Tournament Champions
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The Charlotte Amateur Players Tour opened its 2027 season on Saturday, October 24, 2026 at Carolina Lakes Golf Club, and the first of the season’s Charlotte amateur golf tournaments delivered a scorecard playoff in Division 1 and a breakthrough winner in Division 5. A field of 42 players competed across five divisions, with the Mid-Am Net and Senior Net games running alongside them. Players are flighted into divisions based on their APT Tournament Index.
The golf course was in great shape for the opener, and it asked its hardest questions early. The par-4 2nd was the toughest hole on the property, surrendering no birdies all day and playing better than a shot and a half over par, while the par-4 1st was nearly as stubborn. The short holes were where the field found relief: the par-3 7th gave up three birdies and 22 pars, the gentlest hole on the card.
Conditions were cool, windy and sunny, and with the course in that kind of shape the breeze was the only real defense left — just one player in the field broke 76 all day.
In Division 1, Kris Laird and Michael Thornburg could not be separated over 18 holes, both signing for 4-over 76, and the title went to a scorecard playoff. Laird claimed the trophy on the card, with the prize money split between the two. Thornburg had looked the likelier winner for most of the day — he was three clear of Laird after six holes and still ahead at the turn, going out in even-par 36 with birdies at the par-5 6th and the par-3 7th, and he added a third at the par-4 15th. Laird, meanwhile, answered where it mattered most. Three over at the turn, he came home in 1-over 37, birdied the par-5 13th after an earlier birdie at the par-4 8th, and played the closing six holes in even par to draw level. Chuck Floyd of Fort Mill, SC was in the thick of it as well, three ahead of Laird after six and two clear at the twelfth before a 6-over 42 on the inward half left him third at 7-over 79. Floyd’s round featured 14 pars. Three players finished within five shots of the lead.
Division 2 belonged to Marc Janse van Rensburg of Charlotte, NC, who posted a 13-over 85 to take the win on the opening Saturday of the season.
Division 3 produced the low round of the day. Phil VanGeersdaelen of Huntersville, NC went out in 1-over 37, came home in 2-over 38 and signed for a 3-over 75, built on 13 pars and a birdie at the par-5 13th, for a four-shot win. Chris Edmands of Indian Land, SC gave chase but fell short, never getting closer than three after the twelfth; Edmands turned in 4-over 40, came back in 3-over 39 and made birdies at the par-4 9th and the par-3 12th for a 7-over 79 and runner-up honors. Michael Mullins of Huntersville, NC took third at 10-over 82 after one of the best turnarounds of the day — 9-over 45 on the front, then 1-over 37 coming home with birdies at the par-4 11th, the par-5 13th and the par-4 15th.
Division 4 was a four-man scrap through twelve holes. Keegan Jerabek of Charlotte, NC trailed by two after six, had the lead level at the twelfth with three players tied with him, and then pulled two clear over the next three holes to win by three with a 16-over 88. Derrick Ray and Peter Brenner, both of Charlotte, NC, and Tony Pharr of Mint Hill, NC all finished tied for second at 19-over 91. Six players finished within five shots of the winner.
Anthony Johnson of Blythewood, SC broke through for his first career victory with the Amateur Players Tour, winning Division 5 by a single stroke with a 25-over 97. Johnson, who plays out of the Charleston chapter, led after six and had stretched the margin to seven by the twelfth, then had to hold on as the division closed in — Steve Key of Fort Mill, SC and Terry Bollenbecker of Harrisburg, NC had cut it to three with three to play, and both finished at 26-over 98 in a tie for second. Four players ended the day within two shots of the win.
Jerabek completed the double-dip in Mid-Am Net, posting net even-par 72 to win by two. He led after six and held off Derrick Ray, who was never more than three back and closed to within one at the twelfth before settling for net 2-over 74. David Dick of Stokesdale, NC, visiting from the Carolina Triad chapter, took third at net 3-over 75.
Senior Net was all VanGeersdaelen, who made it two trophies on the day. His net 6-under 66 was four clear of Terry Bollenbecker, whose net 2-under 70 earned runner-up honors. Kris Laird added a third-place finish to his Division 1 trophy, tied at net even-par 72 with Michael Mullins, to round out the money positions. Laird was the closest pursuer for most of the afternoon, within three at the turn and just one back through fifteen.
The chapter raised $100 for Folds of Honor through the day’s raffle.
The par 3s produced plenty of conversation. Phil VanGeersdaelen took closest to the pin honors twice, at both the 4th and the 7th. Kevin Kyle won the prize at the par-3 12th, and David Funkhouser stuck his tee shot closest at the par-3 16th.
Next up in the Charlotte chapter — a trip to Edgewater Golf Club on Saturday, November 14th. Space is limited and registration closes November 9th. Two weeks later the chapter heads to Rocky River Golf Club on Saturday, November 28th, with registration closing November 23rd.
