William Rainey
(Carolinas Golf Association)
SOUTHERN PINES, NC (August 14, 2016) -- On
Thursday evening, William Rainey of Charlotte anxiously
waited around the Mid Pines clubhouse to find out
where the 36-hole cut line would fall for the low 32
players to make match play. It was +2 (146), exactly
what Rainey had posted. He advanced through an 8-for-
6 playoff by rolling in a birdie putt on the first hole to
earn the No. 29 seed.
On Sunday, after 85 holes played over five rounds
of match play, Rainey became the 7th North Carolina
Amateur Match Play champion. Staying patient after
falling 3 down thru 4 holes to David Sargent of
Cornelius, Rainey climbed back into the match.
A birdie putt on the par-3 11th drew the two all
square.
Sargent demonstrated his ability to produce red
numbers in his semifinal match, playing 13 holes in
seven-under-par to defeat Walker Simas 6 & 5. In
Sunday's final, Sargent continued his birdie barrage,
making putts on holes 3 and 4. Despite being down to
Sargent early on Sunday, Rainey remained consistent,
hitting 12 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens. His birdie
tries burned the edges of the holes all day, until the
18th, when one finally fell into the cup. The match was
tied then, Rainey had a birdie putt from 30 feet,
Sargent faced a putt half that distance.
"Honestly in my head I said 'just two putt. If he two
putts, great. If he makes it, then he deserves to win',"
said Rainey, a rising senior at the College of Charleston.
"Luckily there's a hole there and it went it. It was my
best putt of the week. I felt like I was due and
fortunately it was on the 18th hole to win." After
Rainey's putt found the hole, Sargent's putt to force
extra holes missed. The win is Rainey's second CGA
championship this year. In May, he and teammate
Phillip Oweida won the Carolinas Four-Ball.
"This is one of the best tournaments I've had. I
played awesome," said runner-up Sargent. "It was a lot
of fun. No complaints, I lost 1 up to a great player."
The 32 players who qualified for match play are
exempt into next year's championship.
View results for North Carolina Amateur Match Play
ABOUT THE North Carolina Amateur Match Play
Open to any male amateur golfer 13 and older. Must
be
a resident of North Carolina and a member of a CGA
club with an index no greater than 9.9. Sectional
qualifying is required for those who do not meet the
exemption criteria. Format consists of 36 holes of
stroke play qualifying followed by a cut to the low 32
players for match play.
View Complete Tournament Information