Rainey Reigns at 7th N.C. Match Play

William Rainey of Charlotte won by holing a 30 foot birdie on the 18th hole at Mid Pines

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. (August 14, 2016) -- Final match results from the 7^th North Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship at Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club in Southern Pines on Sunday, August 14th (Par: 36-36--72, Yards: 6723, Course Rating: 71.7/130).

Related: Broadcast of final 5 holes | Photos | Scoring | History

On Thursday evening, William Rainey of Charlotte anxiously waited around the Mid Pines clubhouse to find out where the 36-hole cut line would fall for the low 32 players to make match play. It was +2 (146), exactly what Rainey had posted. He advanced through an 8-for-6 playoff by rolling in a birdie putt on the first hole to earn the No. 29 seed.

On Sunday, after 85 holes played over five rounds of match play, Rainey became the 7th North Carolina Amateur Match Play champion. Staying patient after falling 3 down thru 4 holes to David Sargent of Cornelius, Rainey climbed back into the match. A birdie putt on the par-3 11th drew the two all square.

Sargent demonstrated his ability to produce red numbers in his semifinal match, playing 13 holes in seven-under-par to defeat Walker Simas 6 & 5. In Sunday's final, Sargent continued his birdie barrage, making putts on holes 3 and 4. Despite being down to Sargent early on Sunday, Rainey remained consistent, hitting 12 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens. His birdie tries burned the edges of the holes all day, until the 18th, when one finally fell into the cup. The match was tied then, Rainey had a birdie putt from 30 feet, Sargent faced a putt half that distance. "Honestly in my head I said 'just two putt. If he two putts, great. If he makes it, then he deserves to win'," said Rainey, a rising senior at the College of Charleston. "Luckily there's a hole there and it went it. It was my best putt of the week. I felt like I was due and fortunately it was on the 18th hole to win." After Rainey's putt found the hole, Sargent's putt to force extra holes missed. The win is Rainey's second CGA championship this year. In May, he and teammate Phillip Oweida won the Carolinas Four-Ball. 

"This is one of the best tournaments I've had. I played awesome," said runner-up Sargent. "It was a lot of fun. No complaints, I lost 1 up to a great player."

The 32 players who qualified for match play are exempt into next year's championship.

Entry is open to any male amateur golfer who has reached his 13th birthday, 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 7.4.

7th North Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship
Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club
Southern Pines, N.C.

August 14, 2016

Final

William Rainey, Charlotte, N.C.  (29) def. David Sargent, Cornelius, N.C.  (6), 1 up

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 43 championships and five team match competitions for men, women, juniors, and seniors. It also runs over 140 One-Day (net and gross) events and 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 more than $1,500,000 since 1977 to benefit Carolinas' golf initiatives including junior and women's programs.    

For more information about the CGA, visit www.carolinasgolf.org.
 

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