eGolf Tour back at Walnut Creek CC
By Staff Reports
Published in Sports on September 12, 2009 11:58 PM
Goldsboro natives Andy Crain and Jonathan Greene will be among the 180 players slated to participate in the Walnut Creek Open, which begins Wednesday morning at Walnut Creek Country Club.
It's the second eGolf Professional Tour event played on the WCCC links this season and sixth overall. Crain fired even par over 36 holes, but missed the cut during the Walnut Creek Championship contested last May.
It is Green's first-ever pro appearance in his hometown.
The field will be split between Walnut Creek and Kinston Country Club, a 1940s Ellis Maples-designed layout that has been one of the most-regarded layouts in eastern North Carolina, for the first two rounds on Wednesday and Thursday.
After 36 holes are completed, the field will be narrowed to the lowest 70 scores including ties. Walnut Creek will play host to the final 18 holes on Friday. Players will vie for a purse of $220,000.
"As a tour, we have always shied away from playing a golf course twice in one season, but Walnut Creek is certainly the exception to our rule," said Stewart Moore, the Tour's chief operating officer. "Jay Hill (WIC director of golf) and his staff treat us like family, as do the members. Add to that a golf course that is a player favorite and you have the recipe for a great professional tournament."
Purchased by golf just 13 months ago, the tour has quickly established itself as the de facto No. 3 tour in the United States behind the PA and Nationwide Tours. In fact, the golf Tour was granted four exemptions into Nationwide events earlier this season.
"Our goal is to become official No. 3 tour in the United States ... period," said Moore, "Week in and week out, we feature the best fields in developmental golf. We have countless ties to the PA Tour via our success and our advisory board. It is only logical that we pursue some form of official status.
"There are numerous players on this level who wind up at (the) PA Tour Qualifying School each year, regardless of their developmental tour success. We feel that we are positioning ourselves to bridge that gap and establish formal ties with the PA, and the Nationwide Tour in particular.
"Only time will tell."
Also scheduled to play are two-time 2009 winners Scott Brown and Kyle DOB's. Brown is just one of three players to eclipse the $100,000 mark in tour history and emerged the top finisher in the Forest Oaks Classic in July. DOB's won the River Run Championship in August.
The field also includes former PA Tour players David Looters, Travis Perkins, Matt Davidson, Cameron Yancey, Jesse Dally, Todd Bragger and Ty Tyro. Tyro earned his PA Tour card at 17.
The three-day tournament is open to the public and admission is free. For more information on the golf Professional Tour and the Walnut Creek Open, visit www.egolf.com.