...Carolina Golf News Line

HURLEY CLAIMS TITLE IN INAUGURAL EVENT   

CHARLOTTE, N.C. –  While Billy Hurley was attending the Naval Academy, he learned the nuances of time management and mental toughness. While other collegiate programs afforded their players countless hours of practice time, the Naval Academy was strict on how much time could be devoted to golf. Needless to say, Hurley learned to get the most out of his time and he is already reaping the benefits. Hurley’s final round 69 in the Tarheel Tour’s inaugural Cedarwood Classic was good enough for a three day total of nine under par 204 and a one shot victory over John McAllister and Jay McLuen.

            Hurley began the final round at storied Cedarwood Country Club with a one shot lead over McLuen and Jeff Curl. After all three players missed short birdie putts at the first, Hurley went on to birdie the tough 2^nd hole and the reachable par-5 4^th. After adding another birdie at the 8^th, he went to the difficult back nine with a three and four shot lead over both McLuen and Curl, respectively.

            “I was able to get up and down for birdie at 12, but then I went to 14 and missed a short par putt, one that could have opened the door for everyone else,” said Hurley, who was a member of the victorious U.S. Walker Cup team in 2005.

            Luckily for the native of Leesburg, VA, he bounced right back with a birdie at the par-4 15^th. At that point, he had the cushion he needed to somewhat “cobb” it to the house. Bogies at 17 and 18 were acceptable as Hurley finished with a one shot victory and his first ever Tarheel Tour title.

            “I was able to get it around today, but I really didn’t play well those last few holes. Thankfully, I had enough of a cushion to get away with it.”

            “I really owe all of my success to the Naval Academy. I was able to go there and start for four years and really learn a lot about mental toughness, two things I’m not sure I would have done at some bigger golf schools.”

            Hurley, who has played in multiple PGA and Nationwide Tour events already this season, will be heading to PGA Tour Qualifying School in a few weeks in hopes of making himself a permanent fixture on golf’s grandest stage.

            Spartanburg, SC native John McAllister fired the day’s low round with a 65 that enabled him to leapfrog many players into a second place tie with McLuen. McAllister might have had a chance at a playoff, but a bogey at the arduous par-4 14^th  left him one shot behind Hurley. McLuen, a former University of Georgia star, had his chances in the final round, but pars on the final six holes would not be enough to catch Hurley. Both players earned $6,000 for their finishes.

            Curl, the son of PGA Tour winner Rod Curl, never got his game on track in Thursday’s final round as he was only able to muster four birdies against three bogies. Curl wound up finishing in solo fourth place and earned $3,600 for the week

            Fifth place went to 2003 U.S. Amateur Champion Casey Wittenberg of Stillwater, OK. Wittenberg battled back after an opening round of 72 to card rounds of 69 and 66 the last two days. The former Oklahoma State “All American” is best known for his T-13^th finish in the 2004 Masters Tournament while he was still an amateur.

            The Tarheel Tour would like to thank Head Golf Professional Adam Szoke and his dedicated staff for all of their help in making this tournament such a success. A big thanks is owed to Head Golf Course Superintendent Paul Query and his respective staff for working overtime all week in order to provide one of the best-conditioned golf courses of the year. The golf course received nothing but great reviews from the players and fans.

            The tour would also like to thank the members of Cedarwood Country Club for allowing us the use of their golf course for the week. The Tarheel Tour would be nowhere today without the support of the host members each week, so we thank you very much.

            The tour moves north next week to Bermuda Run, NC for the Bermuda Run Classic on October 17-19.

            For more information, visit www.tarheeltour.com.

Tarheel Professional Tour

Cedarwood Classic

Final Round Results

Cedarwood Country Club

Par 71 – 6,905 yards 

Billy Hurley, Annapolis, MD                         $12,000          68-67-69=204

John McAllister, Spartanburg, SC                  $6,000           69-71-65=205

Jay McLuen, Colbert, GA                             $6,000           69-67-69=205

Jeff Curl, Ellington, CT                                   $3,600           71-65-70=206

Casey Wittenberg, Stillwater, OK                  $3,000           72-69-66=207

Scott Brown, N. Augusta, SC                        $2,350           72-68-68=208

Rob Bradley, Jacksonville, FL                        $2,350           72-65-71=208

Jonathan Jackson, Chapel Hill, NC                 $2,000           67-75-67=209

Neil Maurer, Ocean City, MD                        $1,600           73-71-66=210

Brian Duncan, Greenville, SC                          $1,600           71-72-67=210

Brian Quackenbush, Fairfax, VA                     $1,600           74-68-68=210

Kevin Silva, Chapel Hill, NC                           $1,600           67-73-70=210

David Seawell, Columbia, SC                         $1,600            67-72-71=210

Dustin Bray, Asheboro, NC                       $1,216.67            69-72-70=211

D.J. Fiese, Smyrna, GA                             $1,216.67            65-76-70=211

Elliot Gealy, Salisbury, NC                        $1,216.67             71-68-72=211

Nathan Smith, Brookville, PA                         $1,075             75-69-68=212

Scott Feaster, Columbia, SC                          $1,075             75-69-68=212

Steve Gilley, Newman, GA                              $932.14          74-70-69=213

Jody Bellflower, Milledgeville, GA                   $932.14          72-71-70=213

Karl Mitchell, Rockwell, NC                           $932.14          72-71-70=213

Dane Burkhart, Aiken, SC                              $932.14          72-70-71=213

Matt Bettencourt, Modesto, CA                      $932.14         74-67-72=213

Chad Wilfong, Thomasville, NC                       $932.14         71-69-73=213

Kevin Taylor, Mocksville, NC                         $932.14         70-68-75=213

Stephen Woodard, Charlotte, NC                     $800             76-68-70=214

David Sanchez, Pinehurst, NC                           $800             72-69-73=214

Chris Mundorf, Raleigh, NC                              $800             71-70-73=214

John Gordon Beckett, Charlotte, NC                 $725             74-70-71=215

Fernando Mechereffe, Brazil                              $725             73-69-73=215

Braxton Wynns, Clayton, NC                            $725             72-70-73=215

Ben Duncan, Greenville, SC                              $662.50         71-72-73=216

Scott Volpitto, Jupiter, FL                                 $662.50         73-68-75=216

Richard Hanna, Standardsville, VA                      $615            75-69-73=217

Tommy Schaff, Savannah, GA                             $615            71-72-74=217

Derek Brown, Walnut Cove, NC1                       $615           74-69-74=217

Matt Cannon, Huntersville, NC                            $615           71-72-74=217

Tony Bostic, Vienna, VA                                     $615           70-72-75=217

Michael Henderson, Orlando, FL                         $615           74-68-75=217

Ryan Sharpe, Greensboro, NC                            $561.67      73-71-74=218

Jimmy Shaw, Okalahoma City, OK                      $561.67      77-67-74=218

Stephen Poole Jr., Greer, SC                               $561.67      71-73-74=218

Mayson Petty, Tuscaloosa, AL                             $530          74-69-78=221

Wesley Horne, Wadesboro, NC                           $500         71-73-78=222