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Mulroy and Partner Win Three Million
Tarheel Tour player Garth Mulroy teamed with David Ping to win the largest check ever awarded at a golf tournament.
The duo won the $3-million first prize in the Big Stakes Match Play, May 11-16 at CasaBlanca Golf Club in Mesquite, Nev. They beat six opponents to win the 64-team event.
Ping and Mulroy, a South African who was an All-American at N.C. State, had their $100,000 entry fee sponsored by two NFL players – Ben Roethlisberger of Pittsburgh and Barry Stokes of Atlanta. According to the Raleigh News & Observer, Mulroy and Ping split the prize money with their sponsors, so everybody took home $750,000.
The tournament website is www.bigstakesgolf.com.

Several Advance in US Open Qualifying
The Tarheel Tour dominated U.S. Open local qualifying in its home state. Of the 24 who advanced from three North Carolina qualifying sites, 14 of them were tour players.
At River Landing on May 11, Ryan Gioffre (65), Chris Hockaday (66), Cortney Brisson (67) and Jonathan Hill (67) advanced. At Gaston Country Club on May 17, John Heffernan (67), Stewart Moore (68), Matt Cannon (69), Ben Case (69) and Jason Martin (69) advanced. At National Golf Club on May 19, David Sanchez (67), Stephen Woodard (68), Jason Moon (69), Jeremy Pope (69) and Kevin Taylor (69) advanced.
Also, May 18 at Carolina Country Club in Spartanburg, S.C., three more advanced: Jeremy Revis (66), Matt Davidson, now of the PGA Tour (66), and Cortland Lowe (68).
Those Tarheel Tour players will join with others who qualified around the country for sectional qualifying, which will be held at 14 sites on May 30, June 7 and June 8.

The 2005 U.S. Open is June 16-19 at Pinehurst No. 2.

Cannon’s Tour Earnings Surpass $100,000
Matt Cannon, the Tarheel Tour’s all-time leading money winner, has now surpassed the $100,000 plateau.
Cannon came into this season with $96,889.97 in total prize money in the tour’s three-year history. His $8,016.66 in the first five events of 2005 has pushed his career earnings to $104,906.63.
Second place all-time is Frank Adams III at $47,346.35.