News >> Steady Welch Takes Title

The F&S Asset Management Group Classic
Presented by Michelob Ultra
Amelia National Golf & Country Club
March 11-14, 2010
 
Fernandina Beach, FL (March 14, 2010)…Former Johnson and Wales University golfer Michael Welch of Quincy, Massachusetts carded an even par 72 in the final round of The F&S Asset Management Group Classic at Amelia National Golf and Country Club to capture his second career Hooters Tour title. (Pictured left to right, Amelia National Head Pro Todd McDonald, F&S Asset Management Group CEO Wayne McLeod, tournament champion Michael Welch, Hooters Tour Media Director Justin Sports Jernigan and Communties In Schools representative Matt Millar)
 
Welch started the final round trailing third round leader Russell Knox (Jacksonville Beach, FL) by one stroke after carding rounds of 67-68-70. Through the first nine holes the twenty-eight year old Welch trailed Knox by two strokes after he carded a two-over par 38 and Knox managed a one-over par 37.
 
Welch birdied his first two holes on the backside to pull even with Knox before dropping a shot at the long par 3, 12th.  Trailing Knox with six holes to play Sunday, Welch chipped in for birdie at the par 4, 13th and calmly sank a forty foot putt on the 71st hole to pull even with Knox heading in the 72nd hole.
 
After both players found the middle of the fairway with their drives, Welch played first and missed the green right setting the stage for Knox to take the title. Knox however; pulled his approach left and found the lateral water hazard giving Welch three shots to take the title or four shots to force a playoff. Welch three putted from off the right side of the green for his first title since 2007. (Knox left, stares down the shot)
 
“When I won the tournament in 2007 I was really nervous coming down the stretch,” said Welch. “Last week I had the lead after two rounds and I think that helped my confidence this week, it proved I belong on top.
 
 “He’s (Knox) a great guy and we really pushed each other today, you really hate to win a golf tournament on another guy’s mistake like that.”
 
Murfreesboro, Tennessee’s Philip Pettitt (72), Spanish Fort, Alabama’s Todd Bailey (67) and Russell Knox (74) all finished in a tie for 2nd place at ten-under par 278, one behind Welch. Bailey carded the low round of the final day with his five-under par 67 and moved from a T-12 to his second place finish with Knox and Pettitt. The trio took home $11,967 for their runner-up finishes. For Knox, it marks his second straight runner-up finish.(Pettitt right, blasts out of the sand in the final round)
 
Nationwide Tour member and Fernandina Beach native Bubba Dickerson and former PGA Tour player Dan Olsen (Ponte Vedra Beach) headed up the remainder of the local players in The F&S Asset Management Group Classic with four round totals of five-under par 283. The veteran duo finished T-8 for the week. Ponte Vedra’s Jeff Dennis closed with a one-under par 71 Sunday and finished tied for 36th, while Tyler Brown (Ponte Vedra) finished T-48 after a disappointing three-over par 75.
 
Welch collected $30,000 for his first win since the 2007 season and moves into first place on the money list with $35,007 in earnings. The Hooters Tour member with the most money earned over the first four tournaments of the season will earn an exemption into the Nationwide Tour’s Fresh Express Classic at TPC Stonebrae April 12-18, 2010.
 
The National Golf Association’s Hooters Professional Golf Tour will take a week off next week before swinging back into action March 22-28, 2010 at the Jones Course at Rock Barn Golf and Spa for the Terry Moore Ford Open. The Terry Moore Ford Open will have a purse of $250,000 with $40,000 going to the winner.