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Ellington/Laws in the Mixed Team Winner's Circle
Caroline Ellington & Zak Laws of Raleigh, NC win the 12th Carolinas Mixed Team Championship
VILLAGE OF PINEHURST, N.C. (August 20, 2017) -- Final round of the 12th Carolinas Mixed Team Championship at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club's Course No. 3 in Pinehurst, N.C. on Sunday, August 20th (Par 33-35--68, various yardage).
Related: Championship Web Site | Scoring | History | Photos
Call it playing a hunch.
At the scoreboard Saturday afternoon, Zak Laws, 30, surveyed the scene. "If we shoot 65 tomorrow, we could win," he said to partner Caroline Ellington.
At the time, the Raleigh duo trailed by five strokes following Saturday's four-ball portion of the championship. Ellington and Laws shined Sunday, the only team to shoot under par in the modified alternate shot format for the final round (66-65--131). Playing in two-person teams, both team members hit from the tee, select one ball to be played, then play alternate shot until the ball is holed.
In their first Carolinas Mixed Team appearance last year, Ellington and Laws finished ninth. "We've been looking forward to this since the end of last year's tournament," said the 26-year-old Ellington. The teammates enjoy each other's company in mixed events and have had success, winning the 2016 McConnell Golf Couples Tournament.
Ellington, who played collegiately at N.C. State, took advantage of Pinehurst No. 3's short layout, driving the green on multiple par-4s, including the 311-yard 11th. Their lone bogey came on the par-4 5th, where Ellington also drove the green, but the two took four putts to complete. Four birdies compensated for the blemish. Their three-under 65 was five shots better than any other team in the Championship Division. "We played some really solid golf, and had a great time!" exclaimed Ellington.
First round leaders Thomas Hodges of Jamestown, N.C. and Joliana Elias of Waxhaw, N.C. struggled with modified alternate shot, resulting in a three-over final round (61-71--132) to fall one-stroke shy of forcing a playoff. Seven-time Carolinas Mixed Team champions Anthony Adams and Debbie Adams of Asheville, N.C. finished third at three-under overall (62-71--133).
In the Senior Division, Kris Berger and Tony Berger of Bluffton, S.C. earned the victory by virtue of a scorecard playoff at five-over 141 after finishing tied with Lisa Holland and Mike Holland of Rocky Mount, N.C.
The Carolinas Golf Association thanks Pinehurst Resort & Country Club for hosting this championship for the third consecutive year.
Carolinas Mixed Teams may choose to compete in any division in which they are eligible: Championship division, Tournament division (shorter course), Senior division (male age 55+, female age 50+), or Super Senior division (male age 65+, female age 65+). The tournament division plays a shorter course and is ineligible for the overall championship. Tournament, Senior and Super Senior divisions will be pre-flighted by total team handicap index. Team handicap index is computed by adding 2/3 of the lower handicap index to 1/3 of the higher handicap index.
Entry is open to any team comprised of a male amateur and a female amateur golfer who have reached their 13th birthdays, who are legal residents of North Carolina or South Carolina, are members in good standing of a club which is a member of the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) and have an active GHIN® USGA Handicap Index® at a CGA member club.
12th Carolinas Mixed Team Championship
Pinehurst CC (No. 3), Village of Pinehurst, N.C.
Final Results
| Championship | |||
| 1 | Caroline Ellington, Raleigh, N.C. - Zak Laws, Raleigh, N.C. | 66-65--131 (-5) | |
| 2 | Joliana Elias, Jamestown, N.C. - Thomas Hodges, Waxhaw, N.C. | 61-71--132 (-4) | |
| 3 | Debbie Adams, Asheville, N.C. - Anthony Adams, Asheville, N.C. | 62-71--133 (-3) | |
| T4 | Larry Almond, Albemarle, N.C. - Rachel Tamaro, Albemarle, N.C. | 64-70--134 (-2) | |
| T4 | Brian Hayes, High Point, N.C. - Meghan Holbrooks, Winston Salem, N.C. | 63-71--134 (-2) | |
| 6 | Colleen Estes, Charlotte , North Caro - William Reynolds, Raleigh, N.C. | 67-70--137 (+1) | |
| 7 | Hunter Watkins, Lexington, S.C. - Braiden Furtick, Lexington, S.C. | 68-72--140 (+4) | |
| 8 | Katie Kirk, Winterville, N.C. - Dave Loomis, Winterville, N.C. | 71-71--142 (+6) | |
| 9 | Peter Loper, Elgin, S.C. - Catherine Loper, Elgin, S.C. | 70-73--143 (+7) | |
| 10 | Andrea Estes, Charlotte, N.C. - Joe Hindle, Davidson, N.C. | 74-77--151 (+15) | |
| 11 | Jorijn Tinge, Charlotte, N.C. - Jan Tinge, Charlotte, N.C. | 79-87--166 (+30) | |
| Senior - First Flight | |||
| T1 | Kris Berger, Bluffton, S.C. - Tony Berger, Bluffton, S.C. | 70-71--141 (+5) | |
| T1 | Lisa Holland, Rocky Mount, N.C. - Mike Holland, Rocky Mount, N.C. | 69-72--141 (+5) | |
| T3 | Susan Dauber, Simpsonville, S.C. - Steve Dauber, Simpsonville, S.C. | 68-77--145 (+9) | |
| T3 | John Laehn, Aiken, S.C. - Judy Laehn, Aiken, S.C. | 67-78--145 (+9) | |
| T5 | Mike Johnson, Knightdale, N.C. - Rosie Johnson, Knightdale, N.C. | 69-77--146 (+10) | |
| T5 | Beth Umberger, Myrtle Beach, S.C. - Steve Coldwell, Myrtle Beach, S.C. | 73-73--146 (+10) | |
| 7 | Lisa Desando, Simpsonville, S.C. - Eric Desando, Simpsonville, S.C. | 69-78--147 (+11) | |
| 8 | Cindy Altieri, Lake Wylie, S.C. - Tom Bookmiller, Lake Wylie, S.C. | 76-75--151 (+15) | |
| 9 | Bob Fulton, Hilton Head, S.C. - Robin Fulton, Hilton Head, S.C. | 72-81--153 (+17) | |
| 10 | Robert Lynch, Raleigh, N.C. - Teresa Lynch, Raleigh, N.C. | 79-89--168 (+32) | |
| Senior - Second Flight | |||
| 1 | Frank Johnson Jr, Summerville, S.C. - Wanda Torres, Summerville, S.C. | 71-75--146 (+10) | |
| 2 | Dan Kelly, Raleigh, N.C. - Melody Diamond, Raleigh, N.C. | 71-76--147 (+11) | |
| 3 | Michael Gerace, Bluffton, S.C. - Jeanne Gerace, Bluffton, S.C. | 69-79--148 (+12) | |
| 4 | Cathy Martin, Huntersville, N.C. - James Martin, Huntersville, N.C. | 73-76--149 (+13) | |
| 5 | Mr. Richard Sojka, Raleigh, N.C. - Patti Sojka, Raleigh, N.C. | 70-83--153 (+17) | |
| 6 | Denice Short, Raleigh, N.C. - Jack Short, Raleigh, N.C. | 75-79--154 (+18) | |
| 7 | Kyoko Tsuchiya, Mt Pleasant, S.C. - Masakazu Tsuchiya, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. | 73-82--155 (+19) | |
| 8 | Maynard Knotts, Huntersville , N.C. - Robbie Knotts, Huntersville, N.C. | 75-85--160 (+24) | |
| 9 | Daryl Whisenant, Concord, N.C. - Tammy Whisenant, Concord, N.C. | 79-82--161 (+25) | |
| Super Senior - First Flight | |||
| 1 | Dennis Slezak, Mount Pleasant, S.C. - Bernice Slezak, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. | 67-71--138 (+2) | |
| 2 | Ronald Gosnell, Greenville, S.C. - Carolyn Gosnell, Greenville, S.C. | 68-72--140 (+4) | |
| 3 | Robert Wildner, Hendersonville, N.C. - Virgene Wildner, Penrose, N.C. | 66-78--144 (+8) | |
| 4 | Michael Egan, Wilmington, N.C. - Susan Egan, Wilmington, N.C. | 72-73--145 (+9) | |
| 5 | Patrick Luskey, Aiken, S.C. - Linda Johnson, Aiken, S.C. | 67-80--147 (+11) | |
| 6 | Stephen Murphy, Hilton Head Island, S.C. - Linda Murphy, Hilton Head, S.C. | 77-78--155 (+19) | |
| 7 | Sandy Bland, Summerville, S.C. - Jay Bland, Summerville, S.C. | 79-77--156 (+20) | |
| 8 | Bill Lee, Charlotte, N.C. - Beth Lee, Charlotte, N.C. | 70-WD--WD | |
| Super Senior - Second Flight | |||
| 1 | Debbie Weber, Aiken, SOUTH CARO - Jack Weber, Aiken, S.C. | 73-70--143 (+7) | |
| 2 | Doris Fisher, Simpsonville, S.C. - Mike Fisher, Simpsonville, S.C. | 73-75--148 (+12) | |
| 3 | Melvin Chamblee, Ahoskie, N.C. - Nancy Chamblee, Ahoskie, N.C. | 75-75--150 (+14) | |
| 4 | Teddy Stockwell, Charleston, S.C. - Charley Gibbs, Charleston, S.C. | 76-79--155 (+19) | |
| 5 | Jim Phlegar, Bolivia, N.C. - Ann Phlegar, Bolivia, N.C. | 79-83--162 (+26) | |
| 6 | Mary Jones, Simpsonville, S.C. - Drew Jones, Simpsonville, S.C. | 78-85--163 (+27) | |
| 7 | Thomas Barreca, Hilton Head, S.C. - Anita Barreca, Hilton Head, S.C. | 79-86--165 (+29) | |
| 8 | Mike Fesperman, New London, N.C. - Jane Fesperman, New London, N.C. | 80-86--166 (+30) | |
| 9 | David Smith, Gastonia, N.C. - Ada Ellen Smith, Gastonia, N.C. | 82-87--169 (+33) | |
| Tournament | |||
| 1 | Andrew Morgan, China Grove, N.C. - Ginger Gibson, Kannapolis, N.C. | 64-69--133 (-3) | |
| 2 | Ray Casey, Garner, N.C. - Cindy Casey, Garner, N.C. | 65-69--134 (-2) | |
| T3 | Dick Stimart, Charlotte, N.C. - Chan Stimart, Charlotte, N.C. | 67-68--135 (-1) | |
| T3 | Willy Mesa, Cary, N.C. - Pat Brogden, Garner, N.C. | 65-70--135 (-1) | |
| 5 | Jeffrey Sepesi, New London, N.C. - Lisa Sepesi, New London, N.C. | 67-76--143 (+7) | |
| 6 | Steve Clark, Midland, N.C. - Tracie Clark, Midland, N.C. | 71-75--146 (+10) | |
| 7 | Jon McVety, Wake Forest, N.C. - Maureen McVety, Wake Forest, N.C. | 73-82--155 (+19) | |
About the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA)
The CGA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization that was founded in 1909 to promote and to protect the game of golf in the Carolinas by providing competitions, education, support and benefits to golf clubs and golfers. The CGA is the second largest golf association in the country with over 700 member clubs represented by nearly 150,000 individuals.
The CGA annually conducts 48 championships and five team match competitions for men, women, juniors, and seniors. It also runs over 150 One-Day (net and gross) events as well as qualifying for USGA national championships. The CGA serves golf in the Carolinas with numerous programs such as: the USGA Handicap System; tournament management software and support; course measuring and course/slope ratings; agronomy consultation; answers about the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, and Handicapping; Carolinas Golf Magazine; Interclub series; Tarheel Youth Golf Association; Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame; expense assistance for USGA Junior and Girls' Junior qualifiers from the Carolinas; and the Carolinas Golf Foundation (CGF). The CGF has distributed nearly $2,000,000 since 1977 to benefit Carolinas' golf initiatives including junior and women's programs.
For more information about the CGA, visit our website.
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