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Gamecock bookends season with victories-
Blythewood, S.C. - September 15, 2011 - Mark Silvers, of Savannah, Ga., finished the NGA/Hooters Tour Carolina Summer Series the way he started, hoisting a big check after the final round.
Silvers, a former University of South Carolina golfer, torched The University Club at Cobblestone course with a tournament-low, 9-under 62 in the final round and cruised to an eight-shot win over Yoshio Yamamoto.
“Playing for USC, I certainly felt comfortable at The University Club,” said Silvers, who won another hometown affair at the Columbia Country Club earlier this season. “I put myself in good position off the tee and I was able to take dead aim.”
And his aim was pretty good in the final round.
Silvers holed out from 105 yards, hit two other flagsticks and had kick-ins on several occasions. On the front nine, Silvers recorded five birdies, one eagle and a bogey to make the turn with a 6-under 29. For good measure, Silvers added four more birdies and a bogey on the backside en route his fourth Carolina Series victory.
“I hit the ball well all week,” said Silvers, who earned $3,300. “I shot 69 in the first round and didn’t get anything out of the round, but I certainly got the most out of the final 36 holes.”
Silvers played the final 36 holes 17-under par and finished with a 19-under 194 total. As soon as the celebration was over, Silvers’ focus quickly returned to his alma mater with two simple words: “Beat Navy.”
Yamamoto, of Guadalajara, Mexico, moved from fourth to second with a 3-under 68 in the final round. Yamamoto finished at 11-under par and earned $1,650.
First-round leader George Bryan (Chapin) finished T3 with Francisco Bide (Milledgeville, Ga.) at 6-under par. Bide, who started the final round tied with Silvers, shot a 75 on Thursday, while Bryan carded a 74. Each golfer earned $1,300.
Lake City’s Paul Woodbury shot a 1-under 70 in the final round to move into fifth at 2-under par, while Patrick Lundy (Little River), Hunter Mengel (Charleston) and Blythewood’s Adam Hart finished T6 at 1-under par.
Daniel Obremski (Pittsburgh, Pa.) finished ninth at even par.
For full-field results, click here.
The NGA/Hooters Tour is the No. 1 recommended developmental tour by more PGA and Nationwide Tour Professionals than any other tour in the country. The Tour also pays out over $1 million more than any other development tour in the country.
The NGA/Hooters Tour is the Third Largest Men’s 72 Hole Professional Golf Tour in the United States behind the Nationwide and PGA Tours and has helped hundreds of professionals acquire their PGA, Nationwide, and Champions Tour cards. In fact, NGA/Hooters Tour Alumni have won an incredible Thirteen (13) “Major” Championships.
Alumni include: 2011 PGA Championship winner and 2009 NGA/Hooters Tour member Keegan Bradley, 2011 PGA winners Scott Piercy, Scott Stallings, Sean O'Hair, Mark Wilson, Bubba Watson and Gary Woodland; Jim Furyk, the 2010 FedExCup winner and PGA Tour Player of the Year; Stewart Cink, the 2009 British Open Champion; Lucas Glover, the 2009 U.S. Open Champion; Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters Champion; Shaun Micheel, the 2003 PGA Champion; Ben Curtis, winner of the 2003 British Open; Lee Janzen, a two-time US Open winner; John Daly, a British Open and PGA Champion; Tom Lehman, winner of the British Open; David Toms, a past PGA Champion; Chad Campbell, the 2003 Tour Championship winner; Vaughn Taylor, a two-time Reno Tahoe Open winner; Craig Perks, winner of the TPC, and many, many more. At this year’s PGA Tour Qualifying School, 46% of the players that earned full exempt status on the PGA Tour (including 2010 Hooters Tour Player of the Year Michael Thompson) and 52% of the players that earned status on the Nationwide Tour have spent time on the NGA/Hooters Professional Golf Tour. In 2011, 23 former NGA/Hooters Tour players will be advancing to the PGA Tour.
For more information on the NGA/Hooters Pro Golf Tour, contact the Tour Office at (800) 992-8748.
