Greg Powell, Whiteville, NC and William McGirt, Fairmont, NC

defeated

Danny Gurley, Chapel Hill, NC and David Eaker, Forest City, NC, 2 up

Camden, SC - If superstition wins golf tournaments, then Greg Powell and William McGirt are the black magic poster children.

Defending champions Powell of Whiteville, NC and McGirt of Fairmont, N.C. ousted Danny Gurley of Chapel Hill, NC and David Eaker of Forest City, NC by a 2-up margin to capture the Carolinas Four-Ball Championship at Camden Country Club.

McGirt, the reigning North Carolina Amateur Champion, and partner Powell felt that their "routine" throughout the week kept their win streak in tact.

"We stopped at the same convenience store each night, we ordered Papa Johns pizza for dinner every evening, and we rode in cart number 42 every day," said Powell. "I guess you could call us superstitious but it seems to work for us."

The match was nip and tuck for most of the day . The first-hole win came on the 4th with a Gurley birdie. Powell countered with birdie on the deceitful par 4 5th. The match remained even until the 11th hole when Powell and McGirt suffered their lone bogey. On the par 3 12th, Gurley faced a four-footer to halve the hole but called a penalty on himself after witnessing his ball move after address.

"I saw it move and knew what I had to do," said the easy-going Gurley. "It's a one-stroke penalty and that knocked me out of a chance to win the hole."

However Gurley responded with the highlight of the day on the following hole, the par-5 13th where he lasered a four iron to four feet to secure the eagle and the hole to go one up.

Powell responded two holes later with a birdie on 14 and followed with a birdie on 17 catapulting his team to their first lead of the day. Gurley and Eaker could not unearth a birdie on the final hole and with no chance to win, generously conceded Powell his birdie to give the defending champions a second consecutive win.

"This will be our last time winning as a team," said McGirt referring to his decision to turn pro later this year. "It feels good to have won both times we entered and have a 10 and 0 match-play record. Greg is already looking for a partner."

Powell now qualifies to compete on the Carolinas Team when they compete against Virginia's best amateurs later this year.

Superstition or raw talent, McGirt and Powell now join five other teams who have won consecutive championships in the Carolinas Four-Ball Championship. No team has ever won three in a row. And with McGirt's decision to turn professional, there is not enough golfing magic to make it happen next year.

--30--