Bermuda Run, NC  (May 5, 2011)  -  Gus Alford had a long ride from Zebulon to participate in the B Flight of the Senior Amateur Golf Tour event held at Bermuda Run West today.  In the end it proved a worthwhile trip.  On the 156 yard, 17th hole Alford swung a 6-iron.  "As soon as I hit it, I thought it could go in.  It never left the stick", said Alford.  Sure enough, the ball rolled in the hole for his first career "ace".  It didn't hurt that it was the closest-to-the-pin hole, for which he won 2 free rounds of golf at the course, or that he was entered in the skins game as well.

Alford came in 2nd in the Flight with a 77.  His hole-in-one somewhat overshadowed an outstanding performance by Tour veteran Dan Whalen of Greensboro who equaled the lowest round posted for any flight in the event with a 74 to win the flight competition comfortably.

As they rode in together from Cary to play in today's event, Bob Robinson told Championship Flight member Johnny Adams that due to the fact it was Adams' birthday, he was a "lock" to win the event.  Robinson proved an excellent prognosticator as that's just what happened - Adams' 74 was 1 stroke better than Eden's Jim Gammon and Lewisville's Mike Smith.  It was also the first Tour victory for Adams in this, his rookie season.

"I expect that's not gonna be the last time we see him (Adams) in the winner's circle" said Tour Director Bruce Hallenbeck.

It took the A Flight 3 extra holes to finally determine a winner as Advance's Ron Vanderklok and Cecil Lockley of Hillsborough finished regulation play with yet two more 74s.  Neither gave an inch over the first 2 holes as they both went par-birdie.  It was on the third hole that Lockley's driver let him down as he hit it OB, handing Vanderklok the win with a simple par.  Lockley had encountered similar problems late in the regular round with his driver that necessitated the playoff in the first place.

"Ron would have been tough to beat under any circumstances today", said Hallenbeck, he's a long time member of this course and knows it pretty darn well".

Tony Robison of Southern Pines went low in the C Flight with an 84 that edged Durham's Al Forte by a single stroke, continuing the run of close finishes in the event.  Only 6 of the 29 players in the C Flight managed to break 90.

Any amateur golfer over 50 interested in playing in a Senior Amateur Tour event can contact Hallenbeck at 336-495-6556, or email him at behgolf@aol.com.

THE SENIOR AMATEUR GOLF TOUR

BERMUDA RUN WEST EVENT

TOP FIVE SCORES BY FLIGHT

CHAMPIONSHIP  (6,210 yards)

Johnny Adams, Cary  74

Jim Gammon, Eden  75

Mike Smith, Lewisville  75

Brodie Baker, Clemmons  76

Tommy Lee, Raleigh  78

A  FLIGHT  (5.860 yards)

Ron Vanderklok, Advance  74

Cecil Lockley, Hillsborough  74

Mark Robinson, Winston-Salem  76

Chris Wilkes, Winston-Salem  76

Turner Church, Gibsonville  78

Gene Jones, Thomasville  78

B  FLIGHT  (5.860 yards)

Dan Whalen, Greensboro  74

Gus Alford, Zebulon  77

Dexter Barbee, Burlington  78

Ronnie Grubbs, Clemmons  79

Travis Jones, Greensboro  80

C  FLIGHT  (5,860 yards)

Tony Robison, Southern Pines  84

Al Forte, Durham  85

Brad Becken, Chapel Hill  87

Len Bullock, Greensboro  88

WE Heasley, Denton  88