Tournament Champions
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Morning showers gave way to a beautiful day for golf on Saturday as the Upstate Amateur Players Tour made its yearly trip to Cherokee Valley Golf Club in Travelers Rest, SC.
Throughout the day at Cherokee Valley, Glassy Mountain provided a picturesque and challenging backdrop for the tournament, featuring dramatic elevation changes and sweeping views of the surrounding landscape.
Cherokee Valley Golf Course, an 18-hole, par-72 layout that stretches 6,728 yards, was designed by renowned architect P.B. Dye. With scenic water features, winding fairways, and championship-style greens, the course presents a variety of challenges that test golfers of every skill level while still offering an enjoyable round.
The Upstate Amateur Players Tour travels the Upstate of South Carolina, along with portions of North Carolina and Georgia as well, offering golfers of all skill levels a chance to compete in one of five different divisions. The tour awards cash and VISA gift card prizes to its winners each tournament and also offers an optional cash skins game.
Here’s a breakdown of the results from Saturday’s tournament by division:
Division 1 – Jackson Hill and Dylan Lancaster found themselves locked in a close battle on the back nine. In the end, it was Hill who secured the victory with a round of 73. Hill kept his scorecard clean on the front nine, making just one bogey. He made two birdies on the back nine en route to a round of even par on the closing stretch.
Lancaster finished one stroke behind in second place. Lancaster made three birdies on the day, including two on the front nine as he and Hill were tied after the opening stretch.
Joe Brooks got off to a hot start and posted a round of 82 to finish third. Brooks birdied his first two holes of the day as he shot two-over par on the front nine. Carlos Santana and Christopher White rounded out the top five in the division in fourth and fifth places with rounds of 82 and 84, respectively.
Division 2 – Ten golfers finished within five shots of the winner in Division 2 on Saturday, as Scott Dixon emerged from a crowded field with a round of 79 to claim the top spot. Dixon made five birdies on the day, including four on the front nine to shoot one-under par on the opening nine holes.
Adam Moore was close behind, firing a round of 80 to finish in the runner-up position. Moore’s round included three bridies. His final came on the par-five 16th hole as he played his last four holes in even par.
David Krumenacker finished third with a round of 81. Krumenacker had an impressive front nine, making eight pars as he shot two-over par, 38. Dan Eastep and Chris Joyner finished tied for fourth place, rounding out the top five with scores of 82.
Division 3 – John Beck pared three out of his last four holes, proving to be the difference in his victory over the field in Division 3 with a round of 81. Beck made two early birdies on the round and buckled down on the closing stretch to secure a one-stroke victory.
John Perron was close behind in second place with a round of 82. Perron saved his best golf for the back nine, playing the stretch in just three-over par with a birdie on the par-five 11th hole.
David Croston carded a round of 83. Croston got off to a hot start, making six pars on the front nine. His lone birdie of the day came on the par-four 14th hole. Cody Markovich and Allen Hagen tied for fourth place with rounds of 82.
Division 4 – Russell Loyd Sr. saved his best golf of the day for the back nine, making four pars on the closing stretch to record a round of 85 and win Division 4. Loyd finished the round with eight pars. His round of 41 on the back nine cleared him by three strokes over the field.
Zach Hutchinson shot 88 to finish second. Hutchinson attempted to make a back nine charge and closed his round with three pars in his final four holes. Bobby Worthman shot 89 to finish in third place. Deno Contos shot 92 to finish fourth. Contos’ round was highlighted by a birdie on the par-three second hole. Grayson Moody rounded out the top five in fifth place with a score of 93.
Division 5 – Gene Mason was the class of the field in Division 5, posting a round of 90 as he won by seven strokes. Mason finished the round with three pars and a birdie, which came on the par-five ninth hole. Mason shot an impressive round of 42 on the front nine.
Tim Kunkel and Rodney Ferrell tied for second place with rounds of 87. Ferrell made one of only three birdies in the division, taking advantage of the par-four opening hole.
Dick Jenkins finished fourth with a round of 99, followed by Michael McGill and Terry Bollenbecker in fifth place with rounds of 101.
Mid-Am (Net) – Zach Chapman took home the top spot in the Mid-Am Net division, carding a net round of 70 to win by one stroke. Chapman made five net birdies, a net eagle, and a net hole-in-one on the par-three 12th hole.
John Beck and Zach Hutchinson were close behind in second place with rounds of 71. Beck made two net birdies to close his round on the final two holes as Hutchinson made seven net birdies on the day.
Adam Moore finished fourth with a net round of 73, followed by Weston Brown, Brayden Anderson, Cody Markovich, and Frederick Velazquez who all tied for fifth place with net rounds of 77.
Senior (Net) – Gene Mason made it a clean sweep of the weekend, carding a net round of three-under par 69 to win the Senior Net division. Mason made three net birdies and a net eagle on the front nine to shoot four-under par 32.
Scott Dixon finished in the runner-up position with a round of 70. Dixon made two net birdies and four net eagles on the day.
John Perron and David Croston tied for third place with rounds of 71 as Allen Hagen rounded out the top five with a net round of 74 in fifth place.
