Chapel Hill, NC – On Sunday, Nicholas Lyerly, a rising high school senior from Salisbury, became the youngest North Carolina Amateur champion in history at Governors Club in Chatham County. At 17 years 5 months and 7 days, Lyerly is two months younger than Joshua Martin when he captured the 2014 title.
“I’ve been close a bunch of times, just never got a win,” said Lyerly about claiming his first CGA championship victory. “To come out with a win is just great. I’m glad it’s on Father’s Day, I know my dad is really proud.”
Lyerly, the 2015 North Carolina Junior Player of the Year, started Sunday’s final round with a two stroke advantage over Thomas Eldridge of Raleigh and Caleb Keck of Reidsville. Eldridge, 20, a rising junior at UNC-Wilmington and 22-year-old Keck would not apply much pressure on Lyerly, posting 73 and 78, respectively on Sunday.
The competitor that closed within one stroke of Lyerly played two groups ahead, Jamestown’s Justin Tereshko. The 26-year-old Tereshko’s five-under 67 was kick-started by three opening birdies then an eagle-birdie combination on Nos. 13 and 14. “I think I am going to come up one shot short again,” the 2015 runner-up said while waiting for the last group to finish. The birdie on hole 14 elevated him to 8-under for the championship, but a downhill putt hit off the green on hole 16 led to bogey. In four rounds Tereshko made 19 birdies and two eagles. He commented that what he will lose sleep over are three double bogeys he made during the back nine on Saturday.
Also shooting 67 Sunday was Tim Conover of Holly Springs. His round was highlighted by an albatross on the par-5 13th, made by knocking an 8-iron into the cup from 181 yards.
Lyerly came out firing Sunday, hitting pitching wedges on the first two holes to tap-in birdie range, extending his lead to four. “On the front nine I came out firing,” Lyerly recalled after his round. Knowing he had a sizable advantage on the field at the turn, the UNC-Greensboro commit started playing conservatively on the back nine. Unfortunately, that game plan led to back-to-back bogeys on holes 15 and 16, cutting his lead to just one over Tereshko. A birdie on the par-5 17th gave Lyerly the cushion he needed to tap-in a bogey for the one-stroke victory at 8-under-par 280.
With the win Lyerly gets his name engraved on the trophy and an exemption into the 102nd Carolinas Amateur Championship hosted by Country Club of Charleston July 14-17. Next on his playing schedule is the 49th North Carolina Junior Boys’ Championship, which begins at Wilson Country Club on Tuesday. Lyerly was stroke play qualifying medalist last year before losing in the quarterfinals.
The CGA would like to thanks to staff and members of Governors Club for their hospitality and help conducting this championship at their wonderful venue.
The top-30 finishers from this year’s championship are exempt into next year’s North Carolina Amateur at River Run in Davidson.
The North Carolina Amateur Championship format is 72 holes of stroke play. After 36 holes, the field is cut to the low 60 scorers and ties. A tie for the overall championship is decided by an on-course playoff. Entry is open to any male amateur golfer who has reached his 13th birthday by June 16, 2016, is a legal resident of North Carolina, is a member in good standing of a club which is a member of the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) and has an active GHIN® USGA Handicap Index® at a CGA member club that does not exceed 7.4.
56th North Carolina Amateur Championship
Governors Club, Chapel Hill, NC
Final Results
June 19, 2016
| Place | Competitor | Score | ||
| 1 | Nicholas Lyerly, Salisbury, N.C. | 70-71-68-71–280 (-8) | ||
| 2 | Justin Tereshko, Jamestown, N.C. | 68-72-74-67–281 (-7) | ||
| 3 | Stephen Franken, Raleigh, N.C. | 71-68-73-70–282 (-6) | ||
| 4 | Tim Conover, Holly Springs, N.C. | 69-70-77-67–283 (-5) | ||
| T5 | Thomas Eldridge, Raleigh, N.C. | 68-69-74-73–284 (-4) | ||
| T5 | Scott Harvey, Kernersville , N.C. | 73-68-74-69–284 (-4) | ||
| 7 | Akshay Bhatia, Wake Forest, N.C. | 70-72-72-71–285 (-3) | ||
| T8 | Joseph Cansler, Clemmons, N.C. | 73-67-72-74–286 (-2) | ||
| T8 | Blake Taylor, Atkinson, N.C. | 69-75-70-72–286 (-2) | ||
| T8 | Wesley Conover, Holly Springs, N.C. | 72-72-72-70–286 (-2) | ||
| 11 | Anthony Baker, Walkertown, N.C. | 72-68-75-72–287 (-1) | ||
| T12 | Alex Smalley, Wake Forest, N.C. | 71-75-73-69–288 (Even) | ||
| T12 | Kevin O’Connell, Raleigh, N.C. | 73-69-74-72–288 (Even) | ||
| 14 | Caleb Keck, Reidsville, N.C. | 69-71-71-78–289 (+1) | ||
| T15 | Thomas Lilly, Newton, N.C. | 73-71-71-76–291 (+3) | ||
| T15 | Victor Wiggins, Gastonia, N.C. | 71-70-74-76–291 (+3) | ||
| 17 | Patrick Cover, Huntersville, N.C. | 73-67-73-80–293 (+5) | ||
| T18 | Matthew Crenshaw, Burlington, N.C. | 72-72-73-77–294 (+6) | ||
| T18 | David Gies II, Charlotte, N.C. | 72-75-74-73–294 (+6) | ||
| T18 | Daniel Neveu, Pinehurst, N.C. | 71-78-72-73–294 (+6) | ||
| T18 | Matt Elliott, Wilkesboro, N.C. | 72-70-78-74–294 (+6) | ||
| T22 | Joe Jaspers, Huntersville, N.C. | 73-74-76-72–295 (+7) | ||
| T22 | Bryce Hendrix, Greenville, N.C. | 68-75-77-75–295 (+7) | ||
| T22 | David Germann, Clayton, N.C. | 78-71-73-73–295 (+7) | ||
| T25 | Philip Oweida, Charlotte, N.C. | 73-70-78-75–296 (+8) | ||
| T25 | David Sargent, Cornelius, N.C. | 74-73-77-72–296 (+8) | ||
| T25 | Nicholas Adams, Goldsboro, N.C. | 70-75-78-73–296 (+8) | ||
| T25 | Andy Crain, Raleigh, N.C. | 79-72-72-73–296 (+8) | ||
| T25 | Matthew Latham, Wrightsville Beach, N.C. | 70-72-79-75–296 (+8) | ||
| T30 | Eric Bae, Pinehurst, N.C. | 71-76-74-76–297 (+9) | ||
| T30 | David Donovan IV, Hampstead, N.C. | 75-76-74-72–297 (+9) | ||
| T32 | Harrison Rhoades, Raleigh, N.C. | 76-72-78-73–299 (+11) | ||
| T32 | Drew Johnson, Oak Ridge, N.C. | 69-75-74-81–299 (+11) | ||
| T32 | Eric Edwards, Salisbury, N.C. | 75-74-74-76–299 (+11) | ||
| T35 | Chandler Metz, Wilkesboro, N.C. | 75-75-77-73–300 (+12) | ||
| T35 | Timothy Driver, Holly Springs, N.C. | 72-72-80-76–300 (+12) | ||
| T35 | Rob Beasley, Kernersville, N.C. | 70-74-78-78–300 (+12) | ||
| 38 | Uly Grisette, Winston Salem, N.C. | 69-74-79-79–301 (+13) | ||
| T39 | Patrick Stephenson, Four Oaks, N.C. | 74-74-76-78–302 (+14) | ||
| T39 | Brandon Reece, Rolesville, N.C. | 75-72-76-79–302 (+14) | ||
| T39 | Zack Swanson, Waxhaw, N.C. | 77-70-75-80–302 (+14) | ||
| 42 | Joshua Stockwell, West End, N.C. | 75-76-77-75–303 (+15) | ||
| T43 | Noah Edmondson, Davidson, N.C. | 81-70-79-75–305 (+17) | ||
| T43 | Michael Hocker II, Durham, N.C. | 71-79-79-76–305 (+17) | ||
| T43 | Brandon Mader, Greenville, N.C. | 74-68-81-82–305 (+17) | ||
| 46 | Nick Stafford, Belmont, N.C. | 74-74-78-80–306 (+18) | ||
| T47 | Hunter McCombs, Morganton, N.C. | 75-76-79-77–307 (+19) | ||
| T47 | Candler Rice, Asheville, N.C. | 71-74-79-83–307 (+19) | ||
| T47 | Parks Price, Calabash , N.C. | 76-73-77-81–307 (+19) | ||
| T50 | Davis Richards, China Grove, N.C. | 74-77-83-75–309 (+21) | ||
| T50 | Jacob Kennedy, Mt. Ulla, N.C. | 76-72-81-80–309 (+21) | ||
| T50 | Tim Bunten, Concord, N.C. | 71-80-79-79–309 (+21) | ||
| T50 | Quade Lukes, Chapel Hill, N.C. | 77-73-83-76–309 (+21) | ||
| T50 | Jarett Stowe, Matthews, N.C. | 75-75-82-77–309 (+21) | ||
| 55 | Walker Cress, Concord, N.C. | 72-79-82-79–312 (+24) | ||
| T56 | Jubal Early, Jr., Charlotte, N.C. | 72-78-86-79–315 (+27) | ||
| T56 | Paul Fitzgerald, Charlotte, N.C. | 73-75-96-71–315 (+27) | ||
| 58 | Reid Clark, Raleigh, N.C. | 77-74-86-79–316 (+28) | ||
| 59 | Brett McLamb, Coats, N.C. | 73-74-79-93–319 (+31) | ||
| 60 | Kaleb Lester, Mebane, N.C. | 74-77-91-79–321 (+33) | ||
| Failed to Qualify for Final 36 holes | ||||
| T61 | Joey Funderburg, Wilmington, N.C. | 77-75 (+8) | ||
| T61 | Scott Park, Charlotte, N.C. | 79-73 (+8) | ||
| T61 | Sherrill Britt, West End, N.C. | 78-74 (+8) | ||
| T61 | Greg Earnhardt, Greensboro, N.C. | 76-76 (+8) | ||
| T61 | Dustin Moore, Greensboro, N.C. | 77-75 (+8) | ||
| T61 | David Kostyal II, Wilmington, N.C. | 75-77 (+8) | ||
| T61 | Chris Blum, Raleigh, N.C. | 77-75 (+8) | ||
| T61 | Jeff Allen, Jacksonville, N.C. | 77-75 (+8) | ||
| T61 | Zach McKelvey, Rutherfordton, N.C. | 76-76 (+8) | ||
| T70 | Hardin Councill, High Point, N.C. | 76-77 (+9) | ||
| T70 | Ryan Nagy, Raleigh, N.C. | 76-77 (+9) | ||
| T70 | Kell Graham, Matthews, N.C. | 75-78 (+9) | ||
| T73 | Riley Davis, Kinston, N.C. | 78-76 (+10) | ||
| T73 | Evan Pappas, Asheville, N.C. | 74-80 (+10) | ||
| T73 | Walter Brinker, Sanford, N.C. | 76-78 (+10) | ||
| T73 | Zach Joines, Wilkesboro, N.C. | 81-73 (+10) | ||
| T77 | Zachary Martin, Pinehurst, N.C. | 80-75 (+11) | ||
| T77 | Logan Shuping, Salisbury, N.C. | 78-77 (+11) | ||
| T77 | Nolan Mills IV, Charlotte, N.C. | 79-76 (+11) | ||
| T77 | Josh Nichols, Kernersville, N.C. | 77-78 (+11) | ||
| T77 | John McFadyen, Fayetteville, N.C. | 78-77 (+11) | ||
| T77 | Preston Ball, Raleigh, N.C. | 79-76 (+11) | ||
| T83 | Mason Elmore, Charlotte, N.C. | 77-79 (+12) | ||
| T83 | Kevin Duerr, Wake Forest, N.C. | 81-75 (+12) | ||
| T83 | Garrett Smith, Hillsborough, N.C. | 72-84 (+12) | ||
| T83 | Davis Bateman, Charlotte, N.C. | 75-81 (+12) | ||
| T83 | Jackson Bailey, Matthews, N.C. | 76-80 (+12) | ||
| T83 | Trey Burton, Hickory, N.C. | 79-77 (+12) | ||
| T83 | Reilly Erhardt, Greensboro, N.C. | 76-80 (+12) | ||
| T83 | Joey Davis, Cornelius, N.C. | 79-77 (+12) | ||
| T91 | Scott McClellan, Cary, N.C. | 80-77 (+13) | ||
| T91 | David Fowler, Winston-Salem, N.C. | 75-82 (+13) | ||
| T91 | Matthew Spak, Cary, N.C. | 78-79 (+13) | ||
| T91 | Josh Bagwell, Marion, N.C. | 79-78 (+13) | ||
| T91 | Brooks Curtis, Elizabeth City, N.C. | 73-84 (+13) | ||
| T91 | Jack Massei, Cary, N.C. | 79-78 (+13) | ||
| T91 | Ashley Fuquay, Greensboro, N.C. | 77-80 (+13) | ||
| T91 | Jake Golliday, Pinehurst, N.C. | 81-76 (+13) | ||
| T99 | Mark McMillen Jr, Smithfield, N.C. | 79-79 (+14) | ||
| T99 | Ben Buben, Charlotte, N.C. | 76-82 (+14) | ||
| T99 | Thomas Redding, Hudson, N.C. | 79-79 (+14) | ||
| T99 | William Carter, Laurinburg, N.C. | 82-76 (+14) | ||
| T99 | Drew Martin, Pinehurst, N.C. | 78-80 (+14) | ||
| T104 | Jeremy Ray, Pfafftown, N.C. | 80-79 (+15) | ||
| T104 | Gray Townsend, Winston Salem, N.C. | 73-86 (+15) | ||
| T104 | Mitch Robinette, Charlotte, N.C. | 78-81 (+15) | ||
| T104 | Brantley Phillips, Greensboro, N.C. | 78-81 (+15) | ||
| T108 | Matthew Spruill, Elizabeth City, N.C. | 84-76 (+16) | ||
| T108 | Josh Bryan, Chapel Hill, N.C. | 84-76 (+16) | ||
| T108 | Keenan Denny, King, N.C. | 82-78 (+16) | ||
| T108 | Will Stewart, Charlotte, N.C. | 79-81 (+16) | ||
| T108 | Andrew Furr, Clayton, N.C. | 81-79 (+16) | ||
| T108 | Cole Jordan, Winterville, N.C. | 81-79 (+16) | ||
| T114 | Kenny Flynn, Winston Salem, N.C. | 77-84 (+17) | ||
| T114 | Chris Jones, Charlotte, N.C. | 81-80 (+17) | ||
| T114 | Stuart Fuller, Winston-Salem, N.C. | 80-81 (+17) | ||
| T114 | Wade Boteler, Mebane , N.C. | 79-82 (+17) | ||
| T114 | Charles Spry, Winston salem, N.C. | 79-82 (+17) | ||
| T114 | Jd Mcneill, Raleigh, N.C. | 82-79 (+17) | ||
| T120 | Steven Brame, Henderson, N.C. | 80-82 (+18) | ||
| T120 | Joe Brooks, Franklin , N.C. | 75-87 (+18) | ||
| T120 | Rex Willoughby, Chapel Hill, N.C. | 83-79 (+18) | ||
| T120 | Dallas Page, Staley, N.C. | 85-77 (+18) | ||
| T120 | Andrew Morgan, China Grove, N.C. | 78-84 (+18) | ||
| T125 | Ty Palmer, Kernersville, N.C. | 80-83 (+19) | ||
| T125 | Sean O’Connor, Indian Trail, N.C. | 79-84 (+19) | ||
| T125 | Grant Smith, Charlotte, N.C. | 86-77 (+19) | ||
| T125 | Jake Scruggs, Shelby, N.C. | 80-83 (+19) | ||
| T125 | Cory Segall, Charlotte, N.C. | 82-81 (+19) | ||
| T130 | Tanner Gross, Archdale, N.C. | 79-85 (+20) | ||
| T130 | Jon Henry, Cornelius, N.C. | 80-84 (+20) | ||
| T130 | Johannes Fontes-Zitzer, Lillington, N.C. | 81-83 (+20) | ||
| T133 | Austin Inman, Wilmington, N.C. | 78-87 (+21) | ||
| T133 | Jay Jay Howard, Concord, N.C. | 82-83 (+21) | ||
| T135 | Davis Kiger, Harrisburg, N.C. | 84-82 (+22) | ||
| T135 | John Freeman, Asheville, N.C. | 84-82 (+22) | ||
| T137 | David Yang, Cornelius, N.C. | 83-84 (+23) | ||
| T137 | Jay Roberts III, Davidson, N.C. | 84-83 (+23) | ||
| T139 | Robert McPartland, Cary, N.C. | 88-80 (+24) | ||
| T139 | Regan Erhardt, Greensboro, N.C. | 81-87 (+24) | ||
| 141 | Justin Lewis, High Point, N.C. | 86-84 (+26) | ||
| 142 | Pete Luster, Chapel Hill, N.C. | 87-85 (+28) | ||
| 143 | A. t. Cashwell, Concord, N.C. | 86-89 (+31) | ||
| 144 | Kyle Austin, Mebane, N.C. | 87-91 (+34) | ||
| 145 | Thomas Messenheimer, Morganton, N.C. | 80-WD (WD) |