2026 WNC Brights Creek

The Western North Carolina Amateur Players Tour teed it up Monday at one of the Carolinas’ best-kept secrets, as Bright’s Creek Golf Club provided a pristine test of golf in Mill Spring, N.C. 

What began as an overcast morning with lingering fog quickly gave way to sunshine, highlighting immaculate bent grass greens and a championship layout that rewarded precision from tee to green. 

Bright’s Creek Golf Club, designed by renowned architect Tom Fazio, is widely regarded as one of western North Carolina’s premier golf destinations. Tucked into the rolling foothills near Mill Spring, the private course winds through the mountains, offering panoramic views that are as memorable as the golf itself. Fazio has even described Bright’s Creek as one of his favorite designs. 

Accuracy off the tee is essential at Bright’s Creek, where well-placed bunkers and rolling fairways demand precision. Approach shots are equally important, as the large bent grassgreens feature subtle slopes that challenge even the best putters. In pristine condition Monday, the greens rolled fast and true throughout the round. 

The Western North Carolina Amatuer Players Tour travels throughout the Western North Carolina region, offering golfers of all skill levels a chance to compete in one of five different divisions. The tour also features Mid-Am and Senior net divisions, and awards cash and VISA gift card prizes each tournament, along with an optional cash skins game. 

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

Division 1 – Brad Sill birded three of his first five holes, paving the way to a round of three-under par 69 on the top honors in Division 1 on Monday. Sill made three consecutive birdies on the fifth, sixth, and seventh holes to grab an early lead. Sill added two more birdies late in his round on the 15^th and 16^th holes to shoot one-under par on the back nine.  

John Masotti, Joe Brooks, and Nick Karageorgos tied for second place with rounds of 71. Masotti made two birdies on the front nine to open with a two-under par, 34, on the opening stretch. Masotti’s steady day continued on the back, making eight pars. His only bogey of the day came on the downhill par-three 16^th hole.  

Brooks got off to a fast start, playing his first six holes in three-under par. Brooks birdied both par threes on the front nine. He added his final birdie of the day on the par-five 18^th hole. Karageorgos made four birdies on the day, two of which came on the back nine as he attempted to make a late charge.  

Rodric Overholt rounded out the top five in the division with a score of 73. Overholt played the back nine in two-under par, birding the 14^th and 17^th holes. 

Division 2 – JB Anderson’s four birdies in a five-hole stretch paid off in a big way as his round of 73 secured the top spot in Division 2. Anderson birdied the 8^th and 9^th holes before adding two more birdies on the 11^th and 12^th. Down the stretch, Anderson pared seven of his final eight holes to maintain his two-shot advantage over the field.  

Grady Overholt finished second with a round of 75. Overholt battled his way into contention with solid play on the back nine, making eight pars to shoot one-over par. Starting on the sixth hole, Overholt played his final three holes in one-over par with a birdie on the par-three third hole.  

Brayden Anderson and Craig Snider finished tied for third place with rounds of 76. Anderson made four birdies on the back nine, playing a seven-hole stretch from the 11^th to the 17^thin four-under par. Snider made two birdies on the round, including one on the par-five fifth hole, his second to last of the day.  

Josh Johnston and Jeff Ferguson rounded out the division in a tie for fifth place with rounds of 79.  

Division 3 – Steve Easler was the class of the field in Division 3, carding a round of 80 to clear the field by five strokes. Easler made 10 pars on the day, and did not make a score worse than a bogey during his round. Easler made six pars in a five-hole stretch on the back nine, shooting three-over par on the closing stretch.  

Andy Parker and Sonny Smith finished tied for second place with rounds of 85. Parker’s round was highlighted by a birdie on the par-five 14^th hole. Smith took advantage of the par-five 14^th hole, making birdie.  

Matt Miller finished fourth with a score of 86, followed by a three-way tie for fifth place including: Brian Keever, Phil VanGeersdaelen, and Mark Stroupe as all three golfers posted rounds of 87.  

Division 4 – Jeff Best saved his best golf for his final nine holes, making six pars during the closing stretch to win Division 4 with a round of 82. Best played his first five holes in one-over par, birding the par-four 15^th hole before a difficult finish to his opening nine. However, Best found his groove with eight holes remaining, making six pars to secure a three-stroke victory.  

Michael Chastain finished second with a round of 85, highlighted by a pair of birdies. Chastain birdied the par-four second hole along with the par-three 13^th. Calvin Carter came home in third place with a round of 86. Carter was also able to take advantage of the downhill par-three 13^th, making birdie.  

Randy Poplin, Frank Felsburg, and Jason Cogdill rounded out the top five in a tie for fourth place with rounds of 90. 

Division 5 – Matt Salvo made four pars in his final seven holes, proving to be enough to win Division 5 with a round of 90. Salvo played the par threes well during his round, paring three of the four holes. He also pared his final two holes to maintain his three-shot cushion on the leaderboard.  

James Wenz finished runner-up with a round of 93. Wenz made the only birdie in the division, taking advantage of the par-four 11^th hole. George Bright finished third with a round of 95. Bright finished with six pars on the round three of which came on the back nine. Joe Hill finished fourth with a score of 96 followed by Rodney Ferrell in fifth place with a round of 97.  

Mid-Am (Net) – Brayden Anderson and Grady Overholt battled for the top spot in the Mid-Am net division as in the end, it was Anderson who secured the top spot with a round of four-under par 68. Anderson played his best golf on the back nine, making two net eagles and two birdies to shoot six-under par, 30, on the closing stretch.  

Overholt finished with a round of three-under par, 69, just one shot off the pace. Overholt’s steady round included six birdies, three of which came on the inward nine as he shot two-under par, 34. 

Craig Snider finished third with a round of 72. Snider finished with three birdies on the day, including two in a row on the 14^th and 15^th holes. Grady “Chip” Brown and Rodric Overholt finished in fourth and fifth places with rounds of 73 and 74, respectively. 

Senior (Net) – JB Anderson made it a clean sweep on the day as he also won the Senior net division with a five-under par round of 67. Anderson finished with six birdies and one eagle as he shot three-under par, 33, on the front nine. Anderson played the final eight holes of the back nine in three under par, featuring consecutive birdies on the 11^th and 12^th holes.  

Joe Brooks was close behind in second place with a net round of four-under par, 68. Brooks played his best golf on the front nine, making five birdies to post a score of 32 on the opening stretch.  

Jeff Pauley and Matt Salvo tied for third place with even-par rounds of 72, followed by Sonny Smith and Calvin Carter in a tie for fifth place with scores of 73.