2011 Four-Ball Championship

Fober, Hammock Hold On to Win Four-Ball Championship
Second-round leaders fire second-straight 65 to win by three

COLUMBUS, Ga. – Playing together for the first time in a competitive event, the team of Jason Fober (right) of Fortson and Cason Hammock of Columbus fired their second-straight 65 in the final round to hold on to their lead and win the 40th annual Georgia Four-Ball Championship by three strokes over four other teams. The Championship took place April 29-May 1 at Green Island Country Club.

Fober and Hammock finished at 17-under 196, while the teams of David Noll Jr. of Dalton and Mark Strickland of Woodstock; John Smith of Duluth and Scott Cunningham of Johns Creek; John Belicka of Woodstock and Nick Brown of Canton; and Chase Jones of Cartersville and Jayce Stepp of Cartersville all finished at 14-under 199. Jones and Stepp tied for third place in this Championship a year ago.

The duo of Doug Dechart and Brian Templeton, both of Newnan, placed sixth at 202. Five teams tied for seventh at 10-under 203, including former champions Carter Mize and Wright Waddell, both of Columbus; Chad Griffith of LaGrange and William Hamilton of Calhoun; Cres Dodd of Calhoun and Randy Donahoo of Kennesaw; Scott Brown of Atlanta and Philip Verlander of Decatur; and past champions Jack Hall of Sea Island and Danny Nelson of Savannah.

Fober and Hammock played a bogey-free tournament, and built upon their lead early in the final round, with three-straight birdies on holes 3, 4 and 5. They added another birdie at the ninth to turn with a 31. They entered the final round with a one-stroke lead over Mize and Waddell, but the four-time past champions fell back early with a double bogey on the first hole and another on the third.

Fober and Hammock added two more birdies on the back nine, and withheld a small charge from Jones and Stepp, who got to 15-under on the back nine, but bogeyed the 18th to fall back into a tie for second.

Fober and Hammock grew up playing golf together, but never teamed up to play in a competitive event until this weekend. Fober, who spent a few years as a pro on the mini-tours, recently regained his amateur status and was competing in his first GSGA event.

Green Island Country Club played to 6,512 yards and a par of 71.

Entries were open to two-man teams of male amateur golfers who belong to a GSGA member club and are residents of Georgia. The field of 62 teams was cut to the low 40 and ties after 36 holes, with the cutline falling at 1-under 141 and 42 teams advancing to the final round.

The next GSGA statewide competition is the Georgia Mid-Amateur Championship, taking place May 20-22 at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club in Valdosta.