Tournament Champions
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The Atlanta chapter kicked off a big weekend of golf at Bear’s Best Atlanta on Friday, August 14, with an Elevated event that brought together players from chapters across the country. With increased points available and a field featuring plenty of out-of-town competition, Friday produced everything from a runaway Division 1 victory to a three-player playoff in Division 2.
Division 1 – Rodric Overholt
Rodric Overholt of Upstate South Carolina put together the round of the day, firing a 1-under 71 to take the Division 1 title by nine shots. Overholt was the only player in the division to finish under par and separated himself from the field while the rest battled for position behind him.
Birmingham’s Jay Hayes finished runner-up at +8, while Joe Brooks of Western North Carolina and Gage Basiletti of Florida Southwest tied for third at +9.
Division 2 – Craig Thigpen
Division 2 needed extra golf after Craig Thigpen, Jeff Taylor and Mick Correll all finished regulation at +8. With three different chapters represented in the playoff, the title came down to the first extra hole.
Thigpen, representing Augusta, made par on the par-4 first playoff hole while Taylor and Correll each made bogey, giving Thigpen the victory. Taylor, from Birmingham, and Correll, from Myrtle Beach, shared runner-up honors, while Charlotte’s Travis Wartluft finished just one shot outside the playoff at +9.
Division 3 – Jeff Adams
Atlanta got its first hometown winner of the day in Division 3 as Jeff Adams posted a +7 round to earn the victory by a single shot.
Central Pennsylvania’s Dan Sadler kept the pressure on throughout the round and finished second at +8, while Augusta’s Bill Windsor was another shot back at +9. Aaron Bascomb of Utah finished fourth at +10, and Atlanta’s Steve Sommers rounded out the top five at +12.
Division 4 – Monty Berry
Another Atlanta player found the winner’s circle in Division 4, with Monty Berry posting +12 to edge Augusta’s Jan Gamlin by one shot.
Gamlin finished at +13, while fellow Augusta member Sitty Mendez took third at +15. William Koontz of Maryland finished fourth at +16, and Central Georgia’s Brandon Fowler rounded out the top five at +17. Atlanta’s Paul Kattookaran was also in the mix, finishing sixth at +19.
Division 5 – Don Hamblett
Birmingham’s Don Hamblett took care of business in Division 5, finishing at +25 and holding off Las Vegas visitor Lance Burbank by two shots.
Burbank finished runner-up at +27, while Brendan Daniels of Charleston and John Marshall of Nashville tied for third at +31. Atlanta’s Tyler Reily was among the local players chasing the leaders, finishing tied for fifth at +32.
Mid-Am Net – Aaron Bascomb
Utah’s Aaron Bascomb came out on top in the Mid-Am Net competition with a 1-under net round, the only player in the group to finish below par.
Mick Correll of Myrtle Beach and Central Georgia’s Brandon Fowler tied for second at even par, while Maryland’s William Koontz finished fourth at +1. Atlanta’s Paul Howard Jr. finished as the top local player in the Mid-Am Net standings at +6.
Senior Net – Bill Windsor
After finishing third in Division 3, Augusta’s Bill Windsor added a win in the Senior Net competition with an impressive 7-under net round.
Atlanta’s Jeff Adams and Monty Berry each added another strong finish to their day, tying for second at 5-under after both had already captured their respective division titles. Central Pennsylvania’s Dan Sadler finished fourth at 3-under, followed by Augusta’s Jan Gamlin at 2-under.
The Friday Elevated event set the stage for a full weekend at Bear’s Best Atlanta and showcased what APT competition is all about, with players traveling from chapters across the country to compete head-to-head. Congratulations to all of Friday’s champions and thank you to everyone who made the trip to Atlanta.
