Clarksville, TN – Over 80 golfers teed off in unseasonably cool weather Saturday morning at Swan Lake Golf Course to compete in the 2014 Mayor’s Golf Classic. The two day event features both young and older golfers vying for the top spot in two divisions, open and senior.
At the end of day 1 several seniors earned bragging rights with the top scores. Brad Van Kirk led all seniors and 99 percent of the field with a three under 68.
Van Kirk was last year’s Senior Tournament of Champions winner and has been red hot this summer winning three events including his first non-senior division tournament title, the Clarksville City Amateur Golf Tournament.
Van Kirk’s day on the course included four birdies on the back nine. He has yet to win the Mayor’s Classic tournament. “I would like to finish of the season with a victory in the Mayor’s. That would be sweet,” Van Kirk said.
Richard Ashbrook finished the day only one stroke behind Van Kirk. Ashbrook was one of the only two co-winners of the Mayor’s Classic in 2009.
“The greens were fast and you had to play positions,” Ashbrook said. “If you hit above the hole or to the side, any five or six-footers were really tough today. I was just fortunate today. All my shots seemed to be in the right spot. I hope I can do that tomorrow.”
Steve Blackwell hit the shot of the day. He made a hole-in-one on the 10th hole. He finished in the middle of the senior’s pack with a 77.
On the Open Division side, former Clarksville high standout Payton Williams captured the lead, tying Van Kirk’s three under 68. Williams has had strong finishes this summer in both the City Am and Wendy’s Invitational. Williams is currently a freshman member of the Trevecca Nazerene University Trojan’s golf team.
Trailing Williams by five strokes in the Open Division are Steven Reigle and APSU Alum Brian Balthrop. Balthrop is last year’s Mayor’s Classic winner. He also won his second Commanding General’s Title in three years this summer.
The competition is tight, especially in the senior division, and both leaders know anything can happen on day two. All the competitors have put day one behind them and are looking forward to their chance to win on Sunday.
“It’s going to be fun tomorrow because I get to play in the Van Kirk group,” Ashbrook said. “I am really looking forward to see if I can put some pressure on him. He might turn around and put some pressure on me but I am looking forward to it.”
Open Division Day 1 Scores
Payton Williams 68
Steven Reigle 73
Brian Balthrop 73
Charlie Keene 74
Tyler Guy 74
Collin Welker 75
Eric Bradley 75
Jon Jasper 75
Bill Sites 75
Bobby Yingling 76
Chip Turner 76
John Seeds 76
Jamie Schacht 76
Jim Duttweiler 77
Kevin Kauffman 78
Josh McWhirter 79
Greg Guinn 79
Cory Morris 80
Ron Eldridge 81
Tom Bradley 81
Aaron Mayes 81
Dustin Hill 82
Horace Meggie 83
J.T. Ferrell 83
Tavis Manley 83
Ryan O’Leary 85
John Miraglia 85
Joey Samuels 85
Jason Ellis 86
Perry Scachetti 88
Trevor Mace 88
Weston Sartain 90
Cory Atwood 90
Ty Koelker 93
Jeff Gilchrist 94
Austin Cherry 98
Skyler Evans 99
John Romero 105
Senior Division Day 1 Scores
Brad Van Kirk 68
Richard Ashbrook 69
Rick Richardson 70
Marcus Sartain 71
Mike Welker 72
Brent Myama 73
David Phillips 73
Joe Modge 74
Douglas Knight 74
Larry Mattingly 74
Ed Lewis 75
Mike Taylor 75
Dennis Kollo 75
Harold Menaley 75
Billy Gray 75
Jimmy Mashburn 75
Charlie Richardson 76
Jeff Campeau 76
Tommy Shearon 76
Steve Blackwell 77
Bill Wilkinson 77
Jeff Whitlow 77
Bruce Walker 77
