Two coastal Georgia courses hosted tournaments on the NGA (formerly Hooters) Tour last month, wrapping up the tour’s four-event Spring swing through the state.
Sapelo Hammock in Shellman Bluff was the third straight NGA event in the state impacted by weather, and was reduced to 36 holes. South Africa’s M.J. Daffue took home the winner’s check of $22,000, finishing at 12-under 201 to edge former Stanford standout Sihwan Kim by one stroke.
Daffue was 10-under for the tournament on Sapelo Hammock’s three par 5s, with the 18th played as a par 4. The former Lamar golfer shot 69-65-67 to hold off Kim, who closed with a 65.
Warner Robins’ Chris Wolfe tied for 3rd at 203, also closing with a 65. Also tying for 3rd was South Carolinian Paul Brown. The tournament was sponsored by NeSmith Chevrolet.
The tour moved to Heritage Oaks in Brunswick the next week, with former Vanderbilt golfer Jon Curran winning by four shots at 21-under 267. Curran trailed by three after 54 holes, but fired a final round 63 to overtake Ryan Gildersleeve, who was one ahead going to the final day. Curran made his move with a 30 on the front nine.
Peter Malnati shot 65 the final round to take 3rd at 272. Chris Johnson of Brunswick was low Georgian in the tournament, tying for 16th at 281. Johnson, who shot a final round 67, was 15-under on the par 5s, scoring birdies on the 15th and 18th holes all four days, and recording three straight birdies on the third before a rare double eagle the final day. Johnson was T21 the week before at Sapelo Hammock.
Jay McLuen, the 2012 Georgia Open champion, closed with a 68 at Heritage Oaks to tie for 26th at 284. Web.com members Mark Silvers of Savannah and James White of Acworth were both in the field in Brunswick, but each missed the cut by one shot.