Eighty-eight golfers from across the Carolinas converged at Willow Creek Golf Club on Saturday to compete in the Upstate Amateur Players Tour tournament held in Greer, South Carolina. The tournament featured a capacity field and paid out over $5,300 in cash and VISA Gift Card prizes to the players.

Saturday brought a mix of sun and clouds with an average temperature of 54 degrees. Competitors played lift, clean, and place due to the rain that swept through the Upstate of South Carolina on Friday afternoon.

“Willow Creek Golf Club is a Tom Jackson Design and is known for its risk and reward shots throughout the course. Dale Heflin and his staff are very easy to work with and their food and beverage team did an excellent job of keeping all 88 players happy with drinks and food,” said Larry Lee, Upstate Amateur Players Tour Owner, and Operator.

“The course was wet from the rain the previous day which provided a challenge as there was no roll out on the course, so longer shots into the greens were required. The greens were perfect and true rolling as numerous 20–30-foot putts were made throughout the day,” he continued.

“The Willow Creek Clubhouse was stocked up with all the player’s needs, and the friendly service added to the successful tournament. The course is built to be very friendly to the player but can be a great challenge when playing the back tees. The course is full of natural beauty, which during a round of tournament play helps sooth the bad shots.”

A golfing experience created by the players, for the players, the Upstate Amateur Players Tour provides golfers with a competitive opportunity on some of the best courses in the area. The tour features five different divisions, allowing golfers to compete against those on the same skill level. Each tournament features VISA Gift Card payouts, as well as a large cash skins pot for the round.

Registration is already available for the Upstate Amateur Players Tour’s next tournament on April 1st at Village Greens Golf Club in Inman, South Carolina.

Here’s a breakdown of the results from this past Saturday at Willow Creek Golf Club:

Division 1 – Three birdies on the opening nine holes allowed Chuck Floyd to settle into his round as the Fort Mill, SC native used a one under par round of 71 to claim first place in the top division. After going out in 34, two under, Floyd made a pair of bogeys on the back nine before sealing the deal on the par-five 18th hole with a birdie.

Ben Cox and Dan Constantino both kept pressure on the lead throughout the day. Cox mounted a charge on the back nine that featured four birdies, including his final two holes of the day. Constantino played his last two holes in three under par, birding the par-four seventeenth before eagling the closing hole.

Both Cox and Constantino carded rounds of even-par 72 to finish in a tie for second place. Chase Hawkins, Greg Moore, Jordan Gozelski, and Brandyn Norton rounded out the players tied for fifth place.

Senior Division 1 – Along with his Division 1 victory, Chuck Floyd also took home first place in the Senior Division 1. Cox and Constantino finished tied for second with even-par rounds. Greg Moore, who shot 77, and Jacob Sigmon, who carded a round of 82, rounded out the top-five.

Division 2 – Joe Hamacher was a man on a mission on the back nine Saturday, birding three of his final six holes to post an even-par round of 72. A back-nine score of two under par, 34, allowed Hamacher to take a three stroke victory in the tournament.

Carlos Mojica of Glenville, NC finished second, shooting 75. His card featured three birdies, including one on the par-five closing hole.

Carlos Santana and Bob Grove finished third and fourth with rounds of 77 and 78, respectively. Robert LaCombe, Joe Tucker, and Bobby Ream finished in a tie for fifth with rounds of 79.

Senior Division 2 - Joe Hamacher also claimed the top spot in the Senior Division 2. His even-par round cleared him by three shots over second place finisher Carlos Mojica. Bob Grove finished third in the senior division with a round of 78 that featured three birdies on the back nine.

Division 3 – Mary Graham Forest plotted her way around Willow Creek to claim first place in Division 3 with a round of 74. Forest managed to keep the scorecard clean with just three bogeys and a birdie, as well.

Shayne Burger overcame a tough start to post a round of 77, finishing second. He mounted a late charge with two birdies on the last five holes in his round. Doug Dietz finished third, shooting 78. Nestor Santana finished fourth, posting a round of 79 as Shannon Leonhardt fired a round of 80 to finish fifth.

Senior Division 3 – Using his round of six-over par 78, Doug Dietz won first place in the Senior Division 3. On the back nine, Dietz found his groove, paring seven of the nine holes to shoot 38. Lyman, SC golfer Sonny Smith shot 82 to finish in a tie for second with James Dillard. Smith’s round included a pair of birdies on the 12th and 13th hole, as Dillard’s round began with a steady start and a score of 38 on the front nine.

Todd Lynch and Harvey Hewens finished in a tie for third place.

Division 4 – A tight battle played out on the final holes as Gregg Pruitt managed to stave off a late rally from Darrell Arledge for first place in Division 4. Pruitt carded a round of 84 to defeat Arledge by just one stroke.

A par followed by a birdie on his final two holes allowed Arledge to card a back nine score of 39. Jimmy Sullivan shot 90 to finish third, as Billy Odom and James Hallums also finished inside the top-five.

Senior Division 4 – Darrell Arledge’s solid back nine secured first place in Senior Division 4 for the Duncan, SC golfer. A score of 85 kept Arledge in front of second place finisher Jimmy Sullivan by five strokes. Odom, Hallums, and Scott Bryant rounded out the top-five.

Division 5 – Closing with a stretch of four straight pars helped Nathan Maynor take home first-place in Division 5. The Gaffney, SC native shot 87 to win by three shots over second-place finisher Joshua Cochrane. The Kings Mountain, NC golfer got off to a hot start with an eagle on the par-five first hole.

Bobby Lewis finished third with a round of 91. Jan Kendrick, Tim Kunkel, and Michael Addison finished in a tie for fourth place with rounds of 94.

Senior Division 5 – Bobby Lewis’ round was highlighted by a birdie on the par-five 15th hole as the Asheville, NC native won Senior Division 5 with a score of 91. Jan Kendrick from Shelby, NC finished second, three strokes behind Lewis. Steven Daniels, George Bright, and Danny Sullivan also finished inside the top-five.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS