2024 Riverbend Golf Tournament Results

More than $5,600 in cash and VISA gift card prizes were on the line as the Upstate Amateur Players Tour stepped just across the North Carolina line to host its tournament at Riverbend YMCA Golf Club.

Located between Shelby and Boiling Springs, North Carolina, Riverbend is nestled at the base of the mountains, combining the natural beauty of the terrain with challenging approach shots throughout the golf course.

The players were treated to great course conditions Saturday, as Riverbend features pristine MiniVerde greens that resemble the quick speeds of bent grass greens. Several holes require a properly placed tee shot, as playing from the Bermuda fairways can allow players to go low.

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 on the best golf courses in the area. The tour also features 10 different divisions, allowing players to compete against golfers of the same skill level.

Here’s a breakdown of Saturday’s tournament by division:

Division 1 – Shelby, NC native Jody Clary felt right at home on Saturday as he fired a round of even par, 72, to win Division 1. Clary made nine straight pars on the inward stretch to close his round, and secure the victory. Clary made back-to-back birdies on the fourth and fifth holes to get to one under par on his round.

David Winesette finished runner-up with a round of 76. Winesette also made nine straight pars on the back, to go along with seven more on the front nine. Randy Hodges, Justin Lang, and Jacob Sigmon tied for third place with rounds of 77.

Hodges took advantage of the short, par-four 11^th hole as he made birdie. He also birdied the par-five 15^th hole.

Senior Division 1 – While David Winesette came up just short in Division 1 on Saturday; his round of 76 was good enough to win Senior Division 1. Winesette defeated Randy Hodges and Jacob Sigmon by just one shot as both players carded rounds of 77.

Hodges made three birdies on the day, including two on the back nine, as Sigmon made two on the closing nine as well.

Division 2 – Tony Mangini’s two back-nine birdies proved to be the difference as he won by two shots in Division 2 on Saturday, carding a round of 73. Mangini shot 39 on the front nine before seven pars and two birdies on the closing stretch to win the division.

Scott Weber finished second with a round of 75. Weber made an impressive eagle on the short, par-four 11^th hole to highlight his round.

Chris Lombardozzi and Terry Upright finished tied for third after posting rounds of 77. Upright made two back-nine birdies on the par-five 10^th hole and the par-four 14^th hole.

Chad Faulkenberry, Matthew Hendon, and Tyler Phillips rounded out the top-five in a tie for fifth place with rounds of 78.

Senior Division 2 – Three back-nine birdies helped Matthew Hendon complete his comeback effort as he won Senior Division 2 on Saturday with a round of 78. Hendon birdied the 10^th and 13^th holes before making a double bogey on the challenging 17^th hole. Undeterred, Hendon delivered a closing birdie on the final hole to win by one stroke.

Mitch Howze finished second with his round of 79. Howze found his groove on the back nine, birding the 13^th and 15^th holes en route to shooting 38 on the back nine.

Travis Wartluft finished third after carding a round of 80, featuring a birdie on the par-three 16^th hole.

Michael Mullins, Jim Wiginton, and Andy Murrow finished tied for fourth place with rounds of 82.

Division 3 – Eighteen holes were not enough to determine a winner in Division 3 as Darrius Prysock eventually prevailed over A.J. Lee as both players’ shot 78.

Prysock made two birdies on the day, including one on the par-four 11^th hole. Lee reached the playoff thanks in part to a birdie down the stretch on the par-five 15^th hole.

Josh Ray and Gregg Pruitt tied for third place with rounds of 80. Ray made seven pars on the back nine to settle his round as Pruitt found two birdies within three holes on the front nine.

Joshua Patridge finished fifth with a round of 82, highlighted by an eagle on the par-five 6^th hole.

Senior Division 3 – Jim Robson overcame a rocky start to shoot 81 and win Senior Division 3 by five strokes on Saturday. Robson shot 42 on the back nine before making six pars on the inward stretch, including a run of four straight.

Myron Samuels finished second after posting a round of 86. Samuels made two birdies on the day, both of which came on the back nine. Robert Gibson and Joseph Lee finished tied for third place with rounds of 88. Gibson made birdie on the uphill, par-four 13^th hole. Lee made four pars in the back nine to finish inside the top-five.

Michael Fitzgerald rounded out the top-five with a round of 91.

Division 4 – Three birdies in his final seven holes was more than enough for Spencer Bensch to win Division 4 on Saturday with a round of 78. Bensch made birdie on both back-nine par threes, along with the par-four closing hole.

Division 4 featured a crowded group of 21 competitors as Charlie Warstler and Clarence Santonil tied for second place with rounds of 82. Warstler used two back-nine birdies to overcome a few bad holes and finish tied for second place. Santonil’s birdie came on the par-five 6^th hole.

Dexter Winfield and John Pearson rounded out the top-five in the division with rounds of 83 and 84, receptively.

Senior Division 4 – Spencer Bensch’s round of 78 was also good enough to earn him the top honors in Senior Division 4 on Saturday. Bensch made three birdies on the day, all of which came on the back nine.

Dexter Winfield came home second with a round of 83, followed by John Pearson in third with a score of 84.

Scott Bryant and Ronnie Thornton finished tied for fourth place with rounds of 86. Both players managed to make birdie on the par-five sixth hole.

Division 5 – Jeff Best certainly lived up to his name, besting the field by eight strokes in Division 5 on Saturday with a round of 81. Best found his groove on the back nine, birding the par-five 15^th hole while playing the closing nine in even par. Best’s front nine included a stretch of five straight pars.

Dick Jenkins finished second with a round of 89. Jenkins made birdie on the par-five second hole to get settled into his round. Derrick Ray came home in third place after carding a round of 91.

Kyle Macklin and Douglas Willie rounded out the top-five with rounds of 94 to tie for fourth place.

Senior Division 5 – Saturday was a clean sweep for Jeff Best as he also won Senior Division 5 with his round of 81. Best struggled on the first two holes en route to shooting 45. The back nine was a different story, as best climbed the leaderboard with an even par 36 on the closing stretch.

Dick Jenkins finished second with a round of 89 as Douglas White’s round of 94 earned him third. Danny Sullivan shot 95 to finish fourth, followed by Bill Turner, who shot 100 and finished fifth.