2001 Team Championship

Lanier Golf Club Repeats at Georgia Team Championship

 

CLARKESVILLE, GA -Defending champion Lanier Golf Club in Cumming finished with a ten-under 350 to score a six-stroke victory at the Georgia Team Championship, which was played at The Orchard Golf and Country Club, October 27-28. The Lanier team started one back of the lead after the opening four-ball round, but ran away from the field with the low round of the day, two-under 214, in Sunday's best three of four individual stroke play format.

Scoring for Lanier Sunday were Jeff Belk of Marietta (70), Jay Childs of Kennesaw (72) and Bob McDonnell of Suwanee (72). Lanier had room to spare, with fourth teammate Spencer Sappington of Alpharetta shooting 76.

Finishing second at 356 was TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, followed by Atlanta Country Club, who shot 215 Sunday to move from seventh to third with their 357 total.  Fourth place went to Healy Pointe Golf Club in Macon, who held the first round lead, only to falter with a final round of eight over, 224 for a 359.

Lanier Golf Club has won this event four times in six years and returned with two of their four winning members from 2000, Belk and Childs, who are frequent contenders in GSGA competitions. Sappington and McDonnell were strong additions and made Lanier the team to beat. Sappington, 58, has been finishing strong in recent senior competitions, including a second-place finish at the 2001 GSGA Senior Championship, a victory at the Hall of Fame Invitational in June and a quarterfinals berth at the 2000 Senior Amateur. McDonnell, who was an All American for Georgia Tech in 1985, holds among his amateur highlights a semifinalist finish at the 1996 U.S. Mid Amateur.

Members of the TPC Sugarloaf team were Rick Stevens, Mickey Jones, Bob Stonikas and Randy Holmes. Atlanta CC was represented by Brian Sodel, Jorge Cora, Jack Hall and junior standout Joe Shirley.

The Georgia Team Championship began in 1927 as an award presented to the GSGA member club with the two members with the lowest 36-hole scores in the Georgia Amateur Championship. In the mid 1980s, a separate competition began with clubs playing one another in matches at an agreed upon site. Since 1993, the championship has been played in its current format and at a time and place determined by the GSGA.

Entries were open to male amateur golfers who are Georgia residents and members of a GSGA Member Club. A Club official had to recognize the team, and entries were accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

Final Results

1st Lanier GC 136 214 350
Jay Childs
Spencer Sappington
Jeff Belk
Bob McDonnell

 

2nd TPC Sugarloaf 138 218 356
Rick Stevens
Mickey Jones
Bob Stonikas
Randy Holmes

 

3rd Atlanta CC 142 215 357
Brian Sodel
Joe Shirley
Jorge Cora
Jack Hall

 

4th Healy Pointe GC 135 224 359
Jim Stuart
Craig Wentworth
Phil Hardin
Lee Gerdes

 

5th Ansley GC-Settindown Creek 137 223 360
Bill Lepley
Brandon Farley
Rocky Costa
Robbie Dew

 

6th Marietta CC 142 222 364
Larry Clark
Sheldon Whittelsey
Alex Mackey
Randy Donahoo

 

6th GC at Cuscowilla 138 226 364
Scott Randolph
Mike Masingill
Mike Pass
Hap Fleming

 

8th Brookstone G&CC 142 223 365
Greg Cottrell
Craig Hurlbert
Tom Cornelia
Chuck Barnes

 

9th Polo G&CC 142 225 367
Terry Prillaman
Wayne Palmore
Chuck Pinkard
Blair Ingle

 

10th Capital City CC 145 223 368
Jody Tucker
Jay Gipson
Bill Blalock
Woody King

 

11th Cartersville CC 143 227 370
Scott Davenport
Chad Branton
Ricky Wilson
Charles Wilson

 

12th Crooked Creek GC 145 226 371
Erik Martin
Dennis French
John Davis
Mike Chambers

 

13th Reynolds National 146 226 372
Phil Herring
Harold Stafford
Mike Sprouts
Mark Blanton

 

14th Stonebridge GC 146 227 373
Ronnie Cargle
Ladell Norton
Brent Sizemore
Martin Ball

 

15th Orchard G&CC 149 225 374
Major Manning
Scott Pitts
Matt Mixon
Chris Demarco

 

15h Pinetree CC 144 230 374
Rob Nichols
Chris Chuck
Bobby Filkins
Kevin Jordan

 

17th Cherokee T&CC 139 236 375
David Nix
Dick Franklin
Joe Estes
Chuck Kuhn

 

18th East Lake CC 143 234 377
Don Russell
Mark Baxter
Mike O'Donnell
Doug Puvogel

 

18th Horseshoe Bend CC 149 228 377
Jack Dalrymple
Jay Sanders
Dave Herman
Mitch Whitley

 

18th Legends at Chateau Elan 145 232 377
Bill Burson
Frank Cauley
Richard Ward
Dave Wilder

 

21st Dalton G&CC 142 236 378
Mike Townsend
Gary Cole
Jeff Taylor
Greg Brock

 

22nd Rivermont G&CC 146 233 379
Heath Mayor
Jim Montgomery
Don Marsh
Joe Braver

 

23rd Mystery Valley GC 147 234 381
Pat Burnette
Larry Rakestraw
Buddy Stacy
David Sellars

 

24th Chattahoochee GC 150 236 386
Steve Hollis
Joe Ingram
Leroy Harper
Jim Foote

 

25th Athens CC 150 241 391
Brooks Woodruff
Joe Peters
Doug Henson
Craig Crosby

 

26th Arrowhead CC 151 248 399
Greg Waters
Marty Childers
Ron Hunter
Teddy Duncan

 

27th Barrington Hall GC 154 248 402
Keith Harper
Doug Wilson
Herby Googe
Wade Turner

 

28th Canton GC 158 245 403
Jeff Trotter
Wes Garrison
Russell Simmons
Charles Doss

 

29th North Fulton GC 156 261 417
Dorsey Gray
Mike Keaveny
Tom Cirigliano
George Sigeti

 

30th Pines GC 162 279 441
Sid Beitzel
Mike Howard
Max Brock
Chad Sorrells