Burke County players compete at state Putt-Putt Championship
Sep. 2—Several local players fared well during the Southern Putting Tour that was held recently at the Hickory Putt-Putt Fun Center.
On July 22, In the John Connor Memorial, the PPA division was won by Icard's Greg Newport. Newport bested Hickory's Kevin Dickey by 3 shots in the four-round event, 97-100, shooting a final round of 21 in the rain. Randy Reeves, of Montgomery, Ala., took third at 102.
In the APA division, Todd Trent from Hampton, Ga., won decisively with a top-notch showing, shooting 102 to beat Richard Miller of Valdese by six shots. Denver's Billy Mize finished third and Bryan Deal of Valdese finished fourth.
Newport, considered by many to be the top player, said of Hickory's course No. 1, "I absolutely love that course. (It's) on my list of top five in the nation."
On July 23, players enjoyed ideal weather conditions for the N.C. State Championship. The pro division saw Newport continue his strong play. Leading by three strokes at the beginning of the final round, he closed with a fine 24, but was topped by Randy Reeves, who torched the course with a new course record of 20 to get the victory by one shot. Sid Davis, of Kingsport, Tenn., finished another three shots back.
The amateur State Championship was a wild shootout with Todd Trent leading by two shots going into the final round.
Richard Miller, playing his first APA weekend, began the final round four shots behind and began his round with a bogey 3.
In historic comeback fashion, Miller proceeded to ace 14 of his last 17 holes, including a perfect 9 on the back nine, to win by three shots over Trent and Jacksonville, FLa.'s David Atz.
Billy Mize took fourth place at another shot back. The win was a huge one for Miller, a 55-year-old construction contractor, and the future is apparently bright in the sport for the amateur North Carolina state champ, who's only been playing Putt-Putt for nine months. Miller, who was "really just hoping for a top 5 finish," called winning the State Championship "an absolutely awesome experience ... one I'll never forget."
Finally, there was a strong field of putters competing in the novice division. Vale's Dwight Hall finished strong with rounds of 26 and 25 to become the Novice State Champion. Hall got the win by four shots over Fred T. Foard High School star golfer Jaydon DelVechio of Newton, and Hickory's Greg Miller finished another shot back.
Hall, who has played Putt-Putt tournaments with his wife Ann for almost 20 years, called the victory, "... one of the most exciting moments of my life — it will always be a precious memory."
Manager Jim Havner invites everyone out to enjoy the Hickory Putt-Putt Fun Center, which is one of only 34 remaining Putt-Putts in the country and one of only two with four 18-hole courses.
