Robinson + Waters Claim Emotional NC Super Sr Four-Ball

 

 

Event: 7th North Carolina Senior Four-Ball Championship 
Host Site: Brunswick Plantation
Playing Dates: July 23-24, 2024
Social Media: @CGAgolf1909

Related: Championship Website | Scoring | History | Photos

 

CALABASH, N.C. -  An emotional victory today for Gary Robinson + Keith Waters of Fayetteville, NC, and Raleigh, NC, as they claimed the 7^th North Carolina Super Senior Four-Ball Championship from Brunswick Plantation with a final score of -17. The pair followed up a strong opening round of 64 with an even more impressive 9-under 63 to take the 65+ title.

 

Today’s win meant a great deal more to the duo than usual, as Keith lost his wife eight days ago, and Gary lost his mom just two days before the tournament got underway.

 

“I lost my wife Pamela maybe 8 or 9 days ago, and Gary lost his mom two nights ago, so we decided we had something special to play for,” remarked Waters.

 

“We’ve been playing together for 30 years, having met through CGA events. We won the North Carolina Senior together and decided we’d try again at the Super Senior,” added Waters.

 

We didn’t make a bogey in two rounds, which I thought was pretty impressive,” remarked Waters. “That was key to our round yesterday especially, with 3 groups just behind at 7-under. I left Keith out by himself on a few holes, and he managed pars,… we’ve played in so many events together now; we know bogeys can really kill your chances out here,” added Robinson.

 

Four shots back in second place was the team of Cliff Seastrunk + Lennie Barton of Raleigh, NC, who recorded strong rounds of 65 and 66 to finish at 13-under.

 

The field persevered through a harsh weather delay through the first round of play, with storms moving in after one hole of play with heavy rain and thunder, leading to a suspension of play for over three hours. The day restarted around 1:40 pm and saw warm and muggy conditions that carried over into today’s final round as well. 

 

The 70+ division needed four playoff holes to decide their champions. Keith Li + Pete Allen of Southport, NC, and Bill Calder + Jack Hooks of Wilmington, NC, would play holes 18, 1, 2, and 3 again before Li would sink a 15-foot birdie putt that neither Calder nor Hooks could duplicate for the victory.

 

Li and Allen shot rounds of 70 and 67 to get into the playoff at 7-under, while Calder and Hooks recorded 69 and 68 rounds.

 

The winning team live in the same neighborhood, play the same club and have been playing together since 2017. Their strategy, “We bogeyed the first hole of play both days,” joked Li.

 

“We were pretty good and steady today. I can get down the fairway, and Keith can just relax and play his game. We made some putts today. Keith really putted great today,” added Allen.

 

“We felt we had the advantage on a few of the playoff holes with closer putts, and then they, fortunately for us, missed a real short putt on the third playoff hole,… and then we converted the only putt of distance on the final hole, remarked Allen.

 

The Carolinas Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Brunswick Plantation, especially Director of Golf Brett Thomaswick and Superintendent Brett Trauth.

 

 About the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA)

The CGA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization founded in 1909 to promote and protect the game of golf in the Carolinas by providing competitions, education, support, and benefits to golf clubs and golfers. The CGA is one of the largest golf associations in the country, with over 700 member clubs represented by over 200,000 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 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 over $3,000,000 since 1977 to benefit Carolinas' golf initiatives, including junior, women and adaptive programs.

For more information about the Carolinas Golf Association, follow @cgagolf1909 on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok, or visit our website www.carolinasgolf.org/

 

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