...Carolina Golf News Line

Red-Hot Parel Sets Tour Scoring Mark in Winning Fox Den Open

STATESVILLE, N.C. -- Scott Parel of Augusta, Ga., not only won the $5,750 first-place check Thursday in the Tarheel Tour's Fox Den Open at Fox Den Country Club, he did it in record fashion. Parel fired a final-round 66 to finish with an impressive 19-under par total of 197, the lowest winning score in tour history.
Despite his record performance, Parel faced a stiff challenge from rookie Braxton Wynns of Buies Creek. Parel trailed Wynns by a shot at the turn before reeling off four birdies on the back nine to secure a two-shot victory. Wynns, a standout last season at Campbell Unversity, shot 67 to finish second at 199 and earn $3,250.
Parel credited his putting for the record performance. "To shoot that low, you're going to have to putt well and I putted well all week," said Parel, a former Nationwide Tour player who's won twice on the Tarheel Tour in three starts. "Until today, I also drove the ball well. I missed some tee shots today, but I missed them in the right places."
Columbia's Steve Larick, who shot 69, just missed a birdie putt on the final hole and finished third at 200 to earn $2,250.
Greensboro's Karl Mitchell tied the course record with a 64 in the final round to leap into fourth at 201. Mitchell, who pocketed $1,750, entered the day tied for 15th. He equalled the course record set two days earlier by John Heffernan and tied the previous day by Bryant MacKellar.
In addition to Parel's record winning score and those three course records, several other Tarheel Tour records were set at Fox Den. The 82-man field was the largest in tour history, the $5,750 winner's check was the richest in tour history and the cut at four-under 140 was the lowest cut line in tour history.
The next stop on the Tarheel Tour is the Cowans Ford Open, Oct. 12-14 at Cowans Ford Country Club near Denver, N.C.
Tarheel Professional Tour
Final Results
Fox Den Open
Fox Den Country Club
Par 72 -- 7,005 Yards
Scott Parel, Augusta, Ga., $5,750 66-65-66--197
Braxton Wynns, Buies Creek, $3,250 67-65-67--199
Steve Larick, Columbia, SC, $2,250 66-65-69--200
Karl Mitchell, Greensboro, $1,750 68-69-64--201
Tommy Gainey, Bishopville, SC, $1,350 68-67-67--202
Steve Gilley, Sharpsburg, Ga., $1,350 65-68-69--202
Gary Christian, Birmingham, Ala., $1,175 66-69-68--203
Aaron Black, Aiken, SC, $1,175 66-68-69--203
Derek Watson, Sumter, SC, $1,175 66-66-71--203
Matt Davidson, Greenville, SC, $1,175 66-67-70--203
Stephen Woodard, Charlotte, $1,050 67-70-67--204
David Mathis, Raleigh, $991.66 69-70-66--205
Len Calvert, Easley, SC, $991.66 67-71-67--205
David Sanchez, Pinehurst, $991.66 68-68-69--205
Bryant MacKellar, Boynton Bch., Fla., $825 73-64-69--206
Iain Steel, Birmingham, Ala., $825 70-67-69--206
Matt Cannon, Huntersville, $725 70-65-72--207
Brad Fritsch, Raleigh, $725 68-68-71--207
Ted Brown, Richmond, Va., $625 66-71-71--208
Andy Crain, Goldsboro, $625 68-69-71--208
Jason Moon, Wake Forest, NC, $625 69-67-72--208
Kris Mikkelson, Atlanta, Ga., $550 68-72-69--209
Kevin Taylor, Mocksville, $550 71-68-70--209
G.W. Cable, Fairfax, Va., $550 70-69-70--209
Derek Brown, Walnut Cove, $500 67-73-70--210
Drew Nelson, Woodstock, Ga., $331.25 68-72-71--211
Will McKenzie, Greenville, NC, $331.25 71-69-71--211
Matt Johnson, Fairfax, Va., $331.25 71-67-73--211
Charles Frost, St. Simons Island, Ga.,$331.25 68-70-73--211
John Heffernan, Charlotte, $212.50 64-71-78--213
Andy Bare, Pinehurst, $212.50 68-72-74--214