Hello, Match Play Season
By Hayden Lewis, PGA / Monday, April 19, 2021
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (April 19, 2021) – The 2021 Biolyte Match Play is officially underway. A record forty-eight players convened in Tuscaloosa Monday at the traditional venue of Indian Hills Country Club. A chilly, clear morning welcomed players for an 8:00 a.m. shotgun start to begin the qualifying round – players would be playing for a coveted spot in the top-32 and earn a place on the bracket.
The chilly temperatures gave way to sunny skies and gusty conditions which dried the property quickly – testing the players even more on an already tricky layout. “It’s probably the firmest and fastest I’ve ever seen it,” says Scott Clayton, Assistant Golf Professional at Greystone G & C.C. With tough hole locations, players had to be extra careful as they made their way around the property. Matt Logsdon, PGA (Mountain Brook Club) and Todd McCorkle, PGA (Old Overton Club) grabbed the first and second seeds with a pair of even-par 71’s. Robbie Blackwell, PGA (Robbie Blackwell Golf Academy), Henry Westmoreland (Pensacola C.C.) and David Pilkington, PGA (Pensacola C.C.) rounded out the top-five with one-over-par 72’s. Rusty Stephens (Links at Tuscaloosa) finished alone with a round of 82 to secure the 32nd seed.
The afternoon was set and the first-round matches commenced after morning play. 31Paul Reid, PGA (Indian Hills C.C.) took 2Matt Logsdon to 17 holes before losing 2&1. Other close matches included 4David Pilkington beating 29Paul Whitman, PGA (Pine Tree C.C.) 2&1 and 15Noah Miller, PGA (Valley Hill C.C.) winning 2&1 against 18Chris Burley, PGA (FarmLinks G.C.). Additionally, 16Elliott Jones, PGA (Vestavia C.C.) was able to hold off 17Dominic Diaz, PGA (RTJ Golf Trail at Ross Bridge) by taking the match to 19 holes. Players who moved on to the second round will have until May 31 to complete their matches which will be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon location and yardage by both players.
The Alabama–NW Florida PGA would like to extend thanks to Hunter Bremer and Biolyte for their support of the 2021 Match Play as well as several others events throughout the 2021 season. Golf has officially kicked into full gear as we head into the end of April. The Section turns its focus to the second Korn Ferry Tour Monday Qualifier for the Huntsville Championship. The next event on the Section schedule is the inaugural Section Member-Guest at Riverchase Country Club. “We are excited about this new event and to give our PGA Members a chance to bring guests who wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to play in a Section event,” says Tournament Director, Wade Dockery. “It will certainly be a memorable couple of days and we hope the Member-Guest can lead to more opportunities for the Section in the years ahead.”
Media Contact: Hayden Lewis, PGA | hlewis@pgahq.com
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ABOUT THE ALABAMA—NW FLORIDA PGA
The Alabama – NW Florida PGA is one of 41 Sections that make up the PGA of America. Our Section is headquartered in the Birmingham suburb of Pelham, Alabama at Ballantrae Golf Club. Established in 1969, the Section consists of over 400 Members and Associates in the state of Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. The Section exists to support its Members who are the driving force to growing the sport and business of golf.