Bunten Buries Field with Final Round 67 to Win Carolinian Amateur
BY PALMER THOMBS
BUIES CREEK, N.C. (June 14, 2020) -- The results from the final round of the 5th Carolinian Amateur at Keith Hills Golf Club in Buies Creek, N.C. from June 14, 2020. (6,717 yards, par 36-36--72)
Related: Championship Web Site | Scoring | Photos
Tim Bunten of Concord, N.C. pulled away from the field at the Carolinian Amateur to win the championship with a final round 5-under-par, 67 and 9-under-par, 207 total.
Bunten, a rising senior on the East Carolina University men’s golf team, made five birdies and an eagle to help him secure the victory, and in his final 27 holes at Keith Hills Golf Club, he managed a total nine birdies. The surge was all sparked by his putting.
“I putted great. The first round I didn’t putt well, yesterday I putted well, and today I made pretty much everything I looked at,” Bunten said. “Coming down the stretch especially, I made some really good par putts and rolled in a couple of nice birdies too.”
Going into the final round as a part of a three-way tie atop the leaderboard, Bunten was playing with his competition. Despite knowing what he needed to do based on the shots of those around him, Bunten had a goal in mind of shooting 4-under-par on the day and not letting what his playing partners did affect him.
“I was kind of unconscious the whole day,” Bunten said. “I wasn’t thinking. Just hitting shots, finding them and hitting it again. I saw some putts roll in, and that was nice. I kind of knew that I had the lead, but I was playing as if somebody behind me was playing great.
“I looked at the scoreboard on No. 15 and saw that I was ahead by five or six, so I was pretty confident,” he continued. “On No. 18, after I hit my shot over the water, that’s when I knew that it was pretty much over.”
On the final hole, Bunten set himself up well, sitting just off of the green after two strokes. He chipped up and gave himself a manageable putt for birdie to finish out his round.
“To be honest, I knew that it was going in,” he said. “I really didn’t even have to read it. The putter was hot, and I just let it go … It feels great. To finally break through and get a win like this, it feels awesome. I played really well today.”
Bunten’s teammate at East Carolina, Patrick Stephenson of Four Oaks, N.C. finished solo-second at 3-under-par, 213 total. Blake McShea of Zebulon, N.C., Max Green of Hilton Head Island, S.C., Carter Rains of Greenville, N.C., Garrett Risner of Holly Springs, N.C. and Nic Brown of Wendell, N.C. all finished tied for third at 2-under-par, 214 total.
The Carolinian Amateur format is 54 holes of stroke play. After 36 holes, the field is cut to the low 70 scores and ties. Entry is open to any male golfer who has reached his 16th birthday by the first round, is a member in good standing of a club which is a member of the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) and has a current USGA Handicap Index® at a member club that does not exceed 10.4. There is no residency requirement for this tournament.
5th Carolinian Amateur
Keith Hills Golf Club, Buies Creek, N.C.
Final Results
Pos. | Player | City, State | To Par | R1 | R2 | R3 | Total |
1 | Tim Bunten | Concord, NC | -9 | 72 | 68 | 67 | 207 |
2 | Patrick Stephenson | Four Oaks, NC | -3 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 213 |
T3 | Blake McShea | Zebulon, NC | -2 | 79 | 67 | 68 | 214 |
T3 | Max Green | Hilton Head Island, SC | -2 | 72 | 72 | 70 | 214 |
T3 | Carter Rains | Greenville, NC | -2 | 73 | 71 | 70 | 214 |
T3 | Garrett Risner | Holly Springs, NC | -2 | 73 | 68 | 73 | 214 |
T3 | Nic Brown | Wendell, NC | -2 | 70 | 70 | 74 | 214 |
T8 | Peter Fountain | Raleigh, NC | -1 | 77 | 73 | 65 | 215 |
T8 | Randall Hudson | New Bern, NC | -1 | 72 | 73 | 70 | 215 |
T8 | Michael La Sasso | Raleigh, NC | -1 | 74 | 71 | 70 | 215 |
T11 | Will Hawley | Raleigh, NC | E | 72 | 70 | 74 | 216 |
T11 | Daniel Neveu | Pinehurst, NC | E | 71 | 69 | 76 | 216 |
13 | Graham Chase | Charlotte, NC | +1 | 77 | 72 | 68 | 217 |
14 | Jack Marcotte | Apex, NC | +2 | 74 | 74 | 70 | 218 |
T15 | Gus Lascola | Durham, NC | +3 | 70 | 78 | 71 | 219 |
T15 | Jack Towarnicky | New Bern, NC | +3 | 72 | 76 | 71 | 219 |
T15 | Dan Walters | WInston-Salem, NC | +3 | 74 | 72 | 73 | 219 |
T15 | Noah Connor | Reidsville, NC | +3 | 75 | 71 | 73 | 219 |
T19 | Michael Childress | Salisbury, NC | +4 | 75 | 74 | 71 | 220 |
T19 | Tyler DeChellis | Clayton, NC | +4 | 73 | 75 | 72 | 220 |
T19 | Colin Browning | Charlotte, NC | +4 | 76 | 72 | 72 | 220 |
T19 | Patrick Golden | Murrells Inlet, SC | +4 | 72 | 75 | 73 | 220 |
T19 | Jeff Beasley | Angier, NC | +4 | 75 | 72 | 73 | 220 |
T19 | Nicholas Mathews | Mebane, NC | +4 | 72 | 74 | 74 | 220 |
T19 | Timmy Gannon | Charlotte, NC | +4 | 74 | 70 | 76 | 220 |
26 | Henry Augenstein | Columbia, SC | +5 | 72 | 73 | 76 | 221 |
T27 | Chris Cassetta | High Point, NC | +6 | 75 | 72 | 75 | 222 |
T27 | Tommy Lamb | Cary, NC | +6 | 77 | 69 | 76 | 222 |
T27 | Fulton Smith | Pinehurst, NC | +6 | 71 | 74 | 77 | 222 |
T27 | Ryan Solan | Charlotte, NC | +6 | 73 | 72 | 77 | 222 |
T31 | Jordan Smith | Summerfield, NC | +7 | 75 | 74 | 74 | 223 |
T31 | Kurtis Grant | Southern Pines, NC | +7 | 77 | 72 | 74 | 223 |
T31 | Addison Beam | Cherryville, NC | +7 | 72 | 74 | 77 | 223 |
T31 | Clayson Good | Durham, NC | +7 | 73 | 73 | 77 | 223 |
T31 | Gray Mitchum | Winterville, NC | +7 | 76 | 70 | 77 | 223 |
36 | Columb Knight | Raleigh, NC | +8 | 73 | 75 | 76 | 224 |
T37 | John Fahey | Charlotte, NC | +9 | 74 | 77 | 74 | 225 |
T37 | Ike Joy | Denver, NC | +9 | 74 | 76 | 75 | 225 |
T37 | Parker Truesdale | Canton, NC | +9 | 72 | 77 | 76 | 225 |
T40 | Kris Jackson | Greenville, NC | +10 | 77 | 78 | 71 | 226 |
T40 | Travon Willis | Indian Trail, NC | +10 | 76 | 78 | 72 | 226 |
T40 | Luke Perrino | Mooresville, NC | +10 | 81 | 73 | 72 | 226 |
T40 | Stephen Lavenets | Willow Spring, NC | +10 | 76 | 73 | 77 | 226 |
T40 | Frank Gilliam | Raleigh, NC | +10 | 72 | 75 | 79 | 226 |
T45 | Scott Tarcy | Charlotte, NC | +11 | 74 | 77 | 76 | 227 |
T45 | Jackson Brimfield | Chapel Hill, NC | +11 | 76 | 75 | 76 | 227 |
T45 | Stuart Fuller | Winston-Salem, NC | +11 | 78 | 72 | 77 | 227 |
48 | Jack Massei | Pinehurst, NC | +12 | 74 | 75 | 79 | 228 |
T49 | Avery Papalia | Kernersville, NC | +13 | 76 | 79 | 74 | 229 |
T49 | Jonathan Hockaday | Sanford, NC | +13 | 78 | 77 | 74 | 229 |
T49 | Ryan Macri | Wake Forest, NC | +13 | 77 | 76 | 76 | 229 |
T49 | Anthony Conn | Raleigh, NC | +13 | 73 | 73 | 83 | 229 |
T53 | Joseph Cansler | Clemmons, NC | +14 | 76 | 79 | 75 | 230 |
T53 | Jimbo Stanley | Raleigh, NC | +14 | 77 | 72 | 81 | 230 |
T53 | Caden Baker | Mebane, NC | +14 | 76 | 71 | 83 | 230 |
T56 | Josh Neal | Raleigh, NC | +15 | 74 | 79 | 78 | 231 |
T56 | Jake Herring | Wilson, NC | +15 | 80 | 71 | 80 | 231 |
T56 | Parker Shimp | Charlotte, NC | +15 | 80 | 71 | 80 | 231 |
T59 | Andrew Sapp | Greenville, NC | +16 | 79 | 76 | 77 | 232 |
T59 | Rick Rogers | Winston Salem, NC | +16 | 75 | 79 | 78 | 232 |
T59 | Jennings Glenn | Raleigh, NC | +16 | 74 | 76 | 82 | 232 |
62 | Cameron Hardison | Greenville, NC | +17 | 77 | 77 | 79 | 233 |
63 | Jackson Bode | Pinehurst, NC | +18 | 78 | 75 | 81 | 234 |
64 | Caleb Click | Fair Bluff, NC | +19 | 80 | 74 | 81 | 235 |
65 | Trey Schneider | Mooresville, NC | +20 | 77 | 78 | 81 | 236 |
66 | Thomas Storbeck | Pinehurst, NC | +21 | 77 | 78 | 82 | 237 |
T67 | Colin Wholey | Charlotte, NC | +22 | 78 | 77 | 83 | 238 |
T67 | Austin Phillips | Greenville, NC | +22 | 77 | 76 | 85 | 238 |
T67 | Nicklaus Sutton | Matthews, NC | +22 | 76 | 76 | 86 | 238 |
T70 | Landon Barnes | Pilot Mountain, NC | +24 | 74 | 81 | 85 | 240 |
T70 | Stephen Helton | Clayton, NC | +24 | 77 | 74 | 89 | 240 |
WD | Jon Eichstaedt | Charlotte, NC | - | 77 | 78 | WD | WD |
MISSED CUT | |||||||
CUT | Bo Crooks | Lillington, NC | +12 | 80 | 76 | 156 | |
CUT | Colin Trahan | North Augusta, SC | +12 | 75 | 81 | 156 | |
CUT | Kyle Kushnir | Raleigh, NC | +12 | 77 | 79 | 156 | |
CUT | Matt Ellis | Wilson, NC | +12 | 80 | 76 | 156 | |
CUT | Trevor Gerard | Hartsville, SC | +12 | 81 | 75 | 156 | |
CUT | Jack Dockrill | Elon, NC | +13 | 78 | 79 | 157 | |
CUT | Jackson Steiner | Charlotte, NC | +13 | 75 | 82 | 157 | |
CUT | Jackson Tyler | Wilmington, NC | +13 | 74 | 83 | 157 | |
CUT | Nicholas Song | Waxhaw, NC | +13 | 78 | 79 | 157 | |
CUT | Shawn Heinchon | Greenville, NC | +13 | 79 | 78 | 157 | |
CUT | Daniel Adkins | Holly Springs, NC | +14 | 81 | 77 | 158 | |
CUT | Sam Davidson | Asheboro, NC | +14 | 80 | 78 | 158 | |
CUT | Brandon Wood | Erwin, NC | +15 | 78 | 81 | 159 | |
CUT | Joey Pritchard | Pinehurst, NC | +15 | 82 | 77 | 159 | |
CUT | Luke Nelson | Raleigh, NC | +15 | 83 | 76 | 159 | |
CUT | Ethan Hall | Morehead City, NC | +16 | 83 | 77 | 160 | |
CUT | Michael Sutton | Goldsboro, NC | +16 | 82 | 78 | 160 | |
CUT | Whit Howard | Raleigh, NC | +16 | 81 | 79 | 160 | |
CUT | AJ Shaffer | Horse Shoe, NC | +17 | 74 | 87 | 161 | |
CUT | Eric Parziale | Pinehurst, NC | +17 | 82 | 79 | 161 | |
CUT | Solomon Park | Greensboro, NC | +17 | 77 | 84 | 161 | |
CUT | Will Campbell | Winnabow, NC | +18 | 79 | 83 | 162 | |
CUT | Jeff Manley | Raleigh, NC | +19 | 81 | 82 | 163 | |
CUT | Phillip Clifton | Winston-Salem, NC | +20 | 85 | 79 | 164 | |
CUT | Brandon Jones | Sanford, NC | +21 | 82 | 83 | 165 | |
CUT | Holden Grigg | Myrtle Beach, SC | +21 | 85 | 80 | 165 | |
CUT | Chris Bitzenhofer | Mount Olive, NC | +22 | 85 | 81 | 166 | |
CUT | John Bennett | Forest City, NC | +22 | 81 | 85 | 166 | |
CUT | Drew Haywood | Chapel Hill, NC | +25 | 85 | 84 | 169 | |
CUT | Hayes Mahoney | Greenville, NC | +26 | 83 | 87 | 170 | |
CUT | Eston Lee | Four Oaks, NC | +27 | 88 | 83 | 171 | |
CUT | Jay Aichelman | Charlotte, NC | +35 | 91 | 88 | 179 | |
WD | Mark Thomas | Wake Forest, NC | - | WD | WD | ||
WD | Todd Moyer | Cornelius, NC | - | WD | WD | ||
DQ | Zach Murrow | Gastonia, NC | - | 92 | DQ | DQ |
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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