Sea Island, GA —PGA head professional Stephen Keppler, from Marietta Country Club in Kennesaw carded a one-under par round of 69 to finish at six-under par 204 to capture his fourth title at the E-Z-GO Georgia PGA Championship presented by TaylorMade-adidas Ashworth and the PGA Tour, conducted at Sea Island Golf Club’s famed Seaside Course on St. Simon’s Island which played as a par 70 and was set up at 6,935 yards.
Keppler won his first Georgia PGA Championship in 1990 at Sea Island and added two more in 1994 and 1996. Keppler made history with the victory by having the longest stretch in between victories in this championship and longest in terms of years between his first and last at 21 years. Keppler has had numerous top five place finishes over the past several years in this event. For his efforts, he earned the first place check of $4,600 and earned an exemption into one of the Nationwide Tour events that will be played in Georgia next year.
Finishing alone in second place was Bill Murchison from Towne Lake Hills Golf Club in Woodstock who fired an even-par round of 70 and finished at four-under par for the championship. Rounding out the top four were 2005 Georgia PGA champion Tim Weinhart of Nuclear Golf at The Standard Club in Johns Creek was solo third at three-under par, and 2008 Georgia PGA champion Clark Spratlin, of the Georgia GolfCenter in Roswell who finished at two-under par 208.
Keppler’s round got off to a great start with birdies on the 2nd, 5th, and 8th holes, but ran into a tough stretch with three bogies on the 9th, 10th, and 12th holes which brought his one-time six shot lead over Murchison to just three shots.
Defending champion, Craig Stevens of Steel Canyon Golf Club in Sandy Springs shot a one-over par round of 71 to finish in a tie for 5thplace at one-over par 211.
The E-Z-GO Georgia PGA Championship is the only 54-hole event conducted by the Georgia PGA. E-Z-GO, a division of Textron, is the world’s leading manufacturer of golf carts and based in Augusta, GA.