2001 Atlanta Amateur Match Play Championship

Erik Martin Wins Atlanta Amateur Championship

ALPHARETTA, GA -Erik Martin of Alpharetta defeated Mark Strickland of Woodstock 1 up to win the 79th Atlanta Amateur Championship, which was conducted by the Georgia State Golf Association at Crooked Creek Golf Club in Alpharetta, November 1-4.

Martin, a former North Carolina State golfer and reigning club champion at Crooked Creek, won the first three holes and never trailed, although he did allow Strickland to square the match by the 11th hole. Martin, who built his lead back to two up before losing number 16, was able to hold on by matching Strickland with pars on 17 and 18.

Martin began to play conservative after his strong start and lost his lead by three-putting on holes four, six and 10. Breathing new life, Strickland went for the lead on number 11, sticking his tee shot to two feet on the 178-yard par 3. Martin responded, however, by draining a putt of some 10 feet to halve the hole. Strickland lost 13 with a double bogey but got another chance to square up the match on 14, only to three-putt for a tie. Disappointed, he followed with a miss-hit drive on 15 that cost him the hole as Martin birdied.

Strickland got back to within one with a par on 16 and looked to have a chance to tie with a win on 17 when Martin's approach shot found a difficult lie in the greenside bunker. Martin, however, hit what he deemed his shot of the day to get up and down for par. Martin closed out Strickland on 18 where they both made par.

Martin reached the finals after soundly defeating Paul Sorel of Alpharetta, 7 and 6. Strickland had a similarly strong semifinal win, beating Robert Adams of Alpharetta 5 and 4. Martin has played in six GSGA-conducted events this year, with his previous best finish a tie for fourth place overall at both the Public Links Championship and the Four-Ball Championship, where he teamed up with Crooked Creek's architect, Michael Riley.

Strickland, a former professional tour player and Wake Forest golfer, regained his amateur status in 1998 and has done well at the Atlanta Amateur in previous years, reaching the finals in 1999 and the quarterfinals in 2000. He also qualified for match play at the 2001 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.

Martin joins a distinguished group of Atlanta Amateur Champions, including Charlie Yates (1931), Tommy Barnes (1936), Dan Yates (1942), Georgia Golf Hall of Fame Member Gene Dahlbender (1946-47, 1957-59, 1962), Bobby Jones' son, Robert T. Jones, III (1948), Larry Mize (1979) and Danny Yates (1981-82).
Entries were open to male amateur golfers who are Georgia residents and members of a GSGA Member Club in the Atlanta area. The field of 120 played 18 holes of stroke play qualifying on November 1, with the low 31 players and the defending champion advancing to single elimination match play. The 120 entrants with the lowest handicap indexes were accepted into the field.

GSGA conducts 16 statewide competitions for men and women of all age groups, four interstate matches, two Atlanta area competitions and 17 USGA qualifying events each year. Other services include computerized handicapping, course rating and measuring, a summer-long junior sectional competitions program, Golf Georgia magazine and two college scholarship programs.

Final Results

Championship Match
Erik Martin, Alpharetta (75) def. Mark Strickland, Woodstock (75), 1 up

Semifinals
Mark Strickland, Woodstock (71) def. Robert Adams, Alpharetta (76), 5 and 4
Erik Martin, Alpharetta (75) def. Paul Sorel, Alpharetta (76), 7 and 6

Quarterfinals
Robert Adams, Alpharetta (76) def. Don Russell, Dunwoody (74), 6 and 4
Mark Strickland, Woodstock (71) def. Danny Whigham, Atlanta (71), 19 holes
Paul Sorel, Alpharetta (76) def. Mickey Jones, Duluth (73), 4 and 2
Erik Martin, Alpharetta (75) def. Jason Henley, Duluth (71), 19 holes

Round of 16
Don Russell, Dunwoody (74) def. Rocky Costa, Alpharetta (Exempt), 4 and 3
Robert Adams, Alpharetta (76) def. Michael Crews, Atlanta (73), 2up
Mark Strickland, Woodstock (71) def. Jack Kearney, Peachtree City (74), 5 and 4
Danny Whigham, Atlanta (71) def. Tevis Upton, Douglasville (74), 4 and 3
Paul Sorel, Alpharetta (76) def. Chuck Pinkard, Cumming (74), 3 and 1
Mickey Jones, Duluth (73) def. Bill Kendall, Lawrenceville (73), 3 and 2
Jason Henley, Duluth (71) def. Keith Hadelman, Atlanta (74), 4 and 3
Erik Martin, Alpharetta (75) def. Craig Hurlbert, Acworth (73), 20 holes

Round of 32
Rocky Costa, Alpharetta (Exempt) def. Paul Simpson, Carrollton (77), 3 and2
Don Russell, Dunwoody (74) def. Greg Cottrell, Powder Springs (74), 2 and 1
Robert Adams, Alpharetta (76) def. Michael Chambers, Alpharetta (73), 2 and1
Michael Crews, Atlanta (73) def. Michael O'Callaghan, Duluth (75), 2up
Mark Strickland, Woodstock (71) def. Kurtis Allen, Douglasville (76), 6 and5
Jack, Peachtree City Kearney, (74) def. Chris Blair, Peachtree City (75), 7and 6
Danny Whigham, Atlanta (71) def. Mark Benefield, Norcross (76), 7 and 6
Tevis Upton, Douglasville (74) def. Chris, DeMarco, Acworth (75), 21 holes
Paul Sorel, Alpharetta (76) def. Mitchell Whitley, Suwanee (70), 7 and 5
Chuck Pinkard, Cumming (74) def. Rick Stevens, Duluth (74), 2 and 1
Bill Kendall, Lawrenceville (73) def. Eric Brown, Smyrna (76), 19 holes
Mickey Jones, Duluth (73) def. John Davis, Alpharetta (75), 3 and 2
Jason Henley, Duluth (71) def. Philip Howard, Marietta (76), 3 and 2
Keith Hadelman, Atlanta (74) def. Jack Rood, Marietta (75), 8 and 6
Craig Hurlbert, Acworth (73) def. Alex Mackey, Kennesaw (76), 24 holes
Erik Martin, Alpharetta (75) def. Brett Lange, Atlanta (74), 3 and 2