NEW REGION, U.S PRO HICKORY CHAMPIONS CROWNED

Southeast – They say there are two sure things in life, death and taxes. You might want to add a third to that list: Ron Cox wins a USGTF region championship. The septuagenarian from Nashville, Tennessee, did it again, capturing the Southeast Region Championship with a two-stroke victory over reigning United States Golf Teachers Cup champion Ken Kim from Orlando, Florida. Cox has now won multiple championships in the Southeast, Central and Southwest championships.

Cox fired rounds of 72-75 -147 to edge Kim by two strokes. Cole Golden from Orlando, Florida, finished third; Tony McMullin from Cincinnati, Ohio fourth and Mark Harman from Ridgeland, South Carolina, fifth to round out the money winner in the main pool. The event was held February 25-26 at Harbor Hills Country Club in Lady Lake, Florida.

U.S. Pro Hickory – USGTF member Mike Stevens finally did it: He captured his own tournament, the United States Professional Hickory Championship, played February 16 at the historic Temple Terrace Country Club in Tampa, Florida. Stevens won the prestigious John Shippen Cup (honoring America’s first golf professional), edging out Carlos de Barros by a stroke. With his victory, Stevens – a USGTF Hall-of Famer – has won virtually every important hickory championship this country has to offer.