Cloninger, a 46-year-old who was born in Charlotte and grew up in Fort Mills, S.C., used a 5-under-par 67 on Sunday to overtake Paul Simson of Raleigh and claim a two-shot victory.
“It’s been a great homecoming,” Cloninger said of the win. “I thought a 65 or 66 would get me into it today and when I shot 32 on the front nine, I knew I had a chance.”
Cloninger’s win was no fluke. He won two Georgia Min-Amateur titles, a Georgia Amateur, a Georgia Amateur Match Play championship and a Florida Amateur before returning home from the Atlanta area.
Simson, who opened with rounds of 69-69, shot 75 for a 54-hole total of 213 to finish second for the fourth time, matching the number of his championships in the event.
Cloninger holed a birdie from 25 feet on the ninth hole to take the lead for the first time on Sunday, then birdied the 10th and 13th holes to build a lead that was never challenged down the stretch.
“It’s nice to be home,” he said.
Keith Harris of Concord and Sherrill Britt of West End tied for third at 214. Britt, the reigning Moore County Amateur champion, had rounds of 71-72-71.
Jeff Etheridge of Pinehurst was at 223, with Wynn Solle of Pinehurst at 224 and Chris Dalrymple of Pinehurst at 225. Kelly Miller of Southern Pines shot 226.
Scott Booker, Glen Subin, and Dean Parziale of Pinehurst, John Zoppi of Pinebluff and Sam Dawkins of Southern Pines failed to make the 36-hole cut
The championship, conducted by the Carolinas Golf Association, was open to male amateur residents of North Carolina and South Carolina who are aged 30 or over.
Miller Remembered: Many friends of the late Bill Miller of Charlotte will be on hand Friday, Sept. 26, at the new Club at Longview in Charlotte for a charity outing that will honor Miller’s memory. An avid Tar Heel fan, Miller died last year of cancer.
Former basketball coaches Dean Smith and Bill Guthridge will be in the captain’s choice event along with ex-cagers Bobby Jones and Dell Curry and a host of other dignitaries. They will play the new Jack Nicklaus-designed course that is getting rave reviews. The course opens officially on Oct. 20 with an exhibition by Nicklaus
All proceeds will go to the Hospice of Avery County and the Grandfather Home for Children. For more information call Brandy Munsell at (704) 376-8415.
Old North State: The Old North State Club on Badin Lake has retained its designation as a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” for the third straight year.
The course is one of 450 around the world that was cited for its outstanding efforts to preserve and enhance wildlife habitat and protect natural resources. The ONS course is ranked as the second best in North Carolina behind Pinehurst No. 2 by the rating panel of North Carolina Magazine.
