University of North Carolina Athletics
Sid Champion Claims Rams Club Mini-Tour Title
August 24, 2005 | General
Aug. 24, 2005
For most of the eleven year history of The Rams Club Mini-Tour, Sid Champion has lurked near the top of the point standings that determine the champion. A top 10 finish was automatic, and the title was within his reach several times over the years.
Going into the 2005 Championship Weekend, a dozen players were within two points of defending champion Jay Younce. Champion grabbed the lead on Friday at beautiful Grande Dunes in Myrtle Beach, helping his team to first place, while also winning the closest to the pin prize on the tough par three 14th. Sid's group, consisting of David Fralin, Mike Harris and Tom Hicks, was the last to play the 14th. This was also the designated hole to be entered in the drawing for the Tag Heuer Tiger Woods timepiece, provided by Carlyle and Co. That coveted prize will be awarded at the Tournament Players Championship on September 12th at The Preserve at Jordan Lake Golf Club.
With his last participation point gained on Friday, Champion took 13 points into the final round at the Arnold Palmer designed masterpiece Rivers Edge Golf Club in Shallotte. Hicks was a point behind and Younce and Harris were three behind.
Finishing late, Champion's team of Glenn and Larry Cobb and Scott Maitland dominated the field with a thirteen under 59, finishing three shots ahead of hard charging Eddie Skakle, who played with his brother Andy, Jim McCombs and Steve Evans. Hicks team, which included Keth Mackey, Charles Underwood and John Cherry, finished strong to shoot 64 and win a card playoff over the team of Joe Lee, Art Newnam, Dave Gitlin and Joe Mason.
Champion's outstanding performance boosted his point total to 16. Hicks finished second with 13, and Eddie Skakle was third at 12. Younce finished fourth with 10, edging Harris by virtue of more individual prizes.
At Grande Dunes, second place went to Jerry Musselwhite, Keith Mackey, Philip Perry and Dave Gitlin with a 63, winning a card playoff over Steve Evans, the Skakles and Maitland. Individual winners were Mike Smith by half an inch on the the par three second, Fred Sherrill on the 11th and Larry Marciano on the eighth. Andy Skakle and April Francois took the mens and womens long drive prizes, although Skakle had to borrow Maitland's driver to edge Scott by just a few yards.
Individual winners at Rivers Edge on Saturday were Aaron York for men's long drive, Glenn Cobb on the 15th for the par three winner and timepiece qualifier, April Francois on the eighth, John Erck on the fifth, and Eddie Skakle on the 12th.
The threesome of April and Jason Francois, and David Wolfe won both Super Team competitions on the weekend, winning by a card playoff and a team missed five-footer on Friday. They scorched the field on Saturday with the lowest round of the year, a sparkling 57.
All individual winners and top 60 point finishers with ties will receive invitations to the Tournament Players Championship. Scoring will be indivdual play, based on a modified Stableford system.
The top 20 final point standings:
1. Sid Champion
2. Tom Hicks
3. Eddie Skakle
4. Jay Younce
5. Mike Harris
6. Ron Currie
7. Andy Skakle
8. Bryon Currie
9. Charles Underwood
10. David Fralin
11. Michael Mumford
12. Monica Steed
13. Joe Lee
14. Oscar Ferguson
15. Ronnie Robertson
16. Eric Ferris
17. Richard Hamer
18. Larry Cobb
19. Sam Williams
20. Glenn Cobb
