A trio of North Carolina’s Big Four struggled at one of the nation’s top collegiate events. UNC finished eighth, Duke tied for ninth and Wake Forest tied for 11th Tuesday at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational at Floridian National in Palm City. Texas Tech won the 54-hole tournament at 45-under 807. UNC posted 833, Duke had 835…
Cameron Young claimed the biggest victory of his career Sunday at the Players Championship. The 28-year-old Wake Forest University graduate shot 4-under-par 68, including a winning birdie on the iconic 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass to beat Matt Fitzpatrick by one stroke. Young finished at 13-under 275. Young, whose victory last August at the Wyndham…
Akshay Bhatia with on the Arnold Palmer Invitational with bold play that would have made “The King” proud. The 24-year-old Wake Forest resident made four straight birdies and pulled off a risky shot to make a crucial eagle Sunday before beating faltering Daniel Berger in a playoff at Bay Hill Club in Orlando. Bhatia bogeyed…
Is this the weekend Akshay Bhatia wins his first 2026 PGA Tour event? Will it be a Wake Forest alumnus, or a town of Wake Forest resident claiming Arnold Palmer’s tournament? The 24-year-old lefty, who makes his home in Wake Forest, has had his chances in the young season. He has another great opportunity Sunday,…
By Brad King Alex Smalley didn’t quite play his way into the six-man playoff to determine the 2021 Wyndham Championship, eventually won by Kevin Kisner. Nevertheless, the former Duke star captured plenty of attention along the way. Playing on his home course at Sedgefield Country Club, the 24-year-old Smalley carded three rounds in the 60s,…
By David Droschak Few golfers – outside of Tiger Woods – have had a more successful junior career than Jason Widener. The former Greensboro native won over 50 junior tournaments, including the U.S. Junior Amateur, was the No. 1 ranked junior player in the country for two years in the late 1980s and became one…
By David Droschak Going low has been the rule at the Wyndham Championship since moving to Sedgefield Country Club rather than the exception, with winning scores regularly at 20-under-par or better. The last five Greensboro winners have broken that barrier with Brandt Snedeker firing an opening round 59 in 2018 and last year’s champion Jim…
By David Droschak Richard Lawson has led a life that is beyond interesting and intriguing. He spent the “working portion” of his career as a government contractor designing and executing United States missile defense systems. The last two decades, Lawson has been the “behind the scenes” engine to help fuel Pinehurst-area volunteers for such high-profile…
By David Droschak Can it be that Kelly Mitchum is getting better with age? The veteran, award-winning Pinehurst Resort teaching instructor who will turn 50 in April, captured the PGA Carolinas Section player of the year honors in 2020 with a scoring average of 69.00. It is the eighth time Mitchum has won the award…
By David Droschak Few places embrace history like Pinehurst Resort. And the historic golf venue is preparing to add yet another piece of lore to its annals. Just five years after making history by hosting back-to-back U.S. Opens for the men and women on Pinehurst No. 2, the iconic resort and the USGA are once…