WILSON, NC (June 20, 2010)--Final round results of the 50th North Carolina Amateur Championship of the Carolinas Golf Association hosted by Wilson Country Club in Wilson, NC on Sunday, June 20, 2010 (6715 yards, par 35-35—70).
Ryan Heisey, 23, of Greensboro birdied the final hole to shoot a tournament low round of 64 and set the all-time lowest 72-hole score in North Carolina Amateur Championship history with an 11-under par 269. Heisey, a recent University of North Carolina-Greensboro graduate carded five birdies and along with a chip-in eagle on the par five 7th hole versus one bogey to win by one stroke over Sherrill Britt of West End.
Heisey’s round started off with a bit of good fortune. “I hit my tee shot right on hole #2 towards out of bounds. I then hit a provisional left that we never found so I was lucky that my first ball was in bounds.” He went on to make birdie on the 470 yard par 4 hole.
Heisey never really knew how he stood throughout the round although he had an inking that he was in contention with the “attention” he was receiving. “I thought I had gagged it on the 15th hole with the bogey but was able to bounce back by making birdie on the last two holes.”
Third round leader Sherrill Britt held a three-stroke lead heading into the final round. He was at 11-under for the championship until an out of bounds tee shot led to a triple bogey on the par 4 12th hole. Britt battled back with birdies on 16 and 17 heading to the 396 yard par 4 18th hole. Heisey playing in front of Britt had just holed his birdie to take a one-stroke lead. Britt hit the green in regulation but his 40 foot birdie attempt fell just inches short sealing the win for Heisey.
With the victory Heisey gains possession of the Billy Joe Patton Trophy and receives a 10-year exemption into the North Carolina Amateur Championship and a five-year exemption into all other individual CGA championships in which he is eligible.
On winning this event Heisey noted that, “A lot of hard work has paid off. I have been playing better the last 6 months and finished my college career on a good note but winning never crossed my mind.”
Defending champion Mark McMillen of Smithfield shot a one-over par 71—282 to finish in a tie for 18th place.
The first North Carolina Amateur Championship was played at Wilson Country Club back in 1961.
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ABOUT THE North Carolina Amateur
Open in all amateur male golfers age 13 or older.
Must
be a resident of North Carolina and a
member of a CGA member club with an index 9.9
and
below. An 18-hole sectional qualifier is required for
those that do not meet the exemption criteria.
Format
consists of 72 holes of stroke play with a cut to the
low
60 and ties after 36 holes.
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