82
Dale Casey,
Zebulon 82
Robert Hubbard,
Raleigh 83
Steve Smith,
Pinehurst 83
Jim Alford,
Zebulon 83
Randy Bunn,
Zebulon 83
B FLIGHT
(6005 yds)
Randy Robbins,
Smithfield 79
David Niehaus,
Whispering Pines 81
Gus Alford,
Zebulon 82
Benny Miller,
Raleigh 82
Neil Bleau, Durham
83
Jerry Widdowson,
Durham 83
C FLIGHT
(6005 yds)
Jim Tesch, Raleigh
83
Richard Hartley, High
Point 87
Marty Carpenter,
Southern Pines 89
Dick Schuler,
Pittsboro 90
Dennis Bryant,
Sophia 90