Tournament Champions
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The Carolina Triad Amateur Players Tour opened its 2027 season on Sunday, October 18th at Sapona Golf Club, the first of the chapter’s Triad amateur golf tournaments on the new schedule. A field of 34 players competed across four divisions, with two net games running alongside them, and players are flighted into divisions based on their APT Tournament Index.
Division 2 produced the low round of the day. Scott Nichols, in from the Upstate South Carolina chapter and playing out of Mooresville, N.C., posted a 4-over 75 to win by four. He opened with a birdie at the par-5 1st, turned in 3-over 38, and then played the inward half in 1-over 37, including a birdie at the par-5 18th that capped a closing six holes in even par. Joseph Vide was level with him through six and still only two back after twelve before Nichols pulled away over the last stretch. Terry Newsome of Winston-Salem took runner-up honors at 8-over 79, going out in 6-over 41 and coming home in 2-over 38 with a birdie at the par-4 12th. Vide, of Raleigh, finished third at 10-over 81 and picked up a birdie of his own at the par-5 15th.
Division 3, the largest contest of the day at 15 players, needed more than 18 holes to settle. Russell McDonald of Charlotte and Michael Mullins of Huntersville both signed for 12-over 83, and McDonald came through the sudden-death playoff for the title. McDonald had been three clear of Mullins after six holes and still two ahead with three to play, going out in 6-over 41 and home in 6-over 42 with ten pars on the card. Mullins got there the other way, grinding out a 3-over 39 on the back nine and playing the last three in even par to force the tie. Spud Casper of Charlotte finished third at 15-over 86 to round out the money positions, and six players in all ended within five shots of the number.
Keegan Jerabek of Charlotte won Division 4 by a single stroke, signing for 18-over 89. His lone birdie came at the par-3 7th, the most generous hole on the property — it gave up four birdies across the field. Jerabek, Rocky Griggs and James Wray were all dead level after six holes before Jerabek edged in front, and Griggs, of Winston-Salem, closed to within one by the 16th tee without ever getting all the way back. Griggs took second at 19-over 90, with Wray, of Wirtz, Va., third at 22-over 93.
In Division 5, Keiner Solis of Clemmons held off a tight chase to win by two with a 26-over 97. Keith Thomas of Greensboro had drawn all the way level after twelve holes before Solis answered where it mattered most, and Thomas settled for second at 28-over 99. Steve Key of Fort Mill, S.C., was one off the lead himself after twelve and finished third at 29-over 100. Five players ended the day within five shots of Solis.
Jerabek completed the double-dip in the Mid-Am Net, where his net 1-over 72 was good for a seven-shot win. Dakota Justice, visiting from the East Tennessee chapter, led by three after six holes and took second with a net 8-over 79, while Corey Mitchell of Greensboro, who held a three-shot edge as late as the 15th, placed third at net 9-over 80.
Mullins did not leave Sapona empty-handed. He won the Senior Net with a net 1-over 72, a three-shot victory built on the same strong finish that forced the Division 3 playoff — Juan Sedano of Kernersville had been seven strokes to the good after six holes and five up after twelve before Mullins ran him down. Griggs added a net 4-over 75 for second, to round out the money positions, and Sedano took third at net 5-over 76.
The par-4 11th was the hole nobody solved. It gave up no birdies at all and played better than a stroke and a half over par, a number that shaped plenty of cards on the inward nine.
Next up in the Carolina Triad chapter — a trip to Jamestown GC on Sunday, November 1st. Space is limited and registration closes October 23rd. Oak Valley GC follows on Sunday, November 8th, with registration there closing October 30th.
