2017 Four-Ball Championship

 

 

Jeff Belk, Robert Sheats Survive 5-Hole Playoff to Win Georgia Four-Ball Championship

 

ALPHARETTA, Ga. --- It took five extra holes, but Jeff Belk of Alpharetta and Robert Sheats of Atlanta outlasted the duo of Billy Mitchell of Roswell and Chris Waters of Atlanta to win the Georgia Four-Ball Championship. The 46th edition of this event took place at The Golf Club of Georgia, April 28-30.

Belk and Sheats finished regulation at 18-under-par 195 (61-68-66). Little did they know that in the group who finished moments before them, Mitchell and Waters also hit the 18-under-par 195 (65-66-64) mark themselves. Once the scorecards were signed and verified, the two tandems returned to the first tee to begin the playoff. After each duo matched the other's par putt over the first four extra holes, it came down to a made birdie on the fifth by Belk to seal the deal.

Playing together in the Four-Ball Championship for the very first time, it's the second occasion Belk has been victorious. He won this competition in 2001 at Doublegate Country Club in Albany.

Keith Guest, Jr., and Kyle Stiles, both of Athens, finished third at 17-under-par 196 (65-63-68). In fourth place was the team of Bob Royak of Alpharetta and Josh Upton of Suwanee at 15-under-par 198 (63-69-66). Cres Dodd of Calhoun and Kyle Hosick of Cartersville, playing in the final group, finished fifth at 13-under-par 200 (66-63-71). Two teams tied for sixth at 12-under-par 201, including Erik Martin of Alpharetta/Mark Strickland of Woodstock (65-68-68) and Stan Gann, Jr., of Warner Robins/Jon Kennedy of Macon (67-65-69). Rounding out the top 10 finishers were a trio of twosomes at 11-under-par 202 - Ken Fahey of Cumming/West Streib of Brookhaven (67-68-67), Adam Cooper of Columbus/Jared Garrity of Fortson (68-66-68) and Mike Nance of Calhoun/David Noll, Jr., of Dalton (64-66-72).

Once 36 holes were played, 42 teams made the cut at 3-under-par 139 and better.

Entries were open to two-man teams of male amateur golfers. The format is 54 holes of four-ball stroke play and the field was cut to the low 40 teams and ties after 36 holes.

The next stop on the GSGA circuit is the Georgia Mid-Amateur Championship, which will be contested at Cartersville Country Club, May 19-21.