2nd North Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship

Bermuda Run Country Club, Bermuda Run, NC

August 7, 2011

Championship Match Results

Bermuda Run, NC – Reigning North Carolina Amateur (Stroke Play) Champion Harold Varner of Gastonia created history by defeating Colin Chapman of Franklin, 3 and 1 to win the North Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship and become the first player to win the North Carolina Amateur Stroke and Match Play titles. Not only did Varner become the first to win both titles, but he also became the first to win them in the same year.

Varner, a rising senior at East Carolina, took advantage of an early opening.

“Colin got off to a little rocky start by not making those birdies on 1 and 2,” said the 20 year old Varner. “He then knocked one in the water on 4 which allowed me to take the lead.”

Chapman echoed those thoughts.

“We both probably played better earlier in the week,” said the rising senior at UNC Greensboro. “I just did not make the putts I needed to today which would have put more pressure on Harold. Harold is a great guy and deserved the win.”

Varner’s dad, who is also named Harold, attended the match to watch his son win.

“I played golf and introduced the game to Harold by getting him a set of toy clubs when he was 3,” said a proud dad. “He took the pea from my hand and started beating me when he was in high school,” said the elder Varner referring to the Kung Fu show in which the son learned from the father.

Both Chapman and Varner will be attending the US Amateur Championship later this month at Erin Hills in Wisconsin.

The North Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship is one of 211 events conducted by the Carolinas Golf Association.

Final Results

Round of 32

Upper Bracket:

(150) Blair Bowland, Burlington, NC def. (DC) Payne McLeod, Reidsville, NC, 2&1

(148) Colin Chapman, Franklin, NC def. (147) Andrew Decker, Greenville, NC, 1 Up

(141) Jacob Colley, Holly Springs, NC def. (149) Davis Womble, High Point, NC, 1 Up

(142) Zach Munroe, Charlotte, NC def. (149) Mike McKenzie, Wake Forest, NC, 3&2

(150) Jacob Hicks, Mebane, NC def. (141) Luke Haithcock, Burlington, NC, 20 Holes

(148) Michael Borton, Winston Salem, NC def. (146) Brian Westveer, Charlotte, NC, 3&1

(149) Leif Neijstrom, Greensboro, NC def. (141) Preston Dembowiak, Summerfield, NC, 1 Up

(148) Alex Nianouris, Salisbury, NC def. (146) Kevin O'Connell, Cary, NC, 3&2

Lower Bracket:

(133) Scott Harvey, Greensboro, NC def. (150) Kyle Simpson, Beulaville, NC, 4&3

(148) Tanner Norton, Graham, NC def. (147) Nelson Nance, Elon, NC, 4&3

(141) Thomas Bass, Holly Springs, NC def. (149) Carter Page, Waynesville, NC, 5&4

(143) Spencer Lawson, Raleigh, NC def. (149) Stefan Brewer, Charlotte, NC, 1 Up

(150) Mark McMillen Jr., Smithfield, NC def. (139) Matt Crenshaw, Burlington, NC, 2 Up

(146) Will Almand, Cary, NC def. (148) Logan Harrell, Huntersville, NC, 1 Up

(141) Harold Varner, Gastonia, NC def. (149) Joe Jaspers, Huntersville, NC, 2&1

(144) Alex Ehlert, Raleigh, NC def. (148) Ryan Baucom, Rockingham, NC, 4&3

Round of 16

Upper Bracket:

Chapman def. Bowland, 5&3

Colley def. Munroe, 5&3

Borton def. Hicks, 23 Holes

Neijstrom def. Nianouris, 2&1

Lower Bracket:

Harvey def. Norton, 2 Up

Bass def. Lawson, 20 Holes

McMillen Jr. def. Almand, 1 Up

Varner def. Ehlert, 4&3

Quarterfinals

Upper Bracket:

Chapman def. Colley, 5 & 3

Neijstrom def. Borton, 3 & 2

Lower Bracket:

Harvey def. Bass, 5 & 3

Varner def. McMillen Jr., 5 & 4

Semifinals

Chapman def. Neijstrom, 2 & 1

Varner def. Harvey, 3 & 1

Finals

Varner def. Chapman, 3 & 1

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