2017 Mid-Amateur Championship

 

David Denham Wins Georgia Mid-Amateur Championship

 

CARTERSVILLE, Ga. --- David Denham of Athens began the final round with the lead and never relinquished it as he goes on to win the Georgia Mid-Amateur Championship. The 36th edition of this event took place at Cartersville Country Club, May 19-21.

Denham's 54-hole total of 14-under-par 202 (67-66-69) ended up two strokes better than David Noll, Jr., of Dalton's 12-under-par 204 (67-69-68) mark. Noll, who has three Georgia Mid-Amateur titles in his name, earned runner-up honors this year. Denham adds this title to his Georgia Amateur Championship, which he won in 2004.

Over the course of the competition, Denham recorded 19 birdies to five bogeys en route to the victory. Beginning the final round with a three shot lead, Denham stretched it to as many as four through the first nine holes. After the turn, Noll went 2-under on the back nine, as Denham stayed even-par. Both players walked to the 18th tee with Denham up by a stroke. He made birdie and Noll made par and Denham went on to hoist the trophy.

The Athens native played college golf at the University of Georgia and was a member of the 2005 national championship squad. He won the Georgia Amateur Championship a year earlier in 2004. He now has a Georgia Mid-Amateur title to add to it.

Vance Embry of Dalton finished third at 9-under-par 207 (73-64-70). Jon Kennedy of Macon, who led after 18 holes, finished fourth at 6-under-par 210 (66-73-71). Taylor Smith of Covington came in fifth at 5-under-par 211 (73-67-71). Jack Hall of Savannah, winner of the 2015 Georgia Mid-Amateur, finished this year in sixth at 4-under-par 212 (74-65-73). Three players tied for seventh at 3-under-par 213, including Christian Raynor of Kennesaw (67-76-70), Cres Dodd of Calhoun (67-75-71) and Georgia Golf Hall of Famer and two-time Georgia Mid-Amateur winner Jeff Knox of Augusta (72-68-73). Rounding out the top 10 were a trio at 2-under-par 214, including Don Carpenter III of Athens (70-74-70), Travis Steed of Macon (70-72-72) and Tre Lamb of Macon (69-72-73).

In what could be a Georgia Mid-Amateur Championship record, three aces were scored - one each day of competition. During Friday's opening-round, Matthew Hayes of Marietta made a hole-in-one on the 16th hole, as did Jack Hall of Savannah on Saturday in round two. Travis Steed of Macon posted an ace of his own on Sunday on the fifth hole.

Once 36 holes were in the books, 74 players at 8-over-par 152 and better made the cut.

Entries were open to male amateur golfers who are a GSGA member and age 25 or older as of May 19. A total of 370 players entered this year's Championship. There were 29 exempt players competing this week. The remaining 115 spots were filled by the entrants who competed in one of seven, 18-hole qualifiers that took place statewide in April and May.

 

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Qualifying Sites

Southeast	The Landings Club-Deer Creek, Savannah	April 2	Pairings/Scoring
Northeast	Royal Lakes Golf & Country Club, Flowery Branch	April 3	Pairings/Scoring
West	Country Club of Columbus	April 12	Pairings/Scoring
Middle	Southern Landings Golf Club, Warner Robins	April 17	Pairings/Scoring
Atlanta North	Crooked Creek Club, Alpharetta	April 17	Pairings/Scoring
Atlanta South	Crystal Lake Golf & Country Club, Hampton	April 19	Pairings/Scoring
Last Chance	Cartersville Country Club	May 1	Pairings/Scoring