2025 Augusta/Upstate/Charleston Southern Regional – Monticello Golf Club Tournament Results

The Amateur Players Tour brought together some of the region’s top amateur golfers this past weekend for the 2025 Southern Regional, hosted by the Upstate, Charleston, and Augusta chapters.

The two-day elevated event featured fierce competition across two of South Carolina’s premier courses — Tara Golf Club and Monticello Golf Club — both nestled along the shores of Lake Thurmond in McCormick.

Saturday’s opening round was held at Tara Golf Club, a classic layout known for its rolling fairways, towering pines, and challenging elevation changes. The course tested players early with tight approaches and strategically placed bunkers, setting the tone for a weekend where precision and patience would be rewarded.

Sunday’s final round moved to Monticello Golf Club, widely regarded as one of the crown jewels of the Savannah Lakes Village golf community. With its dramatic lake views, open fairways, and demanding back nine, Monticello proved to be a true championship test and the perfect setting for players to battle for divisional titles and Southern Regional bragging rights.

The Amateur Players Tour was designed by the players, for the players, and features five different divisions to accommodate golfers of all skill levels. The Upstate chapter travels the Upstate of South Carolina, along with portions of North Carolina as the Charleston chapter hosts its tournaments in the Palmetto State’s Lowcounty. The two chapters teamed up with the Augusta, GA chapter for the biggest tournament of the year this past weekend, featuring cash and VISA gift card prizes along with an optional cash skins game as well.

Here’s a breakdown of the results from this weekend’s tournament by division:

Division 1 – Rodric Overholt maintained the lead he built on Saturday, firing consecutive rounds of 73 to win Division 1 over the weekend. Overholt made six birdies on the weekend, including two on the front nine of his final round Sunday to shoot even par on the opening stretch. His steady weekend led to a six-shot victory over the field.

David Gibson and Charles Hartley posted scores of eight over par for the two days of play. Gibson recorded rounds of 81 and 71 as Hartley posted a 78 in the opening round before bouncing back with a 74 on the final day. Gibson’s 71 on Sunday included a round of one under par on the back nine, aided by two birdies in a three-hole stretch.

Taylor Gove posted rounds of 76 and 78 to finish fourth, followed by a three-way tie for fifth place including Walker Faust (79-80), Jimmy Popp (79-80), and DJ Freese (77-82).

Senior Division 1 – While Charles Hartley came up just short of the victory in Division 1, the Lizella, GA native took home the top spot in Senior Division 1 with a two-day total of 152. Hartley saved his best golf for the final round, making two birdies on the back nine to shoot one under par on the closing stretch. Hartley’s first round also included stellar play on the back nine, playing the side in even par, featuring a birdie on the par-four 14^th hole.

Jimmy Popp finished second, carding rounds of 79 and 80. Popp settled into his first round with a pair of birdies in the final three holes on the front nine. His second round was highlighted by a birdie on the par-five ninth hole.

Division 2 – Sean Pierce outlasted a crowded field of 20 challengers in Division 2 to win with rounds of 77 and 76. After a slow start to his final round, the Marietta, GA native birdied both the 10^th and 12^th holes at Monticello en route to a round of even par on the back nine. Pierce cleared the field by three strokes over the weekend.

Gaige Starnes finished tied for second alongside Terry Upright. Starnes posted consecutive rounds of 78 as Upright shot 76 and 80. Starnes got off to a hot start on his final nine Sunday, making two birdies in the first four holes. Upright held the first round lead after his 76 on Saturday, which included an impressive round of one over par on the back nine.

Mike Hubert (80-77), Dean Crouch (80-77), Charles Nasworthy (78-79), and James Teston (78-79) tied for fourth place to round out the top five.

Senior Division 2 – Eighteen holes of golf proved not to be enough as a playoff was needed to determine a winner in Senior Division 2. Dean Crouch (80-77), Mike Hubert (80-77), and James Teston (78-79) found themselves tied for the top spot after 36 holes. In the end, it was Crouch who emerged victorious.

Crouch got off to a stealer start to his round on Sunday, playing his first seven holes in one under par. He made five more pars in his final six holes to reach the playoff, where he prevailed to take home the top honors. Hubert made consecutive birdies on holes nine and 10 on Sunday, climbing the leaderboard and eventually reaching the playoff.

Teston held the first round lead with a score of 78 Saturday. After a tough start to the front nine, Teston mounted a charge on the back, birdied the 10^th and 12^th holes. Wayne Blyler and Charles Long tied for fourth place with two-day totals of 165.

Division 3 – Weston Brown built a lead Saturday with a round of 78 and survived a late charge by John Benton to take home the top spot in Division 3 over the weekend. Brown fired a final round 83 to win by one shot over Benton.

Brown’s opening round got off to a fast start, playing the front nine in one under par with a pair of birdies. Brown held a one shot lead going to the final round. Benton, who carded two rounds of 81, made his move on the back nine Sunday making two birdies, including one on the par-four 18^th hole to pull within one stroke of Brown.

Eric Sage finished third with rounds of 79 and 86, followed by Matt Miller in a tie for fourth place with scores of 86 and 81. Bill Windsor and Dirk Krause finished tied for fifth place with scores of 90-79 and 86-83, respectively.

Senior Division 3 – While John Benton came up just short of the top spot in Division 3, his two rounds of 81 were enough to win Senior Division 3 over the weekend. The Aiken, SC native overcame a tough start to his opening round Saturday, playing the back nine in just three over par, 39. Benton’s pair of back nine birdies on Sunday secured his victory by seven strokes over the field.

Dirk Krause finished second with rounds of 86 and 83, followed by Mark Stroupe in third place with scores of 88 and 84. Stroupe finished the weekend strong, playing his final six holes in just one over par on Sunday.

Steve Easler finished fourth with rounds of 90 and 83. Shawn Powers and Tim Carswell finished tied for fifth place with a two-day total of 174. Powers, who posted rounds of 92 and 82, bounced back during the final round with a strong finishing stretch, making three birdies in his final seven holes.

Division 4 – Sitty Mendez built a three-shot cushion in the first round and cruised to victory on Sunday, posting rounds of 80 and 85 to take the top spot in Division 4 over the weekend. The Evans, GA native made two birdies in his opening round, posting rounds of 40 on each side to take a three-shot lead to Sunday. Mendez made eight pars on Sunday, including three in his final five holes to secure the victory.

Ernie Rowland finished second with rounds of 88 and 81. Rowland’s final round included three birdies on the front nine as he shot 39 on the opening stretch. Robert Gibson finished third with rounds of 83 and 87.

Calvin Carter, Austin Hubert and Russell Loyd, Sr. finished tied for fourth place as all three golfers posted a 171 total for the two rounds.

Senior Division 4 – Sitty Mendez made it a clean sweep of the weekend as his rounds of 80 and 85 earned him the top prize in Senior Division 4. Mendez’s opening round featured two birdies, the last of which came on the par-five 13^th hole. After a slow start to the back nine in his final round Sunday, Mendez found his groove again, making three pars in his final five holes.

Ernie Rowland finished second with rounds of 88 and 81. Rowland made a charge during the final round, carding a 39 on the front nine with three birdies. The Aiken, SC native led the division in birdies for the weekend with five.

Robert Gibson finished third after carding rounds of 83 and 87. Calvin Carter and Ronald LaMorte rounded out the top five in fourth and fifth place with rounds of 89-82 and 88-84, respectively.

Division 5 – Jan Gamlin erased a four shot deficit during the final round to reach and playoff and eventually win Division 5 with rounds of 93 and 87 over the weekend. Gamlin found herself tied with Dick Jenkins after 36 holes of play. In the end, it was Gamlin who emerged victorious.

Gamlin saved her best golf for the back nine of the final round, making five pars in her last seven holes to reach the playoff. Jenkins held the lead after the first round with an opening round score of 89. Jenkins played well on the back nine, making five pars in the nine-hole stretch.

Eddie Jordan finished third with scores of 93 and 90. Jordan’s final round was highlighted by a birdie on the par-four sixth hole. Tim Kunkel and Vern Verna finished tied for fourth place, rounding out the top five with a two-day total of 188.

Senior Division 5 – The same battle between Jan Gamlin and Dick Jenkins played out in Senior Division 5, as Gamlin walked away with the victory, posting rounds of 93 and 87 to complete the clean sweep of the weekend. Gamlin reached the playoff with five pars in the final seven holes of Sunday’s round.

Jenkins finished second after the playoff, carding rounds of 89 and 91. Jenkins made seven pars in his final round, five of which came on the back nine to reach the playoff.

Vern Verna finished third with rounds of 96 and 92. Verna made the lone birdie of the division, taking advantage of the par-four first hole at Monticello.

David Key, Sr. and Anna Cyphers-Smith rounded out the top five in the division with rounds of 100-89 and 99-103, respectively.