Defending champions return For 69th Pot o' Gold Pro-am

Mar. 3—MOULTRIE — The Kinderlou Forest Golf Club foursome led by professional Henry Westmoreland will try to defend its 2023 championship when the 69th Pot o' Gold Pro-am opens on Friday at Sunset Country Club.

But the team's three amateurs — Cole Davis, Josh Burk and Pat O'Neal — will be seeking a rare two-club "three-peat."

The trio played together on the Richmond Hill Golf Club team led by Paul Claxton in 2022 before joining forces with Westmoreland last March.

Westmoreland's foursome will be among 47 teams seeking to hoist the winner's spoils when the best-ball event finishes Sunday evening.

The group will be happy to win under any circumstances, but they would not have to deal with the kind of weather that bedeviled the Pot o' Gold last year, when play was delayed on Friday and Sunday by rain.

The long-range forecast is calling for a 50-percent chance of rain on Saturday.

Sunset will send out four teams as it seeks to win the championship of the club's signature event for the first time since 2021.

Assistant golf pro Aaron Elrod, who led Sunset to outright titles in 2016, 2017 and 2021 and a tie in 2019, will again lead two foursomes.

His No. 1 team of amateurs Kevin Blanton, Lee Wright and Matt Key is missing veteran Andy Blanton, who will play this year with the Glen Arven foursome led by Jimmy Gillam.

Andy earned his third low amateur title last year when he turned in a 205.

He also has been the Pot o' Gold's low pro on two occasions.

Elrod's three 2024 amateurs also are Pot o' Gold veterans and Kevin Blanton, in particular has had success on his home course.

"I'm expecting Kevin to have a good tournament," Elrod said. "I think he really wants to play well."

Elrod himself is hoping to play better than he did last year when he was battling the effects of vertigo.

"I've been trying to play more," he said. "I'm taking my rounds more seriously.

"I know my game and I know what I'm capable of playing here. I just need to go out and play and have fun. and if my team plays well, that's all that matters anyway."

Sunset's No. 2 team features brothers Jonathan and Jared Bridges and Clarke Hendrick. Mike Myszkowski, who was named Sunset's director of golf last year, also will lead a pair of teams.

One will include three promising juniors in brothers Michael and Cavin Hall and Austin Baker.

Myszowski's other team includes Nate Branch, Wesley Rogers and Hunter Whiddon.

Notable in the field this year will be Albany's Nate Gahman, who won his second-straight Georgia Mid-Amateur Championship last year.

Gahman will be playing with the Savannah Quarters Country Club team led by Glenn Herrell.

Also playing again this year is former Pot o' Gold low amateur Adam Mitchell, who is with the Ansley Golf Club team led by Phil Taylor.

The teams in this year's field will line up putts on greens that Elrod said "are the best that I can remember."

Thursday will be devoted to practice rounds and the popular long drive contest, scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

The rest of the field includes:

—International City Golf Club, Jarred Reneau, pro; Travis Steed, Tyler Musselwhite and Stan Gann, amateurs.

—Highland Country Club No. 1, Chase Epting, pro Bo Bradford, Chase Wood and John Lee Richter, amateurs.

—Highland Country Club No. 2, Chase Epting, pro; Rob Simpson, Jack Bradford, Allen Crawford, amateurs.

—Houston Lake Country Club, Lacey Fears, pro; Brett Harris, Nick Kishugian and Bobby Chaney, amateurs.

—Heritage Golf Links No. 1, Tim Weinhart, pro; Michael Standard, Dave Maddox and Chris Busbee, amateurs.

—Glen Arven No. 1, Bill Connally, pro; Shep Davis, J.D. Culbreth and Mason Howell, amateurs.

—Richmond Hill Golf Club, Paul Clayton, pro; Josh Williams, Taylor Welch and Carter Collins.

—Chimney Oaks Golf Club, Bryson McCall, pro; Zach Pritchard, Kevin Kim and David Coker, amateurs.

—Forest Heights Country Club, Walt Garvin, pro; Joseph Pittman, Griffin Garvin and Mason Kleinlein, amateurs.

—McEntire's Driving Range, Deven Broadaway, pro; Rhett McGowan, William Hampton and Laine Frazier, amateurs.

—Ansley Golf Club No. 3, Jacob Tipton, pro; Chuck Howard, Nick Sarkisian and Martin Connel, amateurs.

—Dothan Country Club, Kevin Klein, pro; Dalton Humphrey, Matt Johnson and Heath West, amateurs.

—Fox Creek Golf Club, Brian Dixon, pro; Jacob Baker, John Belicka and Nick Brown, amateurs.

—Spring Hill Country Club No. 1, Sonny Skinner, pro; Brock Young, Taylor Cooksey and John Wilson Gordon, amateurs.

—Spring Hill Country Club No. 2, Sonny Skinner, pro; Carter Mobley, Brad Eunice and Chad Bulard, amateurs.

—Indian Hills Country Club, No. 2, Andrew Peyton, pro; Jeff Woods, Paul Garner and Hampton Callaghan, amateurs.

—Tiger Point Golf Club, Troy Raybon, pro; Michael Watson, Andrew Gladdon and Jon Hunt, amateurs.

—Ansley Gold Club, No. 1, Phil Taylor, pro; Michael Greene, Adam Mitchell and Alex Gaddy, amateurs.

—Ansley Golf Club No. 2, Phil Taylor, pro; Mark Shay, Ryan Parnell and Mark Schultz, amateurs.

—Hoover Country Club No. 1, Jake Spott, pro; Clay Guerin, Jackson King and William Angel, amateurs.

—Hoover Country Club No. 2, Jake Spott, pro; Will Swift, Cade Oliver and Wes Carter, amateurs.

—Maple Ridge Golf Club, Jake Keen, pro; Austin Mancilla, Daniel Davis and Zac Shellnutt, amateurs.

—Saugahatchee Country Club, Avery Owens, pro; Tripp Owens, Walter Jamison and Josh Moore, amateurs.

—Coosa Country Club, Brian Alberton, pro; Colin Doss, Kolby Manders and Robbie Horsley, amateurs.

—Kinderlou Forest Golf Club No. 2, Henry Westmoreland, pro; Eb Stonestreet, Billy Ebert and Reb Benton, amateurs.

—Marietta Country Club, Bill Hassell, pro; Sam Binkley, Cody Lowry and Lee Smith, amateurs.

—Jennings Mill Country Club, Gary Miller, pro; Jason Poss, Chad Dominey and Ak Patel, amateurs.

—Canongate Golf Club, Todd Ormsby, pro; Jamey Jackson, Jason Henry and Kyle Cameron, amateurs.

—Ansley Golf Club No. 4, Jacob Tilton, pro; Michael Daily, Marc Fordham and Jim Sheffield, amateurs.

—Heritage Golf Links No. 3, Scott Curiel, pro; Jeff Neugebauer, Ernie Venet and Paul Tynan, amateurs.

—Glen Arven No. 2, Jimmy Gillam, pro; Andy Blanton, Hinson Arwood and Micah Elkins, amateurs.

—Glen Arven No. 3, Jimmy Gillam, pro; Elijah Pebbles, David Matthew and Sam Straka, amateurs.

—Barnsley Resort, Bill Daggett, pro; Nash Nance, David Noll and Mike Nance amateurs.

—Bull Creek Golf Club No. 1, Adam Cooper, pro; Daniel Kirkland, Mike Reed and Jared Davis, amateurs.

—Bull Creek Golf Club No. 2, Adam Cooper, pro; Ducote Hurst, Yohance Thompson and Jamie Jordan, amateurs.

—Chateau Elan Golf Club No. 1, Jin Chung, pro; Von Stripling, Andrew Eunice and Eli Stripling, amateurs.

—Chateau Elan Golf Club No. 2, Jin Chung, pro; Tanner Brown, Chad Eunice and Zac Goodno, amateurs.

—Savannah Quarters Country Club, Glen Herrell, pro; Will Sharpe, Nate Gahman and Seth Williams, amateurs.

—Prattville Country Club No. 1, Tommy Burns, pro; Clarke Burns, Stan Burns and Wren Burns, amateurs.

—Prattville Country Club No. 2, Tommy Burns, pro; Wes Porter, Beau Boyd and John Allen Oakes, amateurs.

—Heritage Golf Links No. 2, Tom Weinhart, pro; John Lee Redding, Craig Stevens and Hayden Willis, amateurs.