Boner, Woodard cruise to six-shot win at Pine Needles Invite

Brett Boner and Stephen Woodard made a case Sunday for being among the players to beat in North Carolina. The brothers-in-law from Charlotte, N.C., who made headlines as local talent at the U.S. Mid-Amateur in September, teamed up to win the Pine Needles Invitational in Southern Pines, N.C. The duo had rounds of 64-66-67 for a 19-under 197 total.

Boner and Woodard extended their three-shot lead to a six-shot cushion on Sunday. Behind them, Bill Kwasnick and Chad Day, Southern Pines locals, tied with Mark and Brian Gauley, both from Raleigh, N.C., with 54-hole scores of 203.

The list of past champions in this event includes 2014 U.S. Mid-Amateur winner Scott Harvey, who teamed with Brian Westveer for back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018.

Boner is almost in that category, having made it to the final match of the Mid-Am in September before falling to fellow North Carolinian Kevin O'Connell.

Related: Locals Boner, Woodard rep city as U.S. Mid-Amateur matches begin

Boner and Woodard, both fortysomething reinstated amateurs, teamed up to win the Anderson Memorial, a two-man best-ball event at Winged Foot, last year. The two also qualified for the 2016 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball at Winged Foot but missed the cut by two shots.

Paul Simson and Preston Edmondson from Raleigh and Morrisville, N.C., won the senior division with scores of 67-64-67. Tennesseans Dan Crockett and Craig McElhaney finished second with scores of 67-67-70.