Tournament Champions
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The Western North Carolina Amateur Players Tour returned to action this past weekend at Silver Creek Golf Club, hosting an elevated event that drew competitors from across both Carolinas.
Nestled in Morganton, NC at the base of the South mountains, Silver Creek Golf Club is a picturesque Tom Jackson design. The 18-hole layout incorporates the scenic beauty of Burke County and also offers a challenge for golfers of all skill sets. The course underwent renovations in 2022, which included the installation of immaculate Bermuda greens.
The Western North Carolina Amateur Players Tour travels throughout the Tar Heel State 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, along with an optional cash skins game. Designed by the players, for the players, the tour strives to create a first-class experience for its competitors.
Here’s a breakdown of the results from Saturday’s tournament by division:
Division 2 – Johnny Moffett’s steady round paid off in a big way as he posted a score of 77 to win Division 2 by just a single stroke. Moffett opened with a one-over par round of 37 on the front nine which featured a birdie on the par-four seventh hole. Down the stretch, Moffett pared five of his final seven holes to secure the victory.
Jeremy Yancey finished second with a round of 78. Yancey attempted to make a back nine charge, birding the par-three 13th hole as he played the closing nine in one-over par, 37.
Chris Lombardozzi came home in third place with a score of 79. Lombardozzi led the division with four birdies on the day, including two in his final four holes.
Scott Dixon and Joshua Hall rounded out the top five in the division in fourth and fifth places with rounds of 84 and 85, respectively.
Division 3 – John Beck saved his best golf for the back nine, playing the closing stretch in even par to shoot 77 and win Division 3 on Saturday. Beck birdied the par-four 10th hole before making an impressive eagle on the par-four 16th hole. Beck’s five-over par round of 77 cleared the field by five strokes.
Frederick Velazquez finished runner-up with a round of 82. His round was highlighted by a birdie on the par-five second hole. Velazquez carded a round of four-over par 40 on the back nine with six pars.
Tim Carswell and Michael Chastain tied for third place with rounds of 84. Carswell finished with two birdies on the day, the last of which came on the par-three 13th hole. Chastain played his best golf on the front nine, making five pars to shoot four-over par on the opening stretch. Andre Banks finished fifth with a round of 85. Banks got off to a solid start to his round, making seven pars on the front nine.
Division 4 – Ryan Riffle’s round of 81 was more than enough to win Division 4 on Saturday, clearing the field by eight strokes. Riffle bounced back after a tough start on the front nine to shoot two-over par 38 on the back nine. Riffle took advantage of the par-five 12th hole, making birdie.
Robert Gibson, Grayson Moody, Daniel Andrews, Eric Seibert, and Ronnie Thornton tied for second place as all golfers carded rounds of 89. Gibson made five pars on the front nine as he shot seven-over par on the opening stretch. Moody saved his best golf for last, making three pars in his final four holes. Andrews made consecutive birdies on the ninth and 10th holes, serving as the highlight of his round. Seibert finished the day with eight pars as Thorton made his lone birdie of the day on the par-three 17th hole.
Division 5 – Seven golfers finished within six shots of the eventual winner in Division 5 as Shane Wright emerged from the crowded field with a round of 92 to take the top honors. Wright made five pars during the round, along with a birdie on the par-four 16th hole.
Vern Verna finished runner-up with a round of 93, just one stroke behind Wright. Verna birdied the par-four ninth hole before making four pars on the back nine. Tim Kunkel and Dick Jenkins finished tied for third place with rounds of 94. Kunkel finished with four pars on the day as Jenkins’ round was highlighted by a birdie on the par-three 17th hole. Brian McMahan rounded out the top five with a round of 96.
Mid-Am (Net) – Gregg Pruitt made seven net birdies en route to a net round of 71 to win the Mid-Am net division on Saturday. Pruitt shot even par on the front nine with four net birdies. He made three birdies in a row on the back nine to shoot one-under par on the closing stretch.
Frederick Velazquez finished runner-up with a net round of even-par 72. Velazquez made five net bridies on the round, including three on the back nine to shoot one-under par on the inward stretch. Grayson Moody finished third with a net round of 73. Moody made five net birdies on the round, including two in a row on the third and fourth holes. Moody also birdied three of his final four holes on the back nine.
Shane Wright finished fourth with a net round of 74, followed by a three-way tie for fifth place including Jeremy Yancey, Jason Cogdill, and Zach Hutchinson as all three carded net rounds of 75.
Senior (Net) – Johnny Moffett and Scott Bryant shared the top spot in the Senior net division as both golfers carded rounds of two-under par 70. Moffett made six net birdies on the round, four of which came on the front nine. Bryant finished with six net birdies and a net eagle, which came on the par-four 16th hole.
Terry Bollenbecker and Vern Verna tied for third place with rounds of 71. Bollenbecker found his groove on the back nine, making five birdies on the closing stretch. Verna made two net eagles and four net birdies to climb the leaderboard and share third place. Ronnie Thornton rounded out the top five in the division with a net round of even-par, 72.
