Charlie Parks of Asheboro came away as the winner in a playoff in last week’s tournament. (Carolinas Golf Association photo)
Charlie Parks of Asheboro won the Carolinas Super Senior Championship’s 70-and-older division last week at Cutter Creek Golf Club in Snow Hill.
“I always love to play and I’m playing pretty good right now,” Parks said.
Parks shot rounds of 71 and 67 for a total of 7-under-par 138. Then he defeated Evan Long of Charlotte and Doug Owens of Albemarle on the first playoff hole, when the contenders played the par-5 18th hole again. Parks was six shots behind Owens after the first round of the two-day event.
“I was just trying to move up and get a better finish,” Parks said.
Parks birdied both par-3 holes during his 3-under mark on front side of the final round and recorded a birdie on the 16th hole. He didn’t have a three-putt in the last round.
In the playoff, Parks reached the green in two shots and used two putts for the birdie. After an eagle attempt from about 40 feet, he had just 2½ feet left.
“I wanted it to be over as quickly as possible,” Parks said. “Playing out in this heat is tough. I knew I was going to hit the driver, and I knew that if I hit it well then I would have a good chance at making birdie. … Gambling off the tee kind of paid off.”
It was an unexpected turnaround in fortunes. When Parks, 75, completed the second round, he put his golf clubs in his vehicle.
“I thought I was done for the day,” he said.
This marked the first Carolinas Golf Association individual title for Parks, who has teamed with Owens for past senior-level four-ball victories. Parks, who played college golf for North Carolina State, and Owens are both members of Pinewood Country Club in Asheboro.
“That’s the ironic thing is that we’ve been teammates,” Parks said.
There were 56 entrants in the division. Until a practice round for the tournament, Parks had never played at the course.
Parks, a former sales representative for ball bearings, is a five-time winner of the Asheboro City Amateur. He’s also a member at Asheboro Municipal Golf Course.
“I’m retired so I play quite a bit,” he said.
In the 65-and-older division, Pat Thompson of Asheville won with 7-under 137 (70, 67) after claiming the first playoff hole vs. Concord’s Robert Shoaf (70, 67).
