Former East Carolina golfer wins annual Columbia City golf championship

Patrick Stephenson introduced himself to the Columbia area men’s golf scene in an emphatic way during the 2022 Midlands Chevy Dealers Columbia City Championship at The Spur at Northwoods.

An alumnus of North Carolina’s junior golf program who played in college at East Carolina University, Stephenson moved to Columbia about a year ago and made his first city championship an impressive one.

He capped the three-day tournament with a 5-under-par 67 Saturday, giving him a 10-under 206 total that bested the field by five strokes.

Headed into the final round with a one-shot edge over Chase Sturkie and two ahead of Cole Krantz, Stephenson took command with a pair of early birdies. He called a birdie from around trees on the seventh hole pivotal to maintaining his advantage with Sturkie applying heat with a long birdie putt.

Up by three shots at the turn, he birdied the 10th to boost his advantage and put his game in conservative mode. On the risk-reward par-4 14th, he played safe with an iron off the tee “after doing the math.”

“I knew I had an edge (on his playing partners) and anybody else would have to shoot 63 if I parred in,” he said. “I didn’t think that would happen.”

To be sure, he added another birdie on the par-3 16th. Stephenson, a left-hander, pondered taking a shot at professional golf after college, but, he said, “I decided a family and a career would be more important than a five- or six-year grind trying to make” the PGA Tour.

A friend introduced him to Joel Lourie, and a luncheon meeting turned into a job offer from Lourie’s Insurance agency. Stephenson earned the city title on his home course, which he plays three or four times a week after work.

“In looking for a place to play, I visited a lot of courses in the area,” he said. “There are a lot of good ones, but I really liked the Spur, and I joined here. It’s about 10 minutes from home and this time of the year I can get here and walk 18 in the evening.”

Defending champion Bronson Myers, who plays at Elon, matched Stephenson’s closing 67 and took second place at 211. Sturkie finished third at 213.

Bill Rabon cruised to a nine-shot win in the senior division, Tim Babb came from behind to take the super-senior competition and Cooper Scott earned the junior title. In the professional division completed Friday, Mid-Carolina Club pro Rohan Allwood edged the Spur assistant Burke Cromer in a three- hole playoff.

The tournament’s special recognition went to Tammie Hiller, who received the David Bennett Service to Golf Award for her behind-the-scenes work in tournament administration, and to Heung Kim, who received the Scott Hannon Sportsmanship Award.

Tournament chairman Bobby Foster announced that the 2023 city tourney will be played at Spring Valley Country Club.

Columbia City Championship Scores

Amateur Division

Patrick Stephenson 71-68-67 — 206

Bronson Myers 70-74-67 — 211

Chase Sturkie 71-69-73 — 213

Matthew Hutto 73-72-72 — 217

John O’brien 73-73-71 — 217

Cole Krantz 64-77-77 — 218

Harrison Long 75-71-74 — 220

Charlie Beiers 77-70-73 — 220

Timmy Smith 74-75-74 — 223

Robert Dargan 75-76-72 — 223

Martin Kershaw 71-72-81 — 224

Shaun McIntyre 74-74-76 — 224

Samuel Caldwell 75-77-72 — 224

Spencer Benton 73-75-78 — 226

Spencer Skiff 72-76-78 _ 226

Donald Taylor 75-73-78 — 226

Palmer Mason 81-75-71 — 227

Harrison Vance 75-73-79 — 228

Scott Sullivan 77-76-75 — 228

Keith Chichester 73-77-81 — 231

Herman Belton 73-78-80 — 231

Thomas Fox 79-74-78 — 231

George Richardson 81-75-75 — 231

Senior Division

Bill Rabon 69-66-76 — 211

Dan Sullivan 69-76-75 — 220

Heung Kim 71-77-75 — 223

Walter Odiorne 74-74-82 — 230

David Lovit 79-79-73 — 231

Brad Krapfel 77-76-79 — 232

Alan Gibson 78-78-83 — 239

Mark McClam 78-84-82 — 244

Russell Berry 80-79-86 — 245

Steve Swier 87-85-82 — 254

Super-Senior Division

Tim Babb 75-74-72 — 221

Robin Alley 77-75-72 — 224

Bob Edens 74-72-81 — 227

Joseph Horne 81-70-76 — 227

Mike Calkins 74-79-74 — 227

Carey Hite 74-77-79 — 230

Gus Sylvan 80-75-80 — 235

Delano Jones 78-79-79 — 236

Bob Buie 75-82-82 — 239

Balbir Minhas 84-79-77 — 240

Professional Division

X-Rohan Allwood 70-69 — 139

Burke Cromer 67-72 — 139

Quinn Rogan 77-67 — 144

Chase Butler 73-77 — 150

x-Won in a three-hole playoff