PINEHURST, N.C. (Dec. 18) – Patrick Stephenson earned the champion’s trophy for the second time as he fired a 72 to win the 2020 CCNC Amateur by a stroke at 2-under-par 214.
The left-handed East Carolina fifth-year senior from Four Oaks, N.C. became the first two-time winner in the event’s nine-year history. His tournament record is remarkably consistent with wins in 2020 and 2017; T-3 in 2018; T5 in 2019 and T10 in 2016. In those five appearances, he has posted only one over-par round (first round in 2015).
“My short game kind of helped me through, I putted really well,” Stephenson said. “I didn’t hit it as well as I’d like to but I kind of kept it in front of me. I didn’t have any huge misses, didn’t really make any big mistakes. I just played really consistent, and made a lot of pars. On cold, windy days like these that’s kind of what it takes.”
Finishing in a tie for second at 215 were Grant Haefner of Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (Wayne State), who shot a 1-under 71 in the final round, and West Virginia’s Kurtis Grant of Herndon, Va., who posted an even-par 72.
Stephenson posted three birdies against three bogeys in Friday’s round. His birdie at the par-5 12th hole brought him to 3 under for the event and provided enough cushion for the win despite his bogey on hole 16.
“I played here a ton ever since I was a little kid,” Stephenson said. “It’s just one of those courses that always looks good to me. The greens are always lightning-fast this time of year, which kind of suits my putting because that’s kind of what I prefer.”
The best round of the day and the tournament was a 4-under 68 posted by Alex Heffner of Harrisburg, N.C. (Davidson) as he posted six birdies against two bogeys to finish at even-par 216 in fourth place.
Stephenson’s college teammate A.J. Beechler of Pinehurst, N.C., who finished T3 in 2019, Ryan Marter of Columbia, S.C. (Wofford) and first-round leader Sihan Sandhu, 15, of Ashburn, Va., tied for fifth at 1-over-par 217.
After 36 holes, the field was cut to the low 40 scores and ties. The Country Club of North Carolina’s Dogwood Course played to a par of 36-36-72 and 6,914 yards.
Tournament link: https://www.usamgolf.com/
The Country Club of North Carolina Amateur is a 72-hole stroke-play event and began in 2012 under the guidance of Stuart Taylor and Eric Murray of the Tarheel Junior Golf Foundation. Taylor and Murray wanted to offer a holiday college tournament to college-age players from Mid-Atlantic and Southern states. While designed as a college event, higher-profile junior and mid-amateur players have also participated.
NOTES
· Easton Paxton of Riverton, Wyo. (N.C. State) started off with two straight bogeys but posted five birdies in his final 16 holes for a 2-under 70 and finished at 3-over 219 in tenth place. He was 3 under par in the final 36 holes
· Stephenson, Heffner and Charlie Nikitas of Glenview, Ill. (Miami), who finished T11, tied for the tournament lead with 11 birdies in 54 holes
· List of champions
o 2012 -- Justin Clement
o 2013 -- Michael Cromie
o 2014 -- Ben Schlottman
o 2015 -- David Sargent and Joshua Martin
o 2016 -- Ty Palmer
o 2017 -- Patrick Stephenson
o 2018 -- Larkin Gross
o 2019 -- Ben Woodruff
o 2020 – Patrick Stephenson
· Only three under-par rounds were posted in the final round for a total of just 14 in the 54-hole tournament
· Inclement weather on Wednesday forced the cancellation of the round and made the tournament a 54-hole event instead of 72 holes.
· Hats off to tournament organizers Stuart Taylor and Eric Murray and their committee of the Tarheel Junior Golf Foundation for a great event
· The Country Club of North Carolina will host the 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship on the Dogwood and Cardinal Courses July 19-24