2006 Public Links Championship

Sweeney Secures Victory at Georgia Public Links Championship

Rome, Ga. - First-round co-leader Mark Sweeney of Loganville pulled away form the field firing a final-round 66 to finish with a championship-record, ten-under par total of 134 to win the 18th annual Georgia Public Links Championship which took place at Stonebridge Golf Club, September 16-17. Finishing five strokes behind Sweeney in second position was Ryan Wilson of Albany. Rome's Tripp Powell finished third at three-under.

Mableton's Dan Jorajuria finished in sole possession of fourth place after pairing rounds of 71, good for a tournament-total of two-under par. Tied for fifth place at one-under was Monroe's Chris Dietzel and William Hamilton III of Calhoun. With a score of even-par 144, Jonathan Finck of Commerce placed seventh overall. Three players - Brent Sizemore of Calhoun, William Mitchell of Roswell and first flight winner, Mickey Jones of Duluth - tied for eighth at 145.

Sweeney started the day on a good note recording birdie at number one. Wilson, playing in the final group with Sweeney, answered the challenge with a birdie of his own on the second hole. Wilson went on, however, to card bogeys at holes three and five. Sweeney, despite a bogey at number four, took to the sixth hole with a one shot advantage.

"That's where I sort of took control," Sweeney explained. "I played really well from that point. I putted really well the past two days. I did not three-putt at all. I guess when you can say that, you can feel pretty good about what you did."

Sweeney birdied the sixth hole and the 549-yard ninth. Making the turn at two-under for the day, Sweeney had picked up four strokes on Wilson. He did not let up there though. Sweeney picked up even more strokes on the field, tallying birdies at 11 and 12, an eagle on the par-5 14th, and another birdie at 17. The only blemish of the back nine for Sweeney came on the 18th hole when he recorded a bogey. His final-round 66 was the low round of the championship and his tournament total of 134 set a new Georgia Public Links Championship record.

Sweeney, a graduate of Carson-Newman College and a former mini-tour player, regained his amateur status five months ago. This was the first two-day stroke play event that he has competed in since 2003.

Other flight winners included Walter Hope of Gainesville in the second (163), Dunwoody's Russell Todd in the third at 151, Carl Loerzel of Lilburn in the fourth with a 158, Marietta's Michael Dean took the fifth flight (164) and Danny Tarrant of Bogart finished at the top of the sixth flight with a two-day total of 171.

The field of 144 golfers was determined by the low 72 entries plus another 72 drawn by lottery. The low 72 comprised the championship flight, and the remainder of the field was divided among six flights. Entrants must not have held privileges since January 1, 2006, at any club that does not extend playing privileges to the general public.

The par-72 layout played to 6,835 yards for the championship through fifth flights and 6,338 yards for the sixth flight. Only the players competing the championship through fifth flights were eligible for the overall title.

GSGA conducts 18 statewide competitions for men and women of all age groups, four interstate matches 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

Top Ten Overall
1 Mark Sweeney, Loganville 68 66 134 -10
2 Ryan Wilson, Albany 68 71 139 -5
3 Tripp Powell, Rome 72 69 141 -3
4 Dan Jorajuria, Mableton 71 71 142 -2
T5 Chris Dietzel, Monroe 74 69 143 -1
T5 William Hamilton III, Calhoun 70 73 143 -1
7 Jonathan Finck, Commerce 74 70 144 Even
T8 Brent Sizemore, Calhoun 71 74 145 1
T8 William Mitchell, Roswell 72 73 145 1
T8 Mickey Jones, Duluth 74 71 145 1