Heading into Quarterfinals Showdown at North Carolina Amateur Match Play

 

HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. (July 31, 2020) --  Round of 32 and Round of 16 results from the 11th North Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship at The Club at 12 Oaks in Holly Springs, N.C. on July 31, 2020. (7,093 yards, par 36-36--72)

 

The CGA will be conducting this championship under the new COVID-19 Tournament Protocols. Learn more here. 

 

Related: Championship Web Site | Match Play Bracket | History l Photos

 

Round of 32

 

The biggest upset of the Championship came from the two-time CGA champion and No. 32 seed Dean Channell of Pinehurst, N.C. Channell defeated No. 1 seed Patrick Stephenson of Four Oaks, N.C. in an exciting 19 hole match. The match remained tied for most of the morning but Channell took a 1 up lead on No. 17 only to have Stephenson extend the match by winning No. 18. Channell finished the match with a birdie on the first playoff hole.

 

Channell secured the final spot in the match play bracket yesterday evening in a four-hole playoff. Channell said he had a consistent morning, with straight shots off the tee and concise iron play.  

 

“I just kept the ball in play, and made a bunch of pars, made a few birdies. These guys hit it a lot further than I do, so I really can’t hit it out of play,” Channell said. 

 

Channell would go on to play his longtime friend, Press McPhaul of Raleigh, N.C., in the Round of 16. McPhaul would first have the task of facing off against the defending champion, Ben Woodruff of Huntersville, N.C., in the Round of 32. That match would also go on to extra holes and also ended on the 19th hole with McPhaul taking down Woodruff and booking his ticket to the Round of 16. 

 

This year’s N.C. Amateur champion, Peter Fountain of Raleigh, N.C. faced off against Matias La Grutta of Cary, N.C. Fountain won the first hole but La Grutta quickly struck back and tied the match back up on the second hole.  Fountain took back the lead on the very next hole and never let it go. He would go on to win the match 4 & 3 and would face another Raleigh resident,  Alex Nianouris in the Round of 16. 

 

The No. 6 seed, Walker Cress of Concord, N.C., who made it to the Round of 16 in this very event last year before being eliminated, defeated Chris Cassetta of High Point, 5 & 4 in the Round of 32. With the win, Cress would go on to battle George Baker of Holly Springs, N.C. in the Round of 16. 

 

Round of 16

 

McPhaul would eventually go on to defeat Channell in 19 holes this afternoon in the Round of 16. McPhaul will battle it out with Alex Heffner, of Harrisburg, N.C. in the Quarterfinals for a spot in the Semifinals set to take place Saturday afternoon. 

 

Past records might suggest that Nianouris had his work cut out for him given the summer that Fountain has been having on the golf course but it was a swift 6 & 5 finish. 

 

“I feel great, I just need to keep giving myself looks at birdies, and put my confidence in the putter and hope I roll a few in,” Nianouris said. 

 

Nianouris will face off against Stephen Abrams of Wilson, N.C. in the Semifinals. Abrams earned his spot in the Semis after defeating Jake Scruggs of Shelby, N.C., 2 up in the Round of 16. 

 

Cress defeated Baker in 19 holes and will face off against the reigning N.C. Junior Player of the Year, Nicholas Matthews of Mebane, N.C.. Matthews won his match against No. 2 seed Austin Bonfiglio of Holly Springs, N.C. Cress is the highest remaining seed in the Semifinal matches. 

 

“This afternoon's match I just tried to take it ond hole at a time and not get ahead of myself. Lou played really well so I knew I had to play well the last couple of holes. So far I am putting well this week and my game plan is working well so I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing going into tomorrow,” Cress said. 

 

This year’s Carolinian Amateur champion, Tim Bunten of Concord, N.C., defeated another local golfer, Timothy Driver of Holly Springs, N.C., 2 & 1 in the Round of 16. Driver had a substantial following of neighborhood friends throughout the day, but Bunten remained focused on the match. 

 

“I held on today. It was a tough afternoon and I found a way to come out on top,” Bunten said. “It was fun to play two local guys today and we had a big crowd following us. I’m looking forward to playing with a good friend tomorrow morning and having some fun.” 

 

The next-to-last grouping in Saturday morning’s round will pit Bunten against the Nic Brown of Wendell, N.C. Brown defeated Bryson Boyette of Wilson, N.C., 2 & 1 to earn his spot into the Semifinals.

 

11th North Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship

The Club at 12 Oaks, Holly Springs, N.C.

Round of 32 Results

 

Dean Channell, Pinehurst, N.C. def. Patrick Stephenson, Four Oaks, N.C. 19 holes

Press McPhaul, Raleigh, N.C. def Ben Woodruff, Huntersville, N.C. 19 holes

Alex Heffner, Harrisburg, N.C. def. Brandon Reece, Rolesville, N.C. 3 and 1

Drew Hackett, Charlotte, N.C. def. Daniel Neveu, Pinehurst, N.C. 4 and 3

Tim Bunten, Concord, N.C. def. Garrett Risner, Holly Springs, N.C. 2 and 1

Timothy Driver, Holly Springs, N.C. def Jay Roberts, Concord, N.C. 1 up

Bryson Boyette, Wilson, N.C. def. Jimbo Stanley, Raleigh, N.C. 19 holes

Nic Brown, Wendell, N.C. def. Scott Park, Charlotte, N.C. 2 and 1

Austin Bonfiglio, Holly Springs, N.C. def. Jacob Shamblin, Matthews, N.C. 4 and 3

Nicholas Matthews, Mebane, N.C. def. Brandon Mader, Greenville, N.C. 5 and 4

Walker Cress, Concord, N.C. def. Chris Cassetta, High Points, 5 and 4

George Baker, Holly Springs, N.C. def. Stephen Carroll, Concord, N.C. 3 and 1

Jake Scruggs, Shelby, N.C. def. Attie Giles, Pinehurst, N.C. 1 up

Stephen Abrams, Wilson, N.C. def. John Fahey, Charlotte, N.C. 2 up

Peter Fountain, Raleigh, N.C. def. Matias La Grutta, Cary, N.C. 4 and 3

Alex Nianouris, Raleigh, N.C. def. George McNeely, Chapel Hill, N.C. 

 

11th North Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship

The Club at 12 Oaks, Holly Springs, N.C.

Round of 16 Results

 

Press McPhaul, Raleigh, N.C. def. Dean Channell, Pinehurst, N.C. 2 up

Alex Heffner, Harrisburg, N.C. def. Drew Hackett, Charlotte, N.C. 1 up

Tim Bunten, Concord, N.C. def. Timothy Driver, Holly Springs, N.C. 1 up

Nic Brown, Wendell, N.C. def. Bryson Boyette, Wilson, N.C. 2 and 1

Nicholas Matthews, Mebane, N.C. def. Austin Bonfiglio, Holly Springs, N.C. 2 and 1

Walker Cress, Concord, N.C. def.George Baker, Holly Springs, N.C. 19 holes

Stephen Abrams, Wilson, N.C. def. Jake Scruggs, Shelby, N.C. 2 up

Alex Nianouris, Raleigh, N.C. def. Peter Fountain, Raleigh, N.C. 6 and 5

 

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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