GREENSBORO, N.C. - High Point University men's golf redshirt sophomore Grady Newton captured the 98^th Carolinas Open Presented by Synergy Systems & Solutions last Thursday in dramatic fashion. The tournament was conducted by the Carolinas PGA at Starmount Forest Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, and featured a field of the best amateurs and PGA Club professionals in North and South Carolina.
 
After an opening 72 (+1), Newton recorded seven birdies and an eagle in his second round to fire a tournament-best 63 (-9) in a second round that spanned both Tuesday and Wednesday due to weather delays. Despite making bogey on his first two holes of the final round, Newton made birdies on three of his final seven holes in regulation to force a playoff with Preston Cole, a professional at Quail Hollow Club and former collegiate player at Furman. Newton won the playoff on the first hole with an eagle on the par-5 18^th to claim the title.
 
Newton hopes to carry the momentum into the Panthers upcoming season, which begins on September 11^th at Squire Creek Golf Club in Choudrant, LA.
 
About the Carolinas PGA
Established in 1923, the Carolinas PGA Section of the Professional Golfers' Association has grown to be the largest of the PGA's forty-one sections with almost 2,000 professional members. The Carolinas PGA Section embraces North and South Carolina, as well as a small portion of southern Virginia, with more than 800 golf facilities. The Carolinas PGA is dedicated to nurturing and improving the quality of the game for the thousands of golfers using its member facilities. PGA professionals are responsible for conducting a variety of golf-related functions, which include human resource management, golf shop merchandising, golf instruction, tournament operations, junior golf programs, growth of the game initiatives, golf club repair, administering the rules, public relations and much more.