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