Scott Harvey
DATAW ISLAND, SC (April 17, 2016) – Often referred to as the "Working Man's" championship, the Carolinas Mid-Amateur is open to golfers over age 30. 36-hole leader Scott Harvey had a workman-like day on Dataw Island's Cotton Dike Course. Holding a five shot advantage in most of Sunday's final round, the property manager from Greensboro, N.C. relied often on his short game to save par, converting multiple up-and-downs from off the green.
"I was playing conservatively there for a while, which took me off my game a bit," the 37-year-old Harvey recalled after the round. "Then I decided to start firing at the flag."
Harvey converted tap-in birdies on the short par-4 1st, and par-5 3rd holes. Misjudging the helping 25 mph wind on the par-3 5th led to bogey.
Hitting only three drivers Sunday, Harvey tried to avoid trouble off the tee. He could not avoid it on the 432 par-4 9th, which played second toughest all weekend. Making bogey on the hole the first two rounds, Harvey's tee shot on Sunday struck a tree and found the marsh, leading to a double bogey. A tap-in birdie on the par-3 12th helped erase that error. Harvey posted even par on the day and five-under 211 for the championship, good for a six shot victory.
Dataw Island's swirling winds again befuddled the field, raising the weekend's scoring average to 79. No player broke par Sunday, with Harvey the only player under par for the championship.
The field did little to put pressure on Harvey. 37-year-old Josh Branyon of Honea Path, S.C. was the only other player in the top 20 to shoot even par. Harvey's playing partners, Steve Liebler of Irmo, S.C. and Lionel Sutton of La Grange, N.C., started the final round four shots back. Each failed to convert on early short birdie attempts. Sutton made just one birdie Sunday. Liebler's first of two birdies did not occur until a pitch-in on the 11th. Both Liebler and Sutton shot final round 74s to share runner-up honors. It is Liebler's fourth second place finish in the Carolinas Mid-Amateur.
Harvey claims his third Carolinas Mid-Amateur and seventh CGA championship. His late father, Bill, accumulated eight CGA victories over his illustrious amateur playing career.
"When you combine both Carolinas and all the great players you have here, to me it's the strongest golf association in the country in my opinion," said Scott Harvey about playing in this year's championship.
Defending champion Sherrill Britt of West End, N.C. finished 13th at eight-over-par 224.
The Carolinas Golf Association would like to thank the members and staff of Dataw Island Club - particularly Director of Golf Dave Britton, Director of Brian Maintenance Brian Hollingsworth, Cotton Dike Superintendent Nick Frank, and their staffs - for their hospitality and hard work to conduct this championship.
The Carolinas Mid-Amateur Championship format is 54 holes of stroke play. After 36 holes, the field is cut to the low 60 scores and ties.
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ABOUT THE
Carolinas Mid-Amateur
The Carolinas Mid-Amateur Championship format is
54 holes of
stroke play. After 36 holes, the field is cut to the low
60 scores and
ties. Entry is open to any male golfer who has
reached his 30th
birthday, is a legal resident of North or South
Carolina, 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 7.4.
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