Preview: 75th Captain's Putter Team Matches

 

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SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. (October 22, 2020) -- A contingent of 24 golfers will represent the Carolinas against their Virginias counterparts at the 75th Captain’s Putter Team Matches, set for Friday-Saturday, Oct. 23-24 at The Greenbrier (Old White), West Virginia.

Click here for Preview Courtesy of VSGA

The Captain’s Putter is an annual set of matches pitting top golfers from North Carolina and South Carolina against top players from Virginia and West Virginia (Virginia State Golf Association and West Virginia State Golf Association).

Rosters contain 14 regular, eight senior (age 55+) and two super senior (65+) players. The matches consist of two days of competition, with opening round four-ball and foursome matches (Friday, Oct. 23), followed by final day singles matches (Saturday, Oct. 24). A victory in each match scores one point in the Ryder Cup-style format, and if a match goes 18 holes without a decision, one-half point is awarded to each side.

Last year, the Carolinas Team, captained by Lawrence Hicks, conquered their Virginias rivals by 14 points (31-17) to retain the trophy at the 74th Captain’s Putter Matches hosted by Greensboro Country Club’s Farm Course. The Carolinas team leads the all-time Captain's Putter Team Matches with a record of 51-22-1. With an eight point lead heading into Saturdays’ singles matches, the Carolinas Team needed only 8½ points to retain the cup. With 15 singles matches wins and one tie, they reached that number early on Saturday.

This is the first time that the Captain's Putter Team Matches will be played at The Greenbrier's Old White course. This year's Carolinas team captain is immediate-past CGA President, Gene Spencer.

 

Carolinas Team Roster

Regulars
• Kyle Bearden (Barnwell, S.C.) - Tied for second at South Carolina Amateur; reached round of 32 at S.C. Amateur Match Play Championship.
• Tim Driver (Holly Springs, N.C.) - Finished 14th at Carolinas Amateur Championship.
• David Gies (Pineville, N.C.) - Tied for second and was low amateur at Carolinas Open championship.
• Scott Harvey (Greensboro, N.C.) - Past champion of the U.S. Mid-Amateur and U.S. Amateur Four-Ball; reached match play at 2020 U.S. Amateur. Eight-time CGA Men's Player of the Year.
• Jamie Lightsey (Indian Land, S.C.) - Finalist at South Carolina Match Play Championship.
• Robert Lutomski (Simpsonville, S.C.) - Tied for ninth at South Carolina Amateur.
• Daniel Neveu (Pinehurst, N.C.) - Tied for 11th at Carolinian Amateur Championship.
• Thomas Owen (Fayetteville, N.C.) - Tied for 17th at North Carolina Amateur Championship.
• Ryan Reynolds (Camden, S.C.) - Quarterfinalist at Carolinas Four-Ball Match Play Championship.
• Jordan Sease (Lexington, S.C.) - Tied for sixth at Carolinas Amateur Championship.
• Dan Walter (Winston-Salem, N.C.) - Second at North Carolina Mid-Amateur; Tied for 15th at Carolinas Amateur.
• Chad Wilfong (Charlotte, N.C.) - Winner of North Carolina Mid-Amateur Championship.
• Davis Womble (Winston-Salem, N.C.) - 5th in Carolinas Amateur; Ninth in North Carolina Amateur.
• Raymond Wooten (Clemson, S.C.) - Tied for 22nd at South Carolina Amateur.

Senior/Super Seniors
• Sherill Britt (West End, N.C.)* - Tied for 8th at Carolinas’ Senior Amateur; Tied for 2nd at Carolinas Sr. Four-Ball.
• Johnny Elam (Charlotte, N.C.)* - Tied for 15th at Carolinas Senior Amateur.
• Eddie Hargett (Blythewood, S.C.)* - Tied for second at Carolinas Senior Four-Ball
• Steve Harwell (Mooresville, N.C.)* - No. 1 in CGA’s Senior Player Rankings and reigning CGA Senior Player of the Year.
• Todd Hendley (Columbus, S.C.)* - Winner of the Carolinas’ Senior Amateur Championship.
• Paul Simson (Raleigh, N.C.)* - Two-time U.S. Senior Amateur champion and three-time British Senior Amateur champion; tied for 5th at Carolinas Senior Amateur; Won North and South Sen-ior Amateur; Won Carolinas’ Super Senior Championship.
• Pat Thompson (Asheville, N.C.)* - Tied for 8th at Carolinas Senior Amateur.
• Walter Todd (Laurens, S.C.)* - Tied for 8th at Carolinas Senior Amateur; 4th at Carolinas Senior Four-Ball.
• Evan Long (Charlotte, N.C.)** - Second at Carolinas Super Senior Championship; tied for sec-ond at North and South Super Senior Amateur.
• Tim Pope (Spartanburg, S.C.)** - Making second Captain’s Putter appearance.
• CAPTAIN: Gene Spencer - Immediate past CGA President
*-denotes senior player (50 and older)
**-denotes super senior player (65 and older)

 

 

Virginias Team Roster

Regulars
• Ryan Bishop
• Blake Carter
• Dustin Groves
• Peter Gasperini
• Mark Lawrence Jr.
• Sam O'Dell
• Tim Pemberton
• Philip Reale
• Cam Roam
• David Stanford
• Marshall Tinsley
• Jordan Utley
• Justin Young
• Chris Williams

Senior/Super Seniors
• Buck Brittain
• Pat Carter
• Keith Decker
• Jon Hurst
• Tim Mount
• Bowen Sargent
• Steve Serrao
• Matthew Sughrue
• Jack Allara
• Steve Fox
• CAPTAINS: Michael Miller (Immediate VSGA past president), Steve Fox (West Virginia Golf Association)

 

 

Friday Four-Ball Matches Schedule
Tee 1 (Carolinas side listed first)
8:30 a.m.: Bearden/Sease vs. Lawrence/Gasperini
8:42 a.m.: Wilfong/Lutomski vs. Utley/Groves
8:54 a.m.: Womble/Walters vs. Carter/Young
9:06 a.m.: Harvey/Driver vs. O’Dell/Reale
9:18 a.m.: Gies/Owen vs. Bishop/Stanford
9:30 a.m.: Reynolds/Neveu vs. Pemberton/Tinsley
Tee 10
8:30 a.m.: Simson/Britt vs. Carter/Mount
8:42 a.m.: Thompson/Hendley vs. Decker/Hurst
8:54 a.m.: Harwell/Elam vs. Brittain/Sughrue
9:06 a.m.: Hargett/Todd vs. Serrao/Sargent
9:18 a.m.: Long/Pope vs. Allara/Fox
9:30 a.m.: Lightsey/Wooten vs. Roam/Williams

Friday Foursome Matches Schedule
Tee 1 (Carolinas side listed first)
2 p.m.: Simson/Britt vs. Decker/Hurst
2:12 p.m.: Thompson/Hendley vs. Carter/Mount
2:24 p.m.: Harwell/Elam vs. Serrao/Sargent
2:36 p.m.: Hargett/Todd vs. Brittain/Sughrue
2:48 p.m.: Long/Pope vs. Allara/Fox
3 p.m.: Lightsey/Wooten vs. Bishop/Stanford
Tee 10
2 p.m.: Bearden/Sease vs. Utley/Groves
2:12 p.m.: Wilfong/Lutomski vs. Lawrence/Gasperini
2:24 p.m.: Womble/Walters vs. O’Dell/Reale
2:36 p.m.: Harvey/Driver vs. Carter/Young
2:48 p.m.: Gies/Owen vs. Pemberton/Tinsley
3 p.m.: Reynolds/Neveu vs. Roam/Williams