2014 Mid-Amateur Championship

 

David Noll, Jr., Wins Georgia Mid-Amateur in Sudden-Death Playoff
Noll overcomes five-stroke deficit to become three-time champ 

 

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EATONTON, Ga. – David Noll, Jr., of Dalton defeated James Kiely of Milton in a one-hole, sudden-death playoff to win the Georgia Mid-Amateur Championship. The 33rd annual state competition took place at Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee, May 16-18.

Headed to the 54th hole (the 485-yard par 4 18th), Noll was one stroke behind Kiely. Noll then got up-and-down for par, Kiely bogeyed, giving each a final score of 4-over-par 214. Noll (72-72-70) and Kiely (74-65-75) then returned to the 388-yard, par 4 seventh hole to begin a sudden-death playoff. Noll made par and Kiely made bogey, which sealed the deal for Noll.

Noll first had to overcome a five-stroke deficit just to force a playoff with Kiely. In Saturday's second round, Kiely fired a 5-under-par 65, which put him ahead of the rest of the field by a handful of strokes. Throughout Sunday's final round, Noll chiseled away at that lead to put himself within striking distance. The victory gave Noll his third in the 33-year history of the Georgia Mid-Amateur Championship. He claimed his first two titles in 2007 at the Country Club of Columbus and in 2012 at Berkeley Hills Country Club in Duluth. This was Kiely's first finish in the state mid-am since 2010, where he tied for 68th at Brickyard Golf Club in Macon. He missed the cut at the 2012 event and did not play in 2011 or 2013.

The defending champion, Cameron Hooper of Atlanta, finished third at 5-over-par 215 (70-74-71). Hooper's Georgia Mid-Amateur victory a year ago came in his first year of eligibility for this Championship.

This year's competition marked the first playoff in a Georgia Mid-Amateur Championship since the 2000 event. That year, Greg Kennedy of Duluth defeated Joseph Davis of Acworth at Lanier Golf Club in Cumming.

Over this 54-hole competition, five eagles were recorded. Two came on hole two, then one each on holes five, 10 and 12. There were 517 birdies made at Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee as well.

Two players tied for fourth at 7-over-par 217, including Bob Royak of Alpharetta (71-76-70) and Travis Steed of Macon (76-69-72). Zane Goldthorp of Tucker finished sixth at 8-over-par 218 (75-72-71). Rusty Strawn of McDonough (74-74-71) and two-time Georgia Mid-Amateur winner Jeff Knox of Augusta (75-71-73) tied for seventh at 9-over-par 219. Rounding out the top 10 on the final leaderboard were a pair of players at 10-over-par 220: Coleman Tidwell, Jr., of Macon (74-74-72) and Billy Mitchell of Roswell (76-71-73).

Entries were open to male amateur golfers who are GSGA members, Georgia residents and age 25 or older as of the first day of the Championship. The starting field of 144 players was cut to the low 70 and ties after 36 holes. The cutline fell at 17-over-par 157 with 74 players advancing.