2025 Cherokee Valley Golf Course Tournament Results

Golfers on the Upstate Amateur Players Tour got a glimpse of spring weather this past Saturday as they competed in the tour’s tournament held at Cherokee Valley Golf Club in Travelers Rest, SC.  

The picturesque Saturday in early March did bring some wind in the afternoon; forcing golfers to give each shot full their full attention down the stretch. During Saturday’s tournament, over $5,200 in cash and VISA gift card prizes were up for grabs.  

Cherokee Valley is a thoughtfully sculpted course, giving golfers a masterfully designed layout with dramatic drops and rises, and incredible views of Glassy Mountain.  

The 18-hole, 6,728-yard, par 72 course was designed by P.B. Dye and delights golfers with scenic water features, championship greens, and meandering fairways that grant new challenges with every round. Best of all, Cherokee Valley is a course that allows golfers to have fun no matter age or level of play. 

The Upstate Amateur Players Tour travels the Upstate of South Carolina and portions of North Carolina, offering golfers of all skill levels a chance to compete in a first-class tournament environment. Featuring ten divisions, including senior divisions, the Upstate Amateur Players Tour is designed by the players, for the players and geared to accommodate any and all golfers looking to compete.  

Here’s a breakdown of the results from Saturday’s tournament at Cherokee Valley: 

Division 1 – Brandyn Norton held off a late charge from Gabe Sanders and Will Sanders to win Division 1 Saturday with a round of 73. Norton made birdie on the par-five 16th hole, proving to be the difference in his one-shot victory.  

Norton added birdies on the front nine, coming on the par-five third hole and par-three sixth hole.  

Gabe Sanders and Will Sanders finished tied for second with rounds of 74. Gabe made two back-nine birdies on Nos. 11 and 13 as he attempted to make a back nine charge. He finished his round with a string of five straight pars to shoot one under on the back nine.  

Will came out firing Saturday, making four birdies in his first seven holes to get to one under par. Will birdied two out of his first three holes before a double bogey on No. 4. He bounced back with a pair of birdies in the next three holes.  

Greg Moore finished fourth with a round of 76, followed by Randy Hodges in fifth with a score of 77.  

Senior Division 1 – An intense battle carried over to the back nine Saturday as Greg Moore and Randy Hodges battled for the top spot in Senior Division 1. In the end, it was Moore who emerged victorious by just a single shot as his round of 76 earned him the honors in the division.  

Moore’s steady day paid off on the back nine as he birdied the par-five 11th and 16th holes to climb the leaderboard. Moore shot one under par on the back nine, solidifying his victory.  

Hodges got off to a hot start that included an eagle on the par-five third hole. He also made birdie on the par-four seventh to take a lead to the back nine after carding an even par 36 on the front nine. Hodges lost several shots on the 13th and 14th holes, dropping him to the runner-up position.  

Norm Russell finished third with a round of 88 that included birdies on the 10th and 12th holes.  

Division 2 – Carlos Santana made quick work of the field in Division 2 on Saturday, leaving the field in the dust as his round of 74 was enough to win by 10 strokes.  

Santana played his back nine in even par after making a pair of birdies on Nos. 10 and 11. He also made birdie on the front nine when he took advantage of the par-five third hole.  

Olive Mauntel and Chris Lombardozzi finished tied for second after carding rounds of 84. Mauntel saved his best golf for the end of his round, making three pars on his final four holes.  

Lombardozzi was tied with the eventual winner after both players shot 38 on the front nine. Lombardozzi also birdied the par-five third hole early in his round.  

AJ Lee, Adam Moore and Kevin Moore finished tied for fourth after all three golfers posted rounds of 85. Lee took advantage of two par fives, one on the front nine and one on the back as he charted the top-five finish.  

Adam Moore led the division in birdies with three on the day, including two through his first seven holes. Along with No. 3, Kevin Moore also made birdie on the par-four 14^th hole.  

As a highlight in the division, Logan Pendergrass made an eagle on the par-five 16^th hole to close his round of 88 off in style. Pendergrass finished tied for ninth in the division.  

Senior Division 2 – Eighteen holes of golf were not enough to determine a winner in Senior Division 2 Saturday, as Wayne Blyler prevailed over Christian Alderucci after both players carded rounds of 86.  

Blyler got off to a solid start on the front nine with six pars to place his name atop the leaderboard. Alderucci birdied the par-three sixth hole to stay within reach on the opening stretch.  

Blyler made a pair of crucial pars on Nos. 15 and 16 to reach the playoff as Alderucci birdied the par-three 15^th hole before a pair of bogeys to close the round.  

Carlos Mojica and Andy Stevenson tied for third place with rounds of 88, just two shots behind the top two players. Stevenson’s lone birdie of the day came on the par-five 16^th hole.  

Brad Anderson rounded out the division in fifth place with a score of 95. 

Division 3 – Seven golfers finished within four shots of the winner in Division 3 Saturday as Timothy Carswell outlasted a crowded field and prevailed in a playoff over Bill Russell.  

Carswell and Russell were tied with rounds of 81 after the day of golf, leading to the playoff in which Carswell won.  

After a sluggish start to his round, Carswell found his groove with a string of four straight pars on the later part of the front nine. His solid play continued on the back nine, paring seven of the nine holes to shoot just 38 on the inward stretch.  

Russell used back-to-back birdies on Nos. five and six to offset two bad holes to start. The Greer native played his best golf from Nos. 13 to 17, playing the five hole stretch in two under par with a pair of birdies.  

Dean Crouch finished third with a round of 82, followed by Darrius Prysock in fourth place with a score of 83.  

Chad Aiken and Tommy Gilbert rounded out the top five in a tie for fifth place with rounds of 85.  

Senior Division 3 – Timothy Carswell and Dean Crouch went toe-to-toe down the stretch in Senior Division 3 as Carswell’s round of 81 earned him the clean sweep of the weekend. Crouch finished close behind, posting a round of 82 to finish just one shot back.  

Carswell’s impressive round that included a score of just two over par, 38 on the back nine, featured 11 pars on the day. Crouch birdied the par-four 13^th hole to play his final six holes in one over par to finish runner-up. 

Chad Aiken shot 85 to finish third, followed by Jeff Best in fourth with a score of 86. Aiken made two front nine birdies, taking advantage of the par-five fifth hole and the par-four seventh hole.  

Travis Blackwell, Daniel Shelbo, Andre Banks, and Jeff Pauley completed the top five in tie for fifth place as all four players posted rounds of 88.  

Division 4 – David Croston put himself in position with a stellar front nine, paving the way for his round of 88 to win Division 4 on Saturday. Croston overcame two double bogies on the front nine to shoot just four over par, 40. The Franklin, NC native birdied the par-five third hole before making four more pars on the front nine.  

Robert Gibson attempted to make a back nine charge as he finished second with a round of 90. Gibson made birdie on the par-three 12^th hole to highlight his round. 

Calvin Carter finished third with a score of 92, followed by Steve Bisson and Marty Brock in a tie for fourth place with scores of 94.  

Senior Division 4 – The same battle played out in Senior Division 4 as David Croston emerged victorious for the sweep of the weekend with his round of 88. Croston’s highlight of the round came on the par-three third hole as he shot an impressive round of 40 on the front nine.  

Robert Gibson finished second in the division with a round of 90. After struggling on the par-five 11^th hole, Gibson bounced back in high fashion with a birdie on the par-three 12^th.  

Calvin Carter finished third with a score of 92. Carter settled into his round on the back nine, paring four of his final seven holes.  

Marty Brock and Darrell Arledge rounded out the top five in the division with rounds of 94 and 97, respectively.  

Division 5 – Chris Smith’s par on the par-four 17^th hole proved to be the difference as he narrowly won Division 5 on Saturday with a round of 92. Smith outlasted runner-up Billy Jones, who finished just one shot back after posting a 93. 

Smith made two pars on the front nine and used the 17^th hole to get his round back on track, making par before making bogey on 18 to secure the win.  

Jones finished second after getting off to a solid start that included three pars on the front nine. Jones made birdie on the par-four 14^th hole before a birdie on the 16^th, but fell just short of the victory.  

Matt Green and Eric Barnes tied for third place in the division with rounds of 95. Tim Kunkel completed the top five with a score of 100. 

Senior Division 5 – Billy Jones was the class of the field in Senior Division 5 as the Archdale, NC native’s round of 93 was more than enough to win Saturday. Jones’ highlight of the round came on the par-four 14^th hole where he made birdie.  

Tim Kunkel finished second in the division with a round of 100, followed by Jimmy Gillespie in third place with a score of 101. Danny Sullivan and Gene Mason rounded out the top five with rounds of 102 in a tie for fourth place.