Sam Echikson Wins 26th N.C. Mid-Amateur

9/22/2019 4:06:00 PM

Sam Echikson of Charlotte, N.C. wins the 26th N.C. Mid-Amateur Championship.

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (September 22, 2019) -- Final results of the 26th North Carolina Mid-Amateur Championship at The Club at Irish Creek in Kannapolis, N.C. on September 22, 2019.

Related: Championship Web Site | Starting Times | Scoring | History

Sam Echikson of Charlotte, N.C. battled back from a five-shot deficit to pull off the come-from-behind victory at the 26^th N.C. Mid-Amateur Championship.

“I definitely felt there was a possibility,” said Echikson. “I knew if I played well, I could shoot a good score. I really thought that was in the cards but doing is a different thing.”

Echikson’s round got off to a slow start after making a bogey on the par-4, second hole. His turning point was making an eagle on the short par-4, fifth hole. He hit a three wood from the tee to about five feet from the hole and made the putt for eagle.

“At that point, I knew I was playing pretty well and could make more birdies,” said Echikson.

Echikson would go on to birdie four of his next six holes to move into a tie for the lead. He finished the Championship at 10-under-par, 203 total to claim his first CGA Championship win.

“Even though the summer has been good, I made cuts but I didn't really blow anything out of the water,” said Echikson. “So, coming out here and shooting 10-under was kind of surprising to me but it feels great.”

Echikson was born in Belgium and played for their national team as a junior. He first came to the Carolinas to play golf for Davidson College but later went back to Belgium to take a shot at professional golf. After a year fighting it out on the professional circuit, he decided that path was not for him and he came back to the Carolinas to begin a professional career in software development. Since regaining his amateur status, he's been playing in CGA and USGA events when he can. In 2018, he made it to the Round of 32 at the U.S. Mid-Amateur at Charlotte Country Club.

Bobby Dean of Charlotte, N.C., who started the day four shots off the lead, made a run at the Championship title but came up one shot short of the victory. Dean’s 9-under-par, 204 total was good enough for second place in the Championship Division and first place in the 40+ Division.

Our 36-hole leader, Stephen Woodard of Charlotte, N.C., had an up-and-down final round. An early double bogey on the par-3, third hole cut Woodard’s lead from four shots to two. He was able to bounce back with birdies on Nos. 6 and 9 but a wayward tee shot on the par-5, 14^th hole resulted in a double bogey. Woodard was not able to bounce back again and would finish in third place at 8-under-par, 208 for the Championship.

The Championship is conducted at 54 holes of stroke-play competition. After 36 holes, the field is cut to the low 60 scores and ties for the final round. An on-course playoff is used to break a tie for the championship. The top 30 scores will receive merchandise and are exempt into the 2020 N.C. Mid-Amateur Championship.

Entry is open to any male amateur golfer who has reached his 25^th birthday by September 20, 2019, is a legal resident of North Carolina, is a member in good standing of a club which is a member of the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) and has an active GHIN® USGA Handicap Index® at a CGA member club that does not exceed 10.4.

26th North Carolina Mid-Amateur Championship
The Club at Irish Creek | Kannapolis, N.C.
Final Results

Pos.	Player	City, State	To Par	R1	R2	R3	Total
1	Sam Echikson	Charlotte, NC	-10	66	71	66	203
2	Bobby Dean	Charlotte, NC	-9	69	67	68	204
3	Stephen Woodard	Charlotte, NC	-8	65	67	73	205
T4	Thomas Owen	Fayetteville, NC	-7	65	71	70	206
T4	Matthew Younts	Greensboro, NC	-7	70	67	69	206
6	Brock Elder	Whitsett, NC	-6	70	72	65	207
T7	Brian Westveer	Charlotte, NC	-5	70	67	71	208
T7	Matthew Crenshaw	Burlington, NC	-5	68	70	70	208
9	Dan Walters	WInston-Salem, NC	-3	67	71	72	210
T10	David Gies	Charlotte, NC	-2	71	72	68	211
T10	Lionel Sutton	La Grange, NC	-2	69	71	71	211
T12	Chris Sharp	Charlotte, NC	-1	70	72	70	212
T12	Daniel Neveu	Pinehurst, NC	-1	69	71	72	212
T12	Steven Brame	Henderson, NC	-1	72	67	73	212
T12	Scott Park	Charlotte, NC	-1	72	68	72	212
T16	Chad Frye	Kannapolis, NC	E	73	70	70	213
T16	Caleb Keck	Concord, NC	E	68	75	70	213
T16	Dale Fuller	Raleigh, NC	E	73	70	70	213
T19	Joe Kastelic	Hickory, NC	1	72	70	72	214
T19	Skip Corneliussen	Summerfield, NC	+1	71	69	74	214
T21	Olof Bengtsson	Charlotte, NC	+2	68	71	76	215
T21	Michael Swaringen	Salisbury, NC	+2	67	76	72	215
T21	Jay Roberts	Davidson, NC	+2	72	74	69	215
T21	Dustin Moore	Burlington, NC	+2	73	72	70	215
T25	Brandon Reece	Rolesville, NC	+3	70	73	73	216
T25	John Nieters	Clemmons, NC	+3	68	74	74	216
T25	Chris Cassetta	High Point, NC	+3	67	75	74	216
T25	Jeremy Ray	Pfafftown, NC	+3	74	70	72	216
T25	Dennis Long	Statesville, NC	+3	71	74	71	216
T30	Justin Pennell	Lenior, NC	+4	69	73	75	217
T30	Brian Curry	Lenoir, NC	+4	72	74	71	217
T30	Jason Gabriel	Claremont, NC	+4	73	73	71	217
T30	Stephen Lavenets	Willow Spring, NC	+4	76	70	71	217
T30	Sumner Tate	Raleigh, NC	+4	75	73	69	217
T35	Brandon Mader	Greenville, NC	+5	70	74	74	218
T35	Mark Whitley	Stantonsburg, NC	+5	72	71	75	218
T35	Bailey Patrick	Charlotte, NC	+5	72	73	73	218
T35	Mitch Robinette	Greensboro, NC	+5	74	71	73	218
T35	Matt Kilgo	Charlotte, NC	+5	72	76	70	218
T40	Dallas Page	Stoneville, NC	+6	71	71	77	219
T40	Andrew Ward	Charlotte, NC	+6	72	75	72	219
T40	Scott Lincicome	Pinehurst, NC	+6	76	70	73	219
T40	Brad Mundy	Hickory, NC	+6	69	77	73	219
T40	Sean Marks	Charlotte, NC	+6	76	71	72	219
T40	Tommy Miller	Blowing Rock, NC	+6	74	73	72	219
46	Ed Donlin	Concord, NC	+7	76	70	74	220
T47	Derek Paschal	Davidson, NC	+8	75	69	77	221
T47	Clayton Holland	Greensboro, NC	+8	73	75	73	221
T47	Jason Debuhr	Mint Hill, NC	+8	74	71	76	221
T47	Jody Delvechio	Newton, NC	+8	78	70	73	221
T51	Clay Watkins	Mebane, NC	+9	69	73	80	222
T51	Timothy Driver	Holly Springs, NC	+9	72	73	77	222
T51	William Jamieson	Cary, NC	+9	72	74	76	222
T54	Jeffrey Brisson	Elizabethtown, NC	+10	73	74	76	223
T54	Paul Tucker	Waxhaw, NC	+10	69	78	76	223
T56	Keith Kepley	Charlotte, NC	+11	69	78	77	224
T56	Tyler Shuler	Bryson City, NC	+11	71	74	79	224
T56	Zac Lewis	Wilmington, NC	+11	76	71	77	224
T59	Stefan Brewer	Charlotte, NC	+12	74	72	79	225
T59	Nick Cromer	Trinity, NC	+12	77	71	77	225
T61	John Heffernan	Charlotte, NC	+13	74	73	79	226
T61	Chris Holland	Fayetteville, NC	+13	72	76	78	226
63	Zachary Sexton	Charlotte, NC	+14	74	74	79	227
64	Mike Nelson	Raleigh, NC	+15	73	75	80	228
WD	Greg Earnhardt	Greensboro, NC	-	70	72	WD	WD
The following players did not make the cut
CUT	Zack Griffith	Chapel Hill, NC	+7	73	76		149
CUT	Anthony Conn	Raleigh, NC	+7	74	75		149
CUT	Bretton Danforth	Raleigh, NC	+7	77	72		149
CUT	Damon Postal	Charlotte, NC	+7	72	77		149
CUT	Joe Burns	Greensboro, NC	+7	78	71		149
CUT	Jordan Bilodeau	Charlotte, NC	+7	75	74		149
CUT	Britt Mitchell	Creedmoor, NC	+7	73	76		149
CUT	Bryan Bowman	Apex, NC	+7	74	75		149
CUT	Joe Brooks	Franklin, NC	+7	73	76		149
CUT	Nathan Kohl	Greensboro, NC	+7	75	74		149
CUT	James Bohn	Cary, NC	+8	76	74		150
CUT	Brent McKenzie	Wake Forest, NC	+8	72	78		150
CUT	Seth Correll	Huntersville, NC	+8	75	75		150
CUT	John Cornett	Boone, NC	+9	78	73		151
CUT	Kenny Flynn	Winston Salem, NC	+9	77	74		151
CUT	Matt Ellzey	Apex, NC	+9	76	75		151
CUT	Jayson Jennings	Fuquay Varina, NC	+9	78	73		151
CUT	Nathan Presnal	Raleigh, NC	+9	77	74		151
CUT	Brian Swenson	Charlotte, NC	+10	77	75		152
CUT	Park Williams	Kernersville, NC	+10	76	76		152
CUT	Ryan Patterson	Waxhaw, NC	+10	77	75		152
CUT	William Carter	Laurinburg, NC	+10	76	76		152
CUT	Austin Adams	Charlotte, NC	+10	82	70		152
CUT	Paul Slomkowski	Colfax, NC	+10	74	78		152
CUT	Richard Youden	Winston-Salem, NC	+10	75	77		152
CUT	Ryan Hub	Charlotte, NC	+11	80	73		153
CUT	Wes Pope	Pineville, NC	+11	80	73		153
CUT	Jason Hawley	Charlotte, NC	+11	77	76		153
CUT	Dave Koster	Clemmons, NC	+12	80	74		154
CUT	David Cook	Cedar Point, NC	+12	76	78		154
CUT	Josh McWhorter	Boone, NC	+12	75	79		154
CUT	Josh Neal	Raleigh, NC	+12	80	74		154
CUT	Jason Smith	Raleigh, NC	+12	76	78		154
CUT	Kristopher Laird	Mint Hill, NC	+12	79	75		154
CUT	Marais Lombard	Charlotte, NC	+12	78	76		154
CUT	Kevin Herring	La Grange, NC	+13	74	81		155
CUT	Terrain Gill	Charlotte, NC	+13	74	81		155
CUT	Stuart Augustine	Fayetteville, NC	+13	78	77		155
CUT	Aubrey Wilkerson	Charlotte, NC	+14	76	80		156
CUT	Danny Boughman	Lenoir, NC	+14	82	74		156
CUT	Michael Porte	Winston Salem, NC	+14	80	76		156
CUT	Scott Patnode	Belmont, NC	+14	80	76		156
CUT	Drew Haywood	Chapel Hill, NC	+14	78	78		156
CUT	Eric Ardery	Durham, NC	+14	80	76		156
CUT	Nathan Barker	Clemmons, NC	+14	80	76		156
CUT	Rick Powers	Oxford, NC	+14	76	80		156
CUT	Seth Holloman	Matthews, NC	+14	78	78		156
CUT	Brian Hayes	High Point, NC	+15	79	78		157
CUT	Mark Absher	Winston Salem, NC	+15	76	81		157
CUT	Taylor Ferguson	Charlotte, NC	+15	78	79		157
CUT	Andrew Frank	Charlotte, NC	+16	78	80		158
CUT	Craig Stroup	Thomasville, NC	+16	79	79		158
CUT	Tomis Parker	Charlotte, NC	+16	82	76		158
CUT	Andy Crotts	Cramerton, NC	+16	76	82		158
CUT	Richard Kile	Charlotte, NC	+16	83	75		158
CUT	David Brown	Conover, NC	+17	78	81		159
CUT	Todd Grear	Mooresville, NC	+17	81	78		159
CUT	Adam Firestone	Huntersville, NC	+17	81	78		159
CUT	Mark Thomas	Wake Forest, NC	+17	78	81		159
CUT	Richard Gill	Wilmington, NC	+17	76	83		159
CUT	Scott Chesna	Marion, NC	+20	83	79		162
CUT	William Langmeyer	Matthews, NC	+20	78	84		162
CUT	Morris Marshburn	Vass, NC	+21	80	83		163
CUT	Gregory Flicek	Raleigh, NC	+22	87	77		164
CUT	Jake Benfield	Lenoir, NC	+23	82	83		165
CUT	Randy Poteat	Wendell, NC	+23	86	79		165
CUT	Blake Burnette	Charlotte, NC	+25	81	86		167
CUT	Daren Hefner	Conover, NC	+25	82	85		167
CUT	Mark Kozel	Chapel Hill, NC	+25	82	85		167
CUT	Craig Brookes	Charlotte, NC	+26	83	85		168
CUT	Michael Gardner	Goldsboro, NC	+26	86	82		168
WD	Chris Williams	Concord, NC	-	73	WD		WD
WD	Daniel Jackson	Indian Trail, NC	-	78	WD		WD
WD	Nicholas Melillo	Greensboro, NC	-	79	WD		WD
WD	Mark Nieters	Lexington, NC	-	81	WD		WD
WD	Ashley Fuquay	Greensboro, NC	-	83	WD		WD
WD	Scott Neely	Winston Salem, NC	-	84	WD		WD
WD	Brad Buxton	Greensboro, NC	-	WD	WD		WD

40+ Division

Pos.	Player	City, State	To Par	R1	R2	R3	Total
1	Bobby Dean	Charlotte, NC	-9	69	67	68	204
2	Stephen Woodard	Charlotte, NC	-8	65	67	73	205
3	Brian Westveer	Charlotte, NC	-5	70	67	71	208
4	Lionel Sutton	La Grange, NC	-2	69	71	71	211
T5	Chris Sharp	Charlotte, NC	-1	70	72	70	212
T5	Daniel Neveu	Pinehurst, NC	-1	69	71	72	212
T5	Scott Park	Charlotte, NC	-1	72	68	72	212
T8	Chad Frye	Kannapolis, NC	E	73	70	70	213
T8	Dale Fuller	Raleigh, NC	E	73	70	70	213
T10	John Nieters	Clemmons, NC	3	68	74	74	216
T10	Chris Cassetta	High Point, NC	3	67	75	74	216
T10	Dennis Long	Statesville, NC	3	71	74	71	216
T13	Brian Curry	Lenoir, NC	4	72	74	71	217
T13	Jason Gabriel	Claremont, NC	4	73	73	71	217
15	Matt Kilgo	Charlotte, NC	5	72	76	70	218
T16	Scott Lincicome	Pinehurst, NC	6	76	70	73	219
T16	Brad Mundy	Hickory, NC	6	69	77	73	219
T16	Tommy Miller	Blowing Rock, NC	6	74	73	72	219
19	Ed Donlin	Concord, NC	7	76	70	74	220
T20	Jason Debuhr	Mint Hill, NC	8	74	71	76	221
T20	Jody Delvechio	Newton, NC	8	78	70	73	221
22	William Jamieson	Cary, NC	9	72	74	76	222
T23	Jeffrey Brisson	Elizabethtown, NC	10	73	74	76	223
T23	Paul Tucker	Waxhaw, NC	10	69	78	76	223
25	Keith Kepley	Charlotte, NC	11	69	78	77	224
T26	John Heffernan	Charlotte, NC	13	74	73	79	226
T26	Chris Holland	Fayetteville, NC	13	72	76	78	226
28	Zachary Sexton	Charlotte, NC	14	74	74	79	227
29	Mike Nelson	Raleigh, NC	15	73	75	80	228
WD	Greg Earnhardt	Greensboro, NC	-	70	72	WD	WD
WD	Daniel Jackson	Indian Trail, NC	-	78	WD		WD
WD	Mark Nieters	Lexington, NC	-	81	WD		WD
WD	Ashley Fuquay	Greensboro, NC	-	83	WD		WD
WD	Scott Neely	Winston Salem, NC	-	84	WD		WD
WD	Brad Buxton	Greensboro, NC	-	WD	WD		WD

Schedule of Rounds:
Friday, September 20

Round 1 – 18 Holes of Stroke Play

Tee times begin at 8:00am/12:45pm off #1 and #10 tees

Lunch from all players provided by CGA

Saturday, September 21

Round 2 – 18 Holes of Stroke Play

Tee times begin at 8:00am/12:45pm off #1 and #10 tees

Cut to low 60 scores and ties. Field re-paired according to score.

Sunday, September 22

Round 3 – 18 Holes of Stroke Play

Tee times begin at 8:00am off #1 and #10 tees.

Awards ceremony immediately following play at scoreboard.

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