For the first time, two golfers from the same hometown won both divisions in the series.
Miller, a senior at The O’Neal School, picked up his first victory of the season in the Junior/Senior Division after a battle to the wire with Douglas Novogrodsky of Woodridge, N.Y. The two had fought to a draw in the rain in Saturday’s opening round on the famed No. 2 Course with 2-over-par 73s.
Miller took the lead for good Sunday on the 187-yard par-3 16th hole of the No. 3 Course with a birdie and posted a level-par 70. He had a total of seven birdies for the 36 holes.
Novogrodsky opened the tournament on Saturday with a blistering 32 on the front nine of the No. 2 Course that included an eagle on the par-4 third hole.
Christian Hazzard of Pinehurst was a distant third at 158, while Joe Poole of Raeford and Mike Schwert of Rochester, N.Y., tied for fourth with 159. Jordan Hicks of Southern Pines and Matthew Mielke of Matthews tied for sixth with 160.
Ulrich, also a student at The O’Neal School, had to come from behind and go to 37 holes before defeating Andrew Kay of Pittsford, N.Y., in a one-hole playoff in the Freshmen/Sophomore Division.
Kay held a three-shot lead after opening with a 75 on the No. 2 Course on Saturday, but shot 76 on Sunday while Ulrich was posting a 73 on the No. 3 Course.
Hoisting the winner’s trophy was nothing new for Ulrich, who had already won twice this season.
It didn’t come easily, however, as Kay, who was runner-up in the New York State boy’s championship last summer, was sitting on a five-stroke lead with only eight holes to play before Ulrich made his move. Kay ran into trouble, while Ulrich played the final eight holes in one under par.
Ulrich used a mammoth 280-yard drive and a wedge to reach the green of the first playoff hole, then sank an eight-foot putt for the birdie and the win.
Eric Sheering of Pinehurst shot 155 to take third place, while Jay McBride of Lebanon, Ohio, Hunter Stensrud of Dallas, Tex., and Patrick Scheil of Williamsburg, Va., tied for fourth at 156.
The sixth event in the Nike Series is scheduled for Feb. 27-29 on the Donald Ross-designed No. 1 Course. For information, call Hank Thompson at 295-6811, extension 6190.
CPGA Seniors: Bob Boyle of Raleigh shot 68-71 — 139 to win the overall title in the Carolinas PGA Senior Open held at Pine Needles and Mid Pines Feb. 10-11.
Boyle, who trailed first-round leader Don Trahan of Inman S.C., by a stroke entering the final day, scored five birdies on the par-72 Mid Pines layout to finish at four under par.
Trahan slipped to 74 after his opening 67 and finished at 141. Boyle won a crystal trophy and $500.
Reid Schronce of Wilmington shared second with Trahan with rounds of 70-71, while Steve Forrest of Clemmons and Rodney Morrow of Greensboro were at 143.
Trahan and Schronce earned $312 for tying in the 50-55 division among professionals. Bobby Ford of Murrells Inlet shot 144 to take the 56-64 title, with Ronnie Smoak of Spartanburg, S.C., a stroke back. Richard Lee of Myrtle Beach was third at 153.
Donald Smith of Matthews won the professionals 65-and-up division with 180, earning $225.
Harding Kirkley of Lewisville and Allen Makila of Raleigh shared the championship in the overall amateur division at 147. William Hiner of Pinehurst finished tied for 14th with 155, while Richard Wilson of Whispering Pines was tied for 34th with 161.
Kirkley was also the winner in 55-59 division, where Hiner finished sixth. Makila led the 60-64 age bracket.
Ron Carpenter of Durham and Jim Barnette of Anderson, S.C., tied at 150 in the amateur’s 50-54 division.
Frank Bell of Sheldon, S.C, won the Amateurs 65-69 division with 146. Bob McQueen of Fayetteville was fifth at 152, and Dean Donley of Whispering Pines was sixth at 153.
Paul Gay, the former Lee County High School Hall of Fame football coach, won the 70-and-up division with 150, shooting 70-80.
