...Carolina Golf News Line

Cannon Wins 7-Hole Playoff on Tarheel Tour After Rain Washes Out Final Round

CHARLOTTE -- The Tarheel Tour's Providence Open was won by Huntersville's Matt Cannon in a four-way playoff Thursday after a trio of rain delays forced cancellation of the final round at Providence Country Club. Because the final round wasn't completed, scoring reverted back to 36-hole totals, which had Cannon tied at seven-under 137 with Jason Martin of Lenoir, Chris Patton of Fountain Inn, S.C., and Charlotte's Russell Killough. The par-3 16th was the designated playoff hole and it took seven circuits around the hole before Cannon drained a six-foot birdie putt to edge Martin for the $5,000 first-place check. Killough was eliminated on the first playoff hole, while Patton was eliminated on the fourth.

"I played a little more aggressive and went at the hole every time," said Cannon, who notched his third Tarheel Tour win of 2004. "You'd hate to aim away from the hole in a playoff. That's kind of like leaving a birdie putt short."
Cannon hit 6-iron all seven times on the 187-yard hole. He had two birdie putts lip out and watched Martin drain a long birdie putt on the fifth try to keep the playoff alive. Cannon finally sealed the deal on his seventh try with a crisp tee shot that landed six feet behind the pin and held.
"It was a good way to end because that shot was really good," said Cannon, the tour's all-time career money leader. "I guess you get dialed in after six times."
Martin, who played collegiately at UNC Greensboro, had to settle for a second-place tie with Killough and Patton. Each collected $2,166.66. Kyle Bradley of North Augusta, S.C., finished fifth at 138 and won $1,300, while Brett Boner of Charlotte, Frank Adams III of Laurinburg, and Drew Nelson of Woodstock, Ga., shared sixth at 140, earning $1,166.66 apiece.
The tour returns to action Aug. 3-5 with the Kannapolis Invitational at Kannapolis Country Club.
Tarheel Professional Tour
Final Results
(Shortened to 36 holes by rain)
Providence Country Club
Par 72 -- 7, 006 Yards
Matt Cannon, Huntersville, $5,000 70-67--137*
Jason Martin, Lenoir, $2,166.66 69-68--137
Russell Killough, Charlotte, $2,166.66 70-67--137
Chris Patton, Fountain Inn, SC, $2,166.66 69-68--137
Kyle Bradley, N. Augusta, SC, $1,300 71-67--138
Frank Adams, Laurinburg, $1,166.66 73-67--140
Brett Boner, Charlotte, $1,166.66 71-69--140
Drew Nelson, Woodstock, Ga., $1,166.66 71-69--140
Josh Dickinson, Matthews, $966.66 71-70--141
Justin Young, Roanoke, Va., $966.66 71-70--141
Shawn Walsh, Stratford, Ont., $966.66 68-73--141
John Heffernan, Charlotte, $675 71-71--142
Stefaan Van den Heever, S.Africa, $675 71-71--142
John McAllister, Spartanburg, $675 71-71--142
Michael Shamp, Charlotte, $675 70-72--142
Tim Straub, Huntersville, $675 70-72--142
David Sanchez, Pinehurst, $675 67-75--142
David Siegel, Charlotte, $475 73-70--143
David Seawell, Columbia, $475 72-71--143
Stewart Moore, Charlotte, $475 72-71--143
Woo-Hyun Kim, South Korea, $82.50 74-70--144
Mark Stillwell, Greensboro, $82.50 74-70--144
Cody Clark, Hickory, $82.50 74-70--144
Courtney Faircloth, Wilson, $82.50 72-72--144
Ben Friedell, Charlotte, $82.50 68-76--144
* - won in 7-hole playoff