Gurley Finishes Strong to Win N.C. Mid-Am 

By PATRICK JONES 

BROWNS SUMMIT – Chapel Hill’s Danny Gurley stood on the 18th tee in the final round of the 2002 Carolinas Golf Association Mid-Amateur not knowing where he stood against the field.

“I had to ask the guys with the walkie-talkies out there how I was doing,” said the 41-year-old medical supply retailer, who plays out of Cary’s Prestonwood Country Club.

“When they told me I had a three-shot lead, I think it was the first time I could breathe on the back nine.”

In the final group, Gurley routinely parred the final hole to close with a 68 on the 6,660-yard Rees Jones-designed Bryan Park’s Champions Park layout and capture his first Carolinas Golf Association win. He shot 67-72-68 – 207 (9-under par) in the event held April 12-14.

“It’s a big deal,” said Gurley of the championship. “It gives me a five-year exemption so that I don’t have to qualify for any CGA events. And it gets me on all the teams – the Carolinas team for the Carolinas-Virginia matches and the Tarheel Cup team – which is a bonus.”

He started the final round two shots back of fellow Prestonwood member Scott McClellan and one behind Southern Pines’ Kelly Miller.

After opening with a bogey on the first hole “to get me in my comfort zone,” joked Gurley, he reeled off birdies on the par-5 third and sixth holes to begin his climb up the leader board.

Another birdie on No. 9, courtesy of a 20-foot putt, had Gurley at 2-under on the front and feeling good about his chances – until he discovered that Concord’s Keith Harris and Pinehurst’s Wynn Solle, both former Mid-Am winners, had bested him on the opening nine.

“I think finding that out at the turn was a big key,” said Gurley. “I knew I needed a strong finish.”

He birdied No. 11, another par 5, and rolled in his fifth birdie of the day on the 16th.

“Sixteen was the key,” said Gurley. “The pin was a real difficult pin to get to and I hit it within 15 feet from the hole and made a downhill putt. I didn’t know it at the time, but Keith and I were tied going to 16. The birdie on that hole put me in front.”

When Harris, in the group ahead, double bogeyed No. 17, the championship was all but Gurley’s. It only took the walkie-talkie confirmations and a steady finish to give the win to the former Campbell University golfer.

Solle closed with a 68 and Harris with a 69 to finish tied for second at 210.

Tying for fourth place at 212, five shots behind Gurley, were second-round leader McClellan, who closed with a 75, and 1997 North Carolina Mid -Amateur champion Paul Simson.

Miller was alone at 213.

Gurley was the opening round leader after a 67, leading McClellan, Dean Channell of Cary, and Bill Boles of Wilson by a shot.