With great excitement I stopped by Cedarock Park in Burlington, NC on the Thursday before the 22nd Annual Sneeky Pete. I was on my way home for fall break to check out the temporary course that would be used for two rounds of the tournament on the weekend. I got a local pro, Brent Mabry, to show me around. I was certainly impressed. With a par of 66 and lots of elevation change, this course would challenge throwers in the woods and in the open. The thing I like the most about higher par courses is the strategic aspect. On some holes I would throw midrange-midrange to play safe while on others I would try to crush a drive and have a simple putter approach.

The weather was perfect all weekend with temperatures in the 40’s in the morning and highs in the 70’s. I shot a solid 58 (-8) the first round on the temporary course. I left some strokes out there for sure but overall I played bogey free so I was pleased. Brian Schweberger shot the hot round of 56. The next round was on the long and open Cedarock course. I knew I had a great opportunity to make up ground on this course because I can throw long enough to have birdie opportunities on all of the par 3’s as well as short approaches on the par 4’s. I played well in the beginning and end of the rounds but hit a cold streak in the middle. I just couldn’t convert enough birdie putts. I knew the chance to catch the leader was passing but I stuck it out and carded 9 birdies and 1 bogey to shoot a 49 (-8). Schwebby shot the same score but Michael Johansen came in with the hot round of 46 to take the lead. I wound up in a 4 way tie for 4th headed into Sunday.

Sunday morning’s round took place on the Wellspring course which has lots of elevation and is short and tight. I struggled to hit my fairways in the beginning and had to struggle for par on a few holes. Eventually I found my groove and ran off birdies on 6 out of the last 8 holes to finish a respectable 47 (-8). I was now in solo position of 5th to start the final round.

The 4th was back on the temporary course. I was throwing well but I missed a few short birdie opportunities in my first five holes. I just tried to relax and forget those holes and the tension I felt on those putts. I carded a couple straight birdies after that to keep my confidence up. On the 11th hole I lost my drive early to the left and was left with no look at the pin. I chose to lay out to the landing zone and try to save a par. I threw just short of the elevated green and missed low on the putt. I had just carded my second bogey of the tournament just as I thought my round was taking off. The next hole was very short just 180’, what I would consider a must birdie. I threw a drive to 25’ but didn’t follow through on my putt and it skipped off of the tray low and left. The next hole was a tough par five. I threw a good drive out of the gap and far enough to where the fairway widens. I threw my second shot just like I wanted. It held straight for about 320’ and then hyzered to the left side of the fairway giving me a shot at throwing an anhyzer into the green. I threw up nicely to 25’ and the putt right in the middle of the chains. I carried this momentum into birdies on 5 of the last eight holes to finish with another 58 (-8). This moved me into 4th all by myself.

I was really pleased with the consistency I played with all four rounds. This was the highest I have placed in an A-tier as well. I would like to thank Huk Lab for keeping me warm in the morning and cool in the afternoon. I would like to thank the Burlington crew for putting on another great event on one of the best layouts in North Carolina.