Mitchum, a Southern Pines native and a lead instructor at Pinehurst Resort’s Golf Advantage School, added another CPGA major championship to his collection last week, winning the 82nd Coastal Federal Bank Carolinas Open by five shots in a dominating wire-to-wire performance.
Opening with rounds of 67-66 in the 54-hole event being held at the Surf Golf & Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, Mitchum held a four-stroke advantage after the first two rounds and cruised to the victory with a 1-under-par 70 and three-day total of 10-under-par 203. The win earned him $6,000.
Finishing five shots back in second place was Billy Anderson, the head professional at Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington and a former Methodist College All-American who closed with a strong 66, winning $3,940.
Scott Medlin of Hamlet, a professional at The Carolina Golf Club, took third place with 72-70-68 — 210 and won $3,075. Robin Byrd of Fayetteville tied for fifth with 211, while Kyle Spahr, an amateur from Buies Creek, was at 214.
Gus Ulrich of Carthage, a professional at Pinewild Country Club, was tied for 17th with Jordan Pomeranz of Sanford. Bobby Cooke of Carthage, the head professional at Gates Four Golf & Country Club in Fayetteville, tied for 53rd with 224.
Graham Bannister won low amateur honors with 76-68-68 — 212 and tied for fifth place overall.
This was the fifth CPGA major title for Mitchum, who has earned Section Player of the Year honors for the past two years.
U.S. Kids: It’s still more than two months off, but the journey to the Southern Pines-Pinehurst area has already begun for young golfers from all over the world.
The road to the Sandhills and the 2006 U.S. Kids Golf World Championship has been paved and qualifying events are scheduled to determine which of the young golfers will make up the field for the seventh annual event scheduled July 26 through 29 at Pinehurst Resort, Mid Pines, Talamore and Midland Country Club.
Rocky River Golf Club in Concord, a Dan Maples design, is hosting one qualifier on June 19, while the Hillandale Golf Course in Durham is holding one June 26.
These two qualifiers are among more than 50 scheduled throughout the nation and in a number of international locations.
The deadline for entering the qualifier at Rocky River is June 9, and the final date for entering at Hillandale is June 16. Players can register for the tournaments at www.uskidsgolf.com. There is no handicap requirement for participants.
The qualifying fields include boys and girls who will play a shorter age and gender friendly version of the two courses. Depending on their age, participants will play either nine or 18 holes.
More than 850 kids from 30 countries are expected to compete in the World Championship, which is the largest golf tournament for kids 4 to 12 years of age. The event includes both individual and team competitions.
North Carolina won the boys team title last year in Williamsburg, Va., while California-South won the girls team championship.
U.S. Kids Golf has also announced a series of competitive events designed to give local youngsters an opportunity to develop their skills and test their games at some of the top courses in their areas this summer.
The North Carolina Triad Tour includes seven one-day tournaments leading up to the two-day Tour Championship in August.
These events, which are open to boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 12, are played on regulation courses that have been shortened to accommodate age and gender of the players. Shorter holes promote the kids’ enjoyment of the game, better scoring and competition, according to Tour officials. Parents are encouraged to caddie for their sons and daughters.
The Triad Tour begins at Stoney Creek Golf Course in Stoney Creek on June 13 and continues with weekly events at Jamestown Park in Jamestown, Bryan Park in Browns Summit, Greensboro National in Summerfield, Bermuda Run West in Bermuda Run, the Challenge at Hideaway Farm in Graham, and Meadowlands Golf Course in Winston-Salem.
All events are stroke play with competitors grouped by age and gender. Players earn points based on their finish at each event. The top players in each age group qualify for the Tour Championship.
The player with the most points in each group at the end of the season will be named Player of the Year and receive an invitation to a U.S. Kids Regional Championship and to the 2007 U.S. Kids Golf World Championship.
