2023 Riverbend Golf Tournament Results

Seventy-Six golfers vied for a share of over $5,300 in cash and VISA gift card prizes on Saturday at River Bend YMCA Golf Course in Shelby, NC as a part of the Upstate Amateur Players Tour. The biggest moment of the day occurred on the par-four 4^th hole when Jason Breedlove holed out for an eagle.

Saturday also included a large super skins pot that carried over from the tournament earlier in the week. Three super skins were out on Saturday, with the players collecting over $470 for each skin.

The golfers found a picturesque layout nestled in Clevland County at River Bend YMCA Golf Course. River Bend features well-conditioned MiniVerde greens and Bermuda fairways. Opened in 1966 by Bob and Paul Porter, the River Bend YMCA Golf Course is one of the few YMCA owned golf courses in the United States, resting its ideals and mission on values of character building and self-potential.

The Upstate Amateur Players Tour travels the Upstate of South Carolina, and portions of North Carolina, offering golfers of all skill levels an opportunity to compete. With ten different divisions, including senior division as well, the tour has become a favorite of golfers throughout the area. Last month, the Upstate Amateur Players reached a new milestone with 200 members of the tour.

Here’s a breakdown of the results from Saturday’s tournament at River Bend:

Division 1 – Extra golf was needed to determine the winner of the top division on Saturday as Jacob Sigmon and Bruce Bevins both carded rounds of even par, 72. It was Sigmon who prevailed in the playoff to take home the top honors.

Bevins put on a back-nine charge to tie the lead, using four birdies in the course of five holes to get back to even par. He finished the back nine three under par.

Casey Alexander and Seth Hawkins finished tied for third with rounds of 75. Hawkins made three birdies on his last five holes to card a one under par round on the back nine.

Tim Cook rounded out the top-five with a round of 76.

Senior Division 1 – Jacob Sigmon’s even par round on Saturday was also good enough to secure him the win in Senior Division 1. Sigmon had a steady day after opening his round with a birdie on the first hole.

He found a pair of birdies on the back nine to get back to even par, making a two on the par-three 16^th hole, and a birdie three on the par-four 17^th.

Casey Alexander finished second in Senior Division 1, carding a round of three-over par, 75. Alexander carded three birdies on the day, including two on the back nine to shoot one over par.

Division 2 – Jason Breedlove used a hole-out eagle on the par-four 4^th hole to jumpstart his round on Saturday, en route to shooting even par and winning Division 2. Breedlove also birdied the par-five 6^th hole to reach three under par on the front nine.

Two bogeys on seven and eight dropped Breedlove back to one under par on the round. Cuong Ton finished runner-up in Division 2 with a round of 73. Ton’s two back nine birdies help keep him in the hunt down the stretch.

Joe Hamacher finished third with a round of 75. Scott Nichols and Terry Newsome both shot 76 to finish in a tie for fourth place.

Senior Division 2 – While Cuong Ton just missed out on the victory in Division 2, he did take home the top prize in Senior Division 2 on Saturday. Ton shot 73, one over par, during a steady round that included 14 pars. He started his round in style with a birdie on the first hole.

Joe Hamacher shot 75 and finished in second place. Hamacher played his best golf on the back nine, shooting even par 36 with a birdie on the par-five 15^th hole.

Scott Nichols and Terry Newsome tied for third place. Nichols had his round to one under par before a bogey on the 9^th hole to close out the front nine. Gerald Lewis rounded out the top-five with a round of 77.

Division 3 – Nikki Strandell staved off a group of challengers to secure victory in Division 3 on Saturday with a round of 79. Strandell got off to a solid start, playing her first seven holes in just one over par.

After a rocky start on the front nine, Andy Murrow made a charge late in the tournament as he continued to rattle off pars on the back nine. Murrow finished runner-up just one shot behind Strandell as he parred all but one hole on the back nine.

Alex Bechta also tied for second place with a round of 80. His day was highlighted by a birdie on the par-five 15^th hole.

Jim Wiginton, Dan Ahlers, Russell McDonald, and Mitch Altman all shot 82 to finish in a tie for fourth place.

Senior Division 3 – Andy Murrow’s impressive back nine was enough to lock up first place in Senior Division 3 on Saturday. Murrow shot 80 to win by two shots over Jim Wiginton, Russell McDonald, and Mitch Altman.

Murrow shot one over par, 37, on the back nine to secure his victory. The stellar nine holes included eight pars and just one bogey.

Vic Lawrence rounded out the top-five with a round of 83.

Division 4 – Weston Brown made his Upstate Amateur Players Tour debut on Saturday and won Division 4 with a round of 78. Brown’s day got off to a solid start with a birdie on the second hole, soon followed by another on the sixth hole. The Gaffney, SC native finished his round off in style with birdies on the 16^th and 18^th holes.

Andy Parker and Samrat Sen tied for second place in Division 4 after shooting 83. Scott Bryant and Joseph Wirtz shot 84 to finished tied for fourth place.

Senior Division 4 – Andy Parker and Samrat Sen found themselves tied after 18-holes as a playoff was needed to determine the winner. In the end, it was Parker who took the victory in Senior Division 4.

Parker had an eventful front nine that included three birdies. Unfortunately for Parker, it was accompanied by several bogies as well.

Scott Bryant shot 84 and finished third. Lee Touchton was two shots behind Bryant in fourth place. Darrell Arledge and Eric Rookard rounded out the top-five with rounds of 89.