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Al Dickens IV Defeats David Donovan IV 3 and 2 to Win NC Amateur Match Play Title
WALLACE, NC – Final match play results of the 5th North Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship of the Carolinas Golf Association hosted by River Landing (Landing) in Wallace, NC on Friday, August 8, 2014 (6730 yards, par 36-36—72, 72.7/131).
After a five day delay, Al Dickens, IV of Charlotte used a hot putter en route to a 3 and 2 victory over David Donovan, IV of Hampstead to win the 5th North Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship at River Landing. The championship match originally was scheduled for Sunday, August 3 but continuous rain and unplayable course conditions necessitated the move to Friday.
The match started with halved pars on the first three holes. An errant tee shot by Dickens IV on the fourth hole led to a bogey and a 1 up lead for Donovan IV. Donovan IV held that 1 up advantage until the seventh hole where Dickens IV stuck his 140-yard approach shot 2 feet and a conceded birdie to square the match.
The next five holes were halved but both players’ putters heated up on holes 10 and 11 where each rolled in consecutive birdies on top of each other. Donovan IV made a 30 foot birdie from just off the putting green on the par 3 11th hole placing the pressure on Dickens IV to convert his five foot birdie attempt which he successfully did. Hole 12 was halved with par.
Turning point in the match was on the par-5 13th hole. Donovan IV was unable to convert on a long birdie attempt but Dickens IV rolled in an 8-foot birdie to take a 1 up lead.
On the par-4 14th hole both players hit the fairway with their tee shots. Donovan IV left his approach on the front of the green while Dickens IV was hole high just on the fringe. Donovan IV left his birdie attempt short. Dickens IV then rolled-in a 28-foot sliding putt to take a 2 up advantage.
Dickens IV’s tee shot on the challenging par-4 15th hole found the center of the fairway. Donovan IV pushed his tee shot into the right lateral water hazard. After taking a penalty drop, he hit his approach shot to the right of the green. Dickens IV’s approach landed just off the green on the left side. Donovan IV chipped to within six inches for a bogey. Dickens IV snuggled his putt to a foot to take a 3 up advantage and dormie status.
On the 175-yard par 3 16th hole, both players’ tee shots landed on the green. Dickens IV was just away and putted first from 35 feet. His birdie attempt came up 2 ½ feet short leaving a chance for Donovan IV to win the hole. Donovan IV’s 32 foot birdie attempt just slid past the hole for a conceded par. Dickens IV rolled in the 2 ½ foot par to win the championship.
“I’ve won some tournaments as a junior but winning a CGA championship is a big deal,” Dickens IV said. “Putting has always been my favorite part of the game. I have tried to build it up as a weapon. The goal for me is to hit 18 greens each round and let the putter take over.”
Dickens IV, a 21-year-old rising redshirt junior marketing major at East Carolina, won the East Coast Amateur Championship also played on the Landing course just yesterday. That event was slated to be played on River Landing’s River course but the steady rains last week caused the Northeast Cape Fear River to flood parts of the River course necessitating moving that event to the Landing course.
Dickens IV‘s father Al Dickens III caddied for him throughout the match play portion of the championship. “It’s pretty special,” Dickens IV noted about his father caddying. “I wouldn’t be here without him and there is not enough I can say to thank him.”
For more information on the North Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship including hole-by-hole scoring please visit: https://www.carolinasgolf.org/championship/home/14ncmatch/year/2014
This championship is conducted by the Carolinas Golf Association which in its 105th year of serving amateur golf in the Carolinas.
Final Results
Championship Match
Al Dickens IV, Charlotte, N.C. (8) def. David Donovan IV, Hampstead, N.C. (18), 3 and 2
Complete Match Play Results
Round of 32
Jacob Hicks, Mebane, N.C. (1) def. Wesley Conover, Holly Springs, N.C. (32), 20 holes
Stanhope Johnson Jr, Greensboro, N.C. (16) def. Chris Eaves, Burgaw, N.C. (17), 1 up
Al Dickens IV, Charlotte, N.C. (8) def. James Chapman, Raleigh, N.C. (25), 1 up
Thomas Walsh, High Point, N.C. (9) def. Stephen Lavenets, Rougemont, N.C. (24), 19 holes
Gray Townsend, Winston Salem, N.C. (29) def. Eric Brady, Cary, N.C. (4), 19 holes
Andy Simmons, Charlotte, N.C. (20) def. Danny Pizetoski, Davidson, N.C. (13), 1 up
Philip Oweida, Charlotte, N.C. (28) def. Matthew Crenshaw, Burlington, N.C. (5), 19 holes
Daniel Brantley, Asheboro, N.C. (21) def. Luke Haithcock, Burlington, N.C. (12), 3 and 2
Garrett Smith, Hillsborough, N.C. (31) def. Thomas Eldridge, Raleigh, N.C. (2), 3 and 2
David Donovan IV, Hampstead, N.C. (18) def. Jeff Allen, Jacksonville, N.C. (15), 5 and 3
David Kocher, Charlotte, N.C. (26) def. Tim Conover, Holly Springs, N.C. (7), 2 and 1
Jonathan Jackson, Chapel Hill, N.C. (10) def. Ross Robison, Wilmington, N.C. (23), 4 and 2
Cyrus Stewart, Raleigh, N.C. (3) def. Zach Griffis, Winston-Salem, N.C. (30), 3 and 2
Zach Seabolt, Raleigh, N.C. (14) def. William Rainey, Charlotte, N.C. (19), 19 holes
Bryce Hendrix, Greenville, N.C. (6) def. Erik Ehlert, Raleigh, N.C. (27), 1 up
Miller Capps, Denver, N.C. (11) def. Elliott Grayson, Shelby, N.C. (22), 6 and 4
Round of 16
Stanhope Johnson Jr, Greensboro, N.C. (16) def. Jacob Hicks, Mebane, N.C. (1), 2 and 1
Al Dickens IV, Charlotte, N.C. (8) def. Thomas Walsh, High Point, N.C. (9), 4 and 3
Andy Simmons, Charlotte, N.C. (20) def. Gray Townsend, Winston Salem, N.C. (29), 1 up
Philip Oweida, Charlotte, N.C. (28) def. Daniel Brantley, Asheboro, N.C. (21), 2 and 1
David Donovan IV, Hampstead, N.C. (18) def. Garrett Smith, Hillsborough, N.C. (31), 1 up
Jonathan Jackson, Chapel Hill, N.C. (10) def. David Kocher, Charlotte, N.C. (26), 1 up
Cyrus Stewart, Raleigh, N.C. (3) def. Zach Seabolt, Raleigh, N.C. (14), 3 and 2
Miller Capps, Denver, N.C. (11) def. Bryce Hendrix, Greenville, N.C. (6), 5 and 4
Quarterfinals
Al Dickens IV, Charlotte, N.C. (8) def. Stanhope Johnson Jr, Greensboro, N.C. (16), 5 and 3
Philip Oweida, Charlotte, N.C. (28) def. Andy Simmons, Charlotte, N.C. (20), 1 up
David Donovan IV, Hampstead, N.C. (18) def. Jonathan Jackson, Chapel Hill, N.C. (10), 1 up
Cyrus Stewart, Raleigh, N.C. (3) def. Miller Capps, Denver, N.C. (11), 4 and 3
Semifinals
Al Dickens IV, Charlotte, N.C. (8) def. Philip Oweida, Charlotte, N.C. (28), 1 up
David Donovan IV, Hampstead, N.C. (18) def. Cyrus Stewart, Raleigh, N.C. (3), 4 and 3
Championship Match
Al Dickens IV, Charlotte, N.C. (8) def. David Donovan IV, Hampstead, N.C. (18), 3 and 2
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