Kivett golf tournament set to begin today
Apr. 27—HIGH POINT — Golfers from across the area are set to contend for High Point's golf championship.
Play in the 48th Bud Kivett Memorial City Golf Championship will begin this morning at Blair Park and continue Sunday at Oak Hollow.
Around 90 golfers have entered this year's 36-hole tournament. Ultimately, city golf director Jimmy Bayne would like to bring that number back up to what it was years ago. But this year's field includes several top competitors.
Former champions Marc Cox (2001), Bryan Colquitt (2010), Tanner Gross (2010, 2013) and last year's champion Rocky Manning, plus defending senior champion Brad Helms, are set to play.
"About half the field has a handicap of 5 or less," said Bayne, the longtime professional at Oak Hollow who was promoted last year following the retirement of Steve High. "So, we have a strong field and we're really looking forward to seeing how things play out."
The weather should be nice this weekend. Conditions at both courses have been good, Bayne said. Tree-trimming recently should help open up things a little bit, while the greens, with double cuts this week, should be a bit faster but still receptive.
For the seventh year, the tournament will include a senior division for golfers 55 and over. About 20 entries so far have been designated for that division, but that could increase during initial sign-in. Scores will be flighted following the first round, and prizes will be awarded for overall and flight champions.
The tournament is named for Bud Kivett, a standout all-around athlete at High Point High and an excellent amateur golfer. He won numerous city golf championships and many other golf tournaments. He played in the National Public Links Championship four times — winning the title in 1957.
Kivett, a mailman, was 54 when he died of a heart attack in 1976. The tournament began the following year.
"It's exciting for me to continue what Steve and Johnny have done," Bayne said, mentioning Blair Park pro Johnny Carroll, who also retired. "I'm just looking forward to hosting the event, but also seeing what I can do to take their legacy and maybe move it to another level and get it back to where it used to be."
