2024 Village Greens Golf Tournament Results

Two playoffs highlighted a perfect day of golf for a sold out field of 76 competitors on Saturday as the Upstate Amateur Players Tour hosted its tournament at Village Greens Golf Club in Gramling, SC.  The Upstate Amateur Players Tour travels the Upstate of South Carolina and portions of North Carolina, giving golfers of all skill levels a chance to compete in ten different divisions while also competing for cash and VISA gift card prizes. Saturday’s tournament included over $4,500 in payouts to the players.  

With the weather conditions in the low to mid 60s, golfers enjoyed the somewhat brisk morning that transformed into a beautiful afternoon for competition at one of the best courses in the Upstate. The dream of Village Greens began in 1969 by a group of men who organized the Mountain Valley Development Company. After securing around 100 acres between Inman and Gramling, Village Greens Golf Course was born.  

Upon securing the services of local Golf Course Architect Russell Breeden, grading by L.L. Hyder Construction of Landrum began on what today many consider their home course. With mostly cleared land to layout a golf course, many trees were planted to establish the “footprint” of the course. Much care was taken not to hinder the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Almost every hole has a view stretching from Glassy Mountain to Chimney Rock and beyond. 

Now, after some 40 years of providing golfing enjoyment for many, the course and its’ current ownership of the Gaines and Gramling Families, have never been more committed to continued improvements.  

On Saturday, golfers from around the Carolinas enjoyed the vision that the club’s forefathers had in mind. Golfers of all skill levels and ages competed in five different divisions at Village Greens. Here’s a breakdown of the results by division: 

Division 1 – Eric Johannsen prevailed in the first playoff of the day, using three birdies on his final four holes to tie for the lead with a round of 74. Arran Setro finished runner-up, also shooting two over par, 74, followed by Blake Blizzard, who rounded out the three-way tie for the top spot.  

In addition to his three birdies on the back nine, Johannsen also made two birdies on the front none. Blake Blizzard finished in third place after the playoff.  

Greg Moore came home in fourth place with a round of 76 that featured four birdies. Drake Foster rounded out the top-five with a round of 77. 

Senior Division 1 – Greg Moore played his best golf of the day on the back nine, helping keep him atop the leaderboard to win Senior Division 1 on Saturday with his round of 76. Moore made two birdies on the front before using two more birdies on the back to play his final six holes in even par.  

Shayne Burger shot 80 to finish second. Burger made two birdies in three holes on the front to move back to one over par. He also played his final three holes in one under par with a birdie on the par-four 17^th hole. 

Brandt Howard rounded out the top-five with a round of 91. 

Division 2 – Bobby Ream made a staggering 15 pars, two birdies, and an eagle to win Division 2 on Saturday with an impressive round of 71. Ream’s steady day included nine pars on the front nine, before he caught fire on the inward stretch.  

Ream birdied the 11^th and 12^th holes before eagling the par-five 13^th hole to move to three under par and put some distance between him and the rest of the field.  

Joe Tucker and Judd Dye finished tied for second place as both players shot 77. Tucker got off to an up and down start with three birdies, a bogey, and a double bogey in his first seven holes. Dye found his groove with four birdies in his last six holes, including three in a row.  

Jeff Pittillo finished fourth with a round of 78, followed by Weston Brown, who carded a round of 79. 

Senior Division 2 – Bobby Ream’s stellar round of 71 was also enough to win Senior Division 2 on Saturday. Ream won by six shots over second-place finisher Joe Tucker. Ream made the lone eagle of the day to highlight his round on the par-five 13^th hole.  

Tucker steadied his day on the back nine with six pars to shoot just three over pars. Jeff Pittillo finished third with a round of 78, followed by Robert Bullard in fourth place with a round of 83. 

Bob Grove rounded out the top-five with a round of 84. 

Division 3 – Darrell Johnson played his final seven holes in even par to win Division 3 on Saturday with a round of 77. Johnson made two birdies on the day, his final one coming on the par-three 15^th hole. Sonny Smith finished second with a round of 82. 

Smith found himself within reach of the lead before a tough finish that included two double bogeys. Smith made two birdies on the day, helping his shoot just three over par on the front nine. Gregg Pruitt finished third after posting a score of 86, followed by a four-way tie for fourth place including Travis Blackwell, Tommy Boyter, Josh Ray, and Lyle Gumer. All four golfers shot 89 to round out the top-five.  

Senior Division 3 – The same battle played out in Senior Division 3 on Saturday, as Darrell Johnson’s round of 77 earned him to top honors again. Sonny Smith finished second with a round of 82, followed by Travis Blackwell and Tommy Boyter, who tied for third place. Blackwell and Boyter both shot 89.  

John Pearson, Todd Lynch, and Myron Samuels rounded out the top-five in a tie for fifth place with rounds of 92.  

Division 4 – Robert Gibson’s lone birdie of the day helped him solidify his position atop the leader board as he won Division 4 on Saturday with a round of 85. Gibson’s birdie on the par-four 17^th hole capped a round of 40 on the inward stretch of holes.  

Billy Odom finished runner-up with a round of 89. Odom’s round featured a birdie on the par-three sixth hole to shoot 43 on the front nine. Scott Bryant and Billy Trull tied for third place with rounds of 90. Trull made an impressive five birdies on the day, including four on the front nine to shoot 41.  

Peter Fahey, Geoff Atherton, and Charlie Warstler tied for fifth place with rounds of 91 to round out the top-five in the division.  

Senior Division 4 – Robert Gibson’s steady back nine paid dividends on Saturday as his round of 85 also won Senior Division 4. Gibson played his last seven holes in just two over par to win just four shots over second place finisher Billy Odom.  

Odom found his groove early in the round with a birdie on the par-three sixth hole to shoot 43 on the front nine. Scott Bryant shot 90 to finish third. Bryant birdied the par-three 15^th hole down the stretch in his round. Peter Fahey and Gene Mason rounded out the top-five with rounds of 91 and 93, respectively.  

Division 5 – Eighteen holes proved not to be enough to decide a winner in Division 5 on Saturday, as Tim Kunkel prevailed in a playoff against Dick Jenkins after both players’ shot 94. Kunkel made three pars in his final six holes to reach the playoff before winning.  

Jenkins steadied his round with five pars in his final six holes on the front nine. Greg Minton and Mike Hillis finished tied for third as both players shot 97. Kenneth Tadlock rounded out the top-five with a round of 98. 

Senior Division 5 – The same playoff also played out in Senior Division 5 as Tim Kunkel and Dick Jenkins both shot 94 before Kunkel won in a playoff. Danny Sullivan finished in third place with a round of 103, followed by Thomas Lanford, who rounded out the division with a round of 106.