VALDOSTA, G.A.— Philip Hughes of Kennesaw and Matt Oxford of Rocky Face combined for a 10-under-par 206 (65-70-71) and won the Georgia Four-Ball Tournament. The winning tandem finished one stroke ahead of a team from Valdosta, David Matthews and Doug Rayford, at 9-under-par 207 (69-66-72). The 27th edition of this annual event took place at Valdosta Country Club and Kinderlou Forest Golf Club, March 27-29, 2015.
Hughes and Oxford, who were the leaders after round one and shared the lead with Matthews and Rayford after round two, together recorded 15 birdies and five bogeys through three rounds at Valdosta Country Club. The duo began the final round with a bogey on the 530-yard, par 5 first hole and posted another on the 376-yard, par 4 fourth. Hughes and Oxford then regrouped at the turn to record birdies on 11, 13 and 18, which secured the one-stroke victory. That one stroke turned out to be the difference in Matthews and Rayford becoming two-time winners of this event, as they won the Georgia Four-Ball Tournament together in 2011.
Finishing in third overall from the Championship flight at 8-under-par 208 (68-73-67) was the team of Michael Standard and Scot Ward, both of McDonough. Chad Branton of Cartersville and Steve Stewart of Adairsville from the Championship flight finished fourth overall at 7-under-par 209 (71-69-69). In fifth overall from the Championship flight was a duo from McDonough, Rick Dubois and David Maddox, at 6-under-par 210 (70-72-68). Matt Kubis of Norcross and John Riordan of Duluth from the Championship flight came in sixth overall at 4-under-par 212 (67-72-73). A pair of teams from the first flight tied for seventh overall at 3-under-par 213, including Lee Gerdes of Macon and Craig Wentworth of Thomasville (70-74-69) and Clay Gardner of Newnan and John Miles, Jr., of Fayetteville (70-70-73). Tyler Hogan of Kennesaw teamed with Colton Strawn of Monticello from the first flight to post a 2-under-par 214 (70-71-73) and finish ninth overall. Two teams tied for 10th overall at 1-under-par 215: Garrett Barton and Shannon Barton, both of Jonesboro (71-77-67), and Hap Fleming of Kennesaw and Colby Pierce of Macon, from flight one (71-72-72).
Nick Beatty of Marietta and Philip Beatty of Roswell won the fourth flight at 3-under-par 213 (75-68-70). In the fifth flight, Dwight Hefner and Duane McMullen, both of Dalton, claimed flight honors at 6-over-par 222 (74-72-76). The duo of Johnny Faulk of Kennesaw and Randy Hewatt of Marietta won the sixth flight at 13-over-par 229 (74-78-77). Rounding out the flights at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club, Jim Billingsley of Loganville and Robby Grider of Statham topped flight seven at 21-over-par 237 (81-78-78).
The field of 91 two-man teams was divided into eight flights based on handicap index. The Championship through third flights, which were eligible for the overall title, played at Valdosta Country Club. The fourth through seventh flights competed at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club.
Entries were open to two-man teams of male amateur golfers who belong to a GSGA member club, have combined USGA Handicap Indexes of 4.0 and above and a maximum differential of six strokes.
For the full leader-boards for each flight, including hole-by-hole scores, visit the following link: http://www.ghintpp.com/gsga/