APT Memphis Takes on Kirkwood National

The Amateur Players Tour Memphis Chapter traveled to Kirkwood National Golf Club in Holly Springs, Mississippi, on Saturday, August 15, for the final regular-season event before the Local Finals. With the season winding down and Player of the Year points becoming increasingly important, the day produced close finishes, a playoff, and several strong performances across the five divisions.

Division 1

Division 1 couldn’t be decided in regulation. Cole Bevis and Brandon Gurley both finished at 7-over 79, sending the championship to a playoff.

Bevis came out on top in the playoff to capture the Division 1 title, while Gurley finished runner-up after an impressive battle between the two.

Division 2

Dennis Motsinger put together the winning round in Division 2, posting an 84 (+12) to take the championship by three strokes.

Arkansas’ Jody Braud finished second with an 87 (+15). Tommy Warren and Kyle Kucharski shared third at 88 (+16), with Jim Melescue finishing fifth at 94.

Division 3

Jon Sylvester delivered one of the strongest performances of the day, carding a 78 (+6) to capture the Division 3 title by eight strokes.

Dylan Schlauch finished runner-up with an 86 (+14), while Iceman Clark took third with an 87 (+15). Stephen Biddinger followed with an 88, Tyler Byrd posted 90, and Ken Grisham finished with 91.

Division 4

Division 4 came down to a single stroke. Steven Walkley posted an 86 (+14) to edge Marshall Dean, who finished with an 87 (+15).

David Jones finished third with a 97, while Dandy Barawid and Darrel Ervin tied for fourth at 98. Cale Alexander and Timothy Kelley rounded out the division.

Division 5

Michael Kelly made it back-to-back victories, following his playoff win at the North Mississippi Open with another Division 5 championship at Kirkwood National.

Kelly posted a 99 (+27) to finish two strokes ahead of Tucker Watts, who carded a 101. Joshua T Warren finished third with a 102, followed by Rodney Gillentine at 107, Gregg Epps at 109, and Rozell Henderson at 110.

Optional Net Competitions

The Senior Net and Mid-Am Net competitions were once again available as optional side games. Scores in both competitions are handicap-adjusted net scores rather than the players’ gross tournament scores.

In Senior Net, Iceman Clark and Michael Kelly each finished with adjusted scores of 76 (+4) to share the top spot. Tommy Warren was third with a 79, followed by Ken Grisham at 80 and Darrel Ervin at 81.

Steven Walkley dominated the Mid-Am Net competition, firing an adjusted 3-under-par 69. Walkley finished 10 strokes ahead of Kyle Kucharski’s 79, while Tyler Byrd finished third with an 80.

Looking Ahead – Local Finals at Fair Oaks

With the regular season now complete, attention turns to one of the most important events on the Memphis Chapter schedule: the 2026 Local Finals at Fair Oaks Golf Club in Oakland, Tennessee, on Saturday, August 29.

The first tee time is scheduled for 12:00 PM as players get one more opportunity to make a major move in the standings. With 2.5x Player of the Year points available at the Local Finals, the event could have a major impact on several division races and determine who finishes the season on top.

Congratulations to all of our Kirkwood National winners, and thank you to everyone who joined us throughout the 2026 regular season. Next stop: Fair Oaks and the Local Finals!