May 19-21, 1998

Richard L. Gwaltney, Taylorsville, 72-72-74--218

Bill Benson, Wilkesboro, 74-68-77--219

Tom Hadley, Hendersonville, 75-74-72--221

Bill Cox, Gastonia, 75-73-73--221

Dick Ambrose, Cary, 76-73-73--222

Dean Sheetz, Cornelius, 73-76-73--222

Tommy Jeffries, Raleigh, 76-72-74--222

Cliff Cunningham, Monroe, 76-72-75--223

Tom Saintsing, Lexington, 74-74-76--224

Jere A. Ayers, Greensboro, 76-75-74--225

Sidney L. Woody, Gastonia, 74-78-74--226

Deane Hundley, III, Carthage, 73-76-77--226

Tommy C. Langley, High Point, 77-74-76--227

Jerry E. Smith, Pinehurst, 73-77-77--227

Owen Berg, Wilmington, 75-77-75--227

Ted Gaston, Denver, 75-79-74--228

Bob McQueen, Fayetteville, 74-76-79--229

Ron Morgan, Clemmons, 76-75-78--229

C. Stedman Morris, III, Durham, 77-76-76--229

Tim Hotz, Greensboro, 74-78-78--230

Jim Hilderbrand, Pinehurst, 80-74-76--230

Ronnie Grove, Raleigh, 77-75-79--231

Hal Dugenske, Whispering Pines, 77-77-77--231

Bob Clark, Asheville, 78-76-77--231

Bobby Neal, Wilmington, 73-77-81--231

Louis Wheless, Louisburg, 77-77-79--233

Tift Mann, Raleigh, 79-72-82--233

Bob Baity, Thomasville, 76-76-81--233

Mike Trimnal, Thomasville, 74-78-83--235

Paul B. Gay, Sanford, 76-76-84--236

BUIES CREEK -- Richard Gwaltney won a battle of rookies with a final-round 74 to edge Bill Benson for the N.C. Senior Amateur Championship on Thursday.

Gwaltney, a 56-year-old lawyer from Taylorsville, trailed Benson by two shots enetring the round, but shot 35 on the front to lead by one.

Benson, 55, of Wilkesboro, made a triple bogey on the 14th hole and the two were tied through 17. Gwaltney won with a par.

"I wasn't jumping around nervous or anything," Gwaltney said, "but I did feel the pressure. I came here knowing I had to be on my game and be lucky."

Benson, who had put himself in the lead with a 68 on Wednesday, felt worse about the out of bounds on 14 than the 18th-hole bogey. "I just lost it right," he said of the errant tee shot. "It happens when you least expect it."