2025 The Preserve at Verdae Golf Club Tournament Results

With the month of November now upon us, golfers on the Upstate Amateur Players Tour were treated to another unseasonably warm Saturday afternoon that made a perfect day for golf at the Preserve at Verde. 

Throughout the day of competition, the crowded field competed for nearly $3,000 in cash and VISA gift card prizes. 

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 for cash and VISA prizes at some of the premier courses in the area. The tour also features ten different divisions, including senior divisions, meaning that golfers of all skill levels can compete against others in fair competition. 

Saturday, the golfers encountered a stellar track situated just off I-85 in Greenville County. The 18-hole championship layout by Willard Byrd is both scenic and challenging, offering the tournament field an exceptional outing and experience. 

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

Division 1 – TJ Hines played his final five holes of the day in one under par to solidify his win in Division 1 with a round of 77. Hines made his lone birdie of the day on the par-five 14^th hole before closing with four straight pars. Butch Longcoy finished second with a round of 79. Longcoy made a late charge with two birdies in his final three holes, but they were offset by a pair of bogeys. BJ Humphries finished third with a round of 82, followed by Darryl Phelps who finished fourth with a score of 92.  

Division 2 – Bob Grove bounced back from a double bogey with a pair of birdies in his final four holes to win Division 2 on Saturday. Grove’s round of one over par was five shots clear of the field, as his steady day consisted of four birdies and 10 pars. Chris Lombardozzi shot 78 to finish second. Lombardozzi found his groove on the back nine, playing his final eight holes in even par, featuring a birdie on the par-five 15^th hole. Matt Miller and Trent Whitfield tied for third place with rounds of 80, followed by Weston Brown in fifth who carded a round of 84.  

Senior Division 2 – Bob Grove’s margin of victory was even more comfortable in Senior Division 2 as his round of 73 allowed him to take the clean sweep on the weekend. Grove’s impressive round included four birdies, two on the front nine and two more on the closing stretch. Trent Whitfield finished second in the division with a round of 80. Whitfield closed the front nine with a birdie on the par-five ninth hole before making another birdie on the par-four 12^th hole.  

Division 3 – Locked in a tight battle down the stretch, Cody Markovich’s birdie on the par-five closing hole proved to be the difference as he won by a single shot with a score of 81. Markovich’s closing birdie was his only of the day, as Michael Shirley finished as runner-up just one shot behind with a round of 82. Shirley made two back nine birdies, including one on the par-four 12^th and the par-five closing hole, however, a bogey on the 17^th hole left him one shot behind. Chad Aiken finished third with a round of 84, followed by Richard Nota and Steve Easler who tied for fourth place with rounds of 86. 

Senior Division 3 – Despite a pair of double bogeys on the back nine, Richard Nota won by the narrowest of margins with a round of 86 in Senior Division 3. Nota made birdie on the par-three 11^th hole before making four pars in his final seven holes. John Benton was close behind with a round of 87 in second place. Benton played his best golf on the back nine with six pars, including four in the last five holes. Dan Eastep finished third with a round of 89. Jeff Best and Myron Samuels rounded out the top five with rounds of 90 and 91, respectively.  

Division 4 – Robert Gibson’s birdie on the par-four 17^th hole proved to be the difference as he claimed the top spot in Division 4 with a round of 84. Gibson also made birdie on the par-five fifth hole during his front nine. Djuan Johnson finished runner-up with a round of 85. Johnson’s round included two birdies, one on the front nine and one on the back nine. Steve Thomas, Shane Baldwin, and Scott Bryant tied for third place with rounds of 92 to round out the top five.  

Senior Division 4 – The same battle played out in Senior Division 4 on Saturday, as Robert Gibson prevailed over Djuan Johnson by just one shot with a round of 84. Gibson made two birdies on the day, including one on the par-four 17^th hole to close the round. Steve Thomas and Scott Bryant tied for third place with rounds of 92 as Calvin Carter rounded out the top five with a score of 93. 

Division 5 – Marty Brock saved his best golf for the end of his round, making three pars in his final five holes to win Division 5 with a round of 94. Brock made birdie on the par-four 12^th hole, sparking his solid play down the stretch. Dick Jenkins finished second with a round of 96, followed by Tim Kunkel who shot 98. Kyle Macklin and Michael Addison rounded out the top five with rounds of 99 and 100, respectively. 

Senior Division 5 – Marty Brock made it a clean sweep with a victory in Senior Division 5 with his round of 94. Brock’s highlight of the round came on the par-four 12^th hole with a birdie. Dick Jenkins finished second with a round of 96. Jenkins made consecutive pars on the back nine to climb the leaderboard and reach the runner-up position. Tim Kunkel finished third with a round of 98, followed by Vern Verna with a round of 101. Bubb Atkinson rounded out the top five with a round of 106.