Massie closes "Down The Stretch", Wins Carolina Winter event "by a nose" -

Carolina Winter Series -
Black Bear Golf Club -
Longs, S.C. -
January 12-January 14, 2011 -

By Chris Zeh -

Myrtle Beach, S.C.- January 14, 2011 –Jessie Massie, of Louisville, Kent., carded a 3-under-par 69 in Friday’s final round to come from behind and win the Carolina Winter Series event hosted by the Black Bear Golf Club.

Massie, a former Eastern Kentucky University golfer, started the day one shot of the lead and got off to a quick start with a 3-under 33 on his first nine holes. But third round leader Brenden Gielow wasn’t going to go away without a fight.
Gielow, of Muskegon, Mich., birdied his first three holes and shot a 3-under 33 on the first nine to maintain the lead heading to the back nine.
“Brenden came out hot and I just thought ‘he came to play.’” said Massie. “I just stayed patient and told myself to make pars and let the birdies come when they do.”
And they eventually did. Massie finished the day with five birdies and his last one, his 17th hole, was the difference. Gielow tried to extend the event into a playoff, but his birdie putt narrowly missed on his final hole. Playing in difficult conditions, Massie finished with rounds of 73-70-69 for a three day total of 4-under-par 212 en route to his first NGA/Hooters Tour Carolina Winter Series event.
“I didn’t get much practice in because it’s been cold in Kentucky. When I got here it was cold as well, but today things worked themselves out,” said Massie.
Vincent Nadeau, of Richmond, Va., finished solo third at 1-under-par 215 and earned $1,075 for the week.
 
With his victory, Massie earns $2,250, while Gielow takes home $1,210 for his first runner-up finish.

The NGA/Hooters Tour Carolina Winter Series heads north on Hwy. 17 to Calabash, North Carolina next week for week nine of the series at Brunswick Plantation.  

The NGA/Hooters Tour, the Third Largest Men's 72 Hole Professional Golf Tour in the United States behind the PGA and Nationwide Tours, is the No. 1 recommended developmental tour in golf by more PGA & Nationwide Tour Professionals than any other tour in the country!

The NGA/Hooters Tour has helped hundreds of professionals acquire their PGA, Nationwide, and Champions Tour cards.

NGA/Hooters Tour Alumni have an amazing Twelve (12) "Major" Championships to their credit!

Alumni include: 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year and FedExCup Champion Jim Furyk, 2009 British Open Champion Stewart Cink, 2009 US Open Winner Lucas Glover, 2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson, 2003 PGA Champion Shaun Micheel, 2003 British Open Champion Ben Curtis, two-time U.S. Open Champion Lee Janzen, British Open and PGA Champion John Daly, 1996 British Open Champion and PGA Tour Player of the Year Tom Lehman, PGA Champion David Toms, 2003 Tour Championship Winner Chad Campbell, two-time Reno Tahoe Champion Vaughn Taylor, TPC Champion Craig Perks, PGA Tour Winners Bubba Watson, Ryan Palmer, Mark Wilson, Camilo Villegas, Derek Lamely, Jason Bohn, Brian Gay, Jerry Kelly, Sean O'Hair, John Rollins, Bill Lunde, Heath Slocum, Robert Garrigus and many, many more.

At this year’s PGA Tour Qualifying School, 46% of the players that earned full exempt status on the PGA Tour (including 2010 Hooters Tour Player of the Year Michael Thompson) and 52% of the players that earned status on the Nationwide Tour competed on the NGA/Hooters Tour.
Twenty-three former NGA/Hooters Tour players will be advancing to the PGA Tour for the 2011 season.

For more information on the NGA/Hooters Pro Golf Tour, please visit  www.NGAHootersTour.com or contact the Tour Office at (800) 992-8748.

HOOTS: The Carolina Winter Series would like to thank head professional Patrick Wilkinson and golf course superintendent Bernie Lowe and all their staffs for helping to host a successful event.

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