Four with Carolinas Roots in the US Senior Am Quarterfinals

(Photo and facts courtesy of the USGA)

DURHAM, N.C. (August 28, 2019) -- The Quarterfinals of the 65th U.S. Senior Amateur Championship are underway at Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, N.C.

Of the eight golfers left in the championship, three are currently living in the Carolinas while Rick Cloninger of McDonough, Ga. was born in Charlotte, N.C., is a four-time CGA Champion and just recently moved from Rock Hill, S.C.

Between the four of them, they own 12 CGA Championship titles.

Here are some quick facts on each of these four:

Steve Harwell, 56, of Mooresville, N.C.

• Born Nov. 20, 1962 in Mooresville, N.C.
• Three-time CGA Champion
  • 1997 Carolinas Four-Ball Championship
  • 2019 Carolinas Senior Four-Ball Championship
  • 2019 North Carolina Senior Amateur Championship
• No. 1,900 in World Amateur Golf Ranking™
• Earned No. 44 seed with rounds of 77-73 in stroke play
• Reached quarterfinals for first time in 14 USGA championships played
• Twice advanced to the Round of 16 in the U.S. Mid-Amateur (1993, 2010)
• Won North Carolina Senior Amateur and National Senior Hall of Fame Tournament in 2019
• Edged Chip Lutz and Jeff Knox by one stroke to win this year’s George L. Coleman Invitational
• NAIA All-American selection at Guilford College
• Works in a life insurance company’s finance division

Path to quarterfinals

• Defeated Lionel Sutton, 3 and 2, in the Round of 64
• Defeated Paul Simson, 20 holes, in the Round of 32
• Defeated Kory Frost, 3 and 2, in the Round of 16

Paul Jett, 55, of Southern Pines, N.C.

• Born July 7, 1964
• Not ranked in World Amateur Golf Ranking™
• Earned No. 57 seed with rounds of 76-75 in stroke play
• Carded a 68 in the Lexington, S.C., sectional qualifier on July 22
• Competing in his first USGA championship
• Youngest player (age 55) in the 2019 U.S. Senior Amateur field
• Superintendent at Pinehurst No. 2 when course hosted two U.S. Opens (1999, 2005)
• Also served as superintendent for the Duke University Golf Course
• Earned a B.S. in turfgrass management from Clemson University
• Won 1982 South Carolina Class 4A state high school championship
• 2013 Moore Country Amateur Champion
• Territory sales manager for a turf and ornamental company

Path to quarterfinals

• Defeated No. 8 seed Gene Elliott, 2 and 1, in the Round of 64
• Defeated Terry Tyson, 4 and 3, in the Round of 32
• Defeated Bryan Norton, 1 up, in the Round of 16

Walter Todd, 59, of Laurens, S.C.

• Born Aug. 18, 1960 in Laurens, S.C.
• Four-time CGA Champion
  • 2012, 2015 Carolinas Father-Son Championship
  • 2009 Carolinas Four-Ball Championship
  • 2007 Carolinas Mid-Amateur Championship
• No. 3,093 in World Amateur Golf Ranking™
• Earned No. 26 seed with rounds of 74-74 in stroke play
• Competing in his fifth USGA championship and second U.S. Senior Amateur
• Advanced to Round of 32 in last year’s Senior Amateur
• Won 2007 Carolinas Golf Association Mid-Amateur
• Captured 2005 South Carolina Golf Association Mid-Amateur
• Combined to claim eight SCGA and CGA Four-Ball championships
• 2016 and 2017 SCGA Senior Player of the Year
• Member of golf team at Presbyterian College, in Clinton, S.C.
• Works as an independent sales representative

Path to quarterfinals

• Defeated Don Whittemore, 1 up, in the Round of 64
• Defeated No. 7 seed Frank Vana Jr., 2 and 1, in the Round of 32
• Defeated Victor Minovich, 3 and 1, in the Round of 16

Rick Cloninger, 62, of McDonough, Ga.

• Born March 26, 1957 in Charlotte, N.C.
• Four-time CGA Champion
  • 1976 Father-Son Championship
  • 2003 Carolinas Mid-Amateur Championship
  • 2012, 2013 Carolinas Senior Amateur Championship
  • 2015 Carolinas Senior Four-Ball Championship
• 2013 and 2014 Carolinas Senior Men's Player of the Year
• No. 3,738 in World Amateur Golf Ranking™
• Three-time SCGA Senior Player of the Year
• Earned No. 13 seed with rounds of 73-73 in stroke play
• Earned medalist honors in Asheville, N.C., sectional qualifier on July 29
• Competing in his fifth U.S. Senior Amateur
• Advanced to Senior Amateur semifinals in 2015 and Round of 16 in 2015
• Tied for 40th in the 2008 U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor
• Won two Carolinas Golf Association Senior Amateur titles (2012, 2013)
• NAIA All-America quarterback at Wofford College
• Works in construction industry and served on South Carolina Golf Association board

Path to quarterfinals

• Defeated Jack Hall, 4 and 2, in the Round of 64
• Defeated Chris Peddicord, 4 and 3, in the Round of 32
• Defeated Mark Knecht, 5 and 3, in the Round of 16