2019 Richard S. Tufts Players of the Year

 

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. (January 9, 2020) -- The Carolinas have a lot to be proud of in 2019. Several Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) members made a splash both on the local level and on the national and international stages.  Award winners will be honored during Carolinas Golf Night and the CGA Annual Meeting at The Carolina Hotel in Pinehurst, N.C. on Saturday, February 8, 2020.

Related: Past Champions

The CGA is proud to announce the 2019 recipients of the Richard S. Tufts Players of the Year Awards:     

2019 Richard S. Tufts Award Winners

Junior Girls': Nicole Adam - Pinehurst, N.C.

Junior Boys': Gene Zeigler - Florence, S.C.

Senior Women's: Jayne Pardus - Mount Pleasant, S.C.

Senior Men's: Steve Harwell - Mooresville, N.C.

Super Senior Men's: Russ Perry - Winston-Salem, N.C.

Women's: Gina Kim - Chapel Hill, N.C.

Men's: Scott Harvey - Kernersville, N.C.

 

 

JUNIOR GIRLS'

Nicole Adam of Pinehurst, N.C. has taken junior girls’ golf by storm this year with eight top-ten finishes. Most notably, Adam captured victories at the CPGA Junior Girls’ Championship and the Peggy Kirk Bell Junior at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club. She also made it to the Round of 64 in the 2019 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship. 

Adam is the 2018 N.C. Junior Player of the Year and is committed to play at the University of North Carolina in the fall. 

 

JUNIOR BOYS'

Gene Zeigler of Florence, S.C. claims his first Carolinas Junior Boys’ Player of the Year honor after a year full of top finishes in several prestigious events across the Carolinas and beyond. Zeigler claimed victories at both the Anderson Brothers Bank High School Invitational and the SCJGA’s Fall Challenge.

He had 14 top-ten finishes in 2019, including a second place finish at the CPGA - Charles Tilghman Junior Championship, a tie for seventh place at the South Carolina Junior Amateur Championship, a tie for sixth place at the Dustin Johnson World Junior Championship and a fifth place finish at the SCISA State Championship.

 

WOMEN'S

Gina Kim of Chapel Hill, N.C. has had a year for the books kicking it off with a win at the 2019 NCAA Division I Women’s National Championship as a freshman at Duke University. The major highlight of Kim’s year came at the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open at Charleston Country Club. Not only did she make the cut but she was in contention for the title from day one. Kim ultimately earned the low-amateur honors and finished in 12th place overall. 

A tie for seventh at the 2019 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship helped Kim achieve first place in the Carolinas Women’s Rankings and she continues to hold this rank going into 2020.

Kim also notably made it to the Round of 32 at the 2019 Women’s North and South Amateur Championship as well as the Round of 64 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.

 

MEN'S

Scott Harvey of Kernersville, N.C. is no stranger to the spotlight as this is his eighth year being honored as the Men’s Player of the Year. 

Harvey began his year with a big win at the 2019 Coleman Invitational. Followed by his most remarkable achievement of 2019, winning the U.S. Men’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship with his partner Todd Mitchell. Harvey also captured a victory at the 2019 George C. Thomas Invitational. 

By the fall, Harvey made it to match play at the 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, claimed runner-up at the 2019 Crump Cup, and finished off the year as a member of the winning Carolinas Team at the 74th Captain’s Putter Team Matches.

 

SENIOR WOMEN'S

Jayne Pardus of Mount Pleasant, S.C. captures her first CGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year honor after two major wins and a deep run in a national championship. Pardus’ first win of the year came at the WSCGA Senior Championship where she dominated the field to finish with an eight-shot victory. 

Her second victory didn’t come so easily. She found herself tied for first place at the end of regulation play at the 21st Carolinas Senior Women's Amateur Championship. She was able to win her first CGA Championship title after a birdie on the first playoff hole.

Pardus was also the last Carolinian standing in the 2019 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship where she made it to the match play Round of 32.

 

SENIOR MEN'S 

Steve Harwell of Mooresville, N.C. captures his first CGA Senior Men’s Player of the Year after winning three separate CGA Championship titles and several other national titles. 

Harwell’s first win of the year came at the 51st Carolinas Senior Four-Ball, where he teamed up with his long-time friend and playing partner Patrick Brady. Less than two weeks later, he won the prestigious George L. Coleman Senior Amateur Invitational.

He’d go on to win four more individual tournaments in 2019 including the 59th Carolinas Senior Amateur, the 35th North Carolina Senior Amateur, the National Senior Hall of Fame and the CPGA Senior Fall Final. 

Harwell made it to the Quarterfinals of the 2019 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, which earned him an exemption into the 2020 championship.

 

SUPER SENIOR MEN'S 

Russ Perry of Winston-Salem, N.C. earns the honor of Super Senior Player of the Year for the second year in a row.  Perry’s year included a barrage of first and second place finishes.

He was able to claim his seventh career CGA Championship title at the 11th Carolinas Super Senior Championship. Other wins in 2019 included the Durham Super Senior Amateur, the CPGA Super Senior Open, the CPGA Sandhills Super Senior Open and the CPGA Super Senior Spring Classic.