Virginia team wins 2nd straight year

 By STEVE WILLIAMS 

The Virginias captured seven of the last eight singles matches to win the 58th Carolinas Virginias Team Matches at Oct. 17-19 at Grandfather Golf and Country Club.

The Carolinas entered the final day of singles matches with a one-point lead but the team from the Virginias used a 14.5 to 9.5 rally to claim the title 26-22.

The Virginias team has now won in consecutive years for the first time in the history of the event, but still trails the overall series 42-15-1.

Carolinas captain Tom Thorpe put the loss in perspective.

"Grandfather Golf and Country Club did a wonderful job in hosting these matches," said Thorpe. "I certainly do not like losing two years in a row, but the camaraderie and hospitality sure made it easier."

The results of singles and four-ball matches can be found in the scoreboard, pages 42-43.

N.C. Four-Ball

 The Cary pair of Chuck Tickle and Mitch Adams held off a hard-charging team of Dean Channell and Keith Harris to capture the eighth North Carolina Four-Ball Oct. 26 at Brook Valley Country Club in Greenville.

The two teams finished deadlocked at 202 after 54 holes but Tickle’s nine-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole put a sudden end to the competition.

Tickle and Adams have now won the event twice, their first crown coming in 1997.

Adams-Tickle shot 66-69-67 while Channell, also of Cary, and Harris, of Concord, posted 69-68-65. Harris-Channell made a dramatic comeback to force the playoff, scoring birdies on their final four holes. An 18-footer on the 230-yard, par-3 home hole by Harris capped the rally.

The event included two rounds at Brook Valley and one at Ironwood Golf and Country Club.

Parent-Child

 Gary and Katie Garahan of Rock Hill, S.C. fired a one-under-par 70 Nov. 1 and won the Carolinas Golf Association Parent-Child Championship at Ballantyne Resort in Charlotte.

Katie Garahan, a 16-year-old who plays No. 1 on her high school girls golf team, was prolific off the tee in the modified alternate shot format while Gary carried a hot putter. They posted a card of 34-36.

The winners finished just one shot ahead of the Eden team of Titus and Molly Plomaritis, who shot 71 (34-37), also playing in their first CGA Parent-Child. Molly was the youngest player in the championship division at 11 years old.

Gig and Stacy Hilton of Lexington finished third at 72 (34-38).

It was the sixth CGA Parent-Child, which allows any combination except father-son. A total of 34 teams participated in four divisions.

Wayne and Meghan Moore of Bahama won the A division with 72 with Alex and Anna Dermatas of Greensboro taking second with 78.

Pat and Gordon Johnson of Greensboro won Division D with 86 (47-39).

New 2004 event

 The CGA is adding another major championship to its schedule next year – the North Carolina Women’s Senior Championship.

The event, which will be open to any female North Carolina resident 50 years of age or older, will be contested over 36 holes at Mimosa Hills Golf and Country Club in Morganton next Sept. 28-29.

CPGA Senior series

 Rodney Morrow of Greensboro claimed his first victory on the Carolinas PGA Senior Open Tournament series Oct. 22 when he claimed a one-shot win in the Rock Barn Senior Open.

Morrow shot 71-73 for an even par finish at the course that hosted the Greater Hickory Classic Champions Tour event the previous month.

Amateur Denny Adkins of North Myrtle Beach finished a shot off Morrow’s pace and professional Steve Forrest of Clemmons (72-75) and amateur Garland Yates of Asheboro (71-76) tied for third at 147.

Ernie Newton of High Point (72-76) and Lea Couch Jr. of Bahama (70-78) tied for fifth at 148.

Newton added another strong finish in the Treyborn Senior Open Nov. 4-5. He shot 76-71 and shared third place with Jim Pridgen, who shot the same scores. They were four shots off the pace of Bern Coulter of Wilmington (69-74 – 143).

Larry Boswell of Jamestown (77-71) and Don Slater of Hillsborough (74-74) tied for fifth at 148.

Keller Williams Tour

Roger Smith of Greensboro posted the best scores for a Triad-area player in the Keller Williams Realty Amateur Golf Tour Championship Oct. 25-26 at Wild Wing Plantation in Myrtle Beach.

Smith shot 74-80 and finished fifth in the A Flight.

In the B Flight, Bob Webber of Winston-Salem shot 81-79 to finish fourth while another Winston-Salem golfer, Scott Campbell took second place in the C Flight, shooting 84-86.

The tour championship brought together top players from Keller Williams Amateur Tour divisions in 10 states. The field numbered 335.

"What made this event more special than previous years was having a national sponsor -- Keller Williams Realty," said tour president Dennis McCormac. "Keller Williams helped us expand into more states and we look forward to continued growth next year."