Knox Goes Wire-to-Wire in Mississippi?>
The Gold Strike Casino Golf Classic Tunica National Golf Club
August 5-8, 2010
Robinsonville, MS (August 8, 2010)… Russell Knox of Scotland carded a bogey free seven-under par 65 at Tunica National Golf Club in the final round of The Gold Strike Casino Golf Classic to capture his second career NGA Hooters Tour title. Knox began the final round in first place at 22-under par after carding rounds of 62-61-71 over the first three rounds. In Sunday’s final round Knox jumped out early with a birdie on his opening hole and then added three more birdies on holes three, six and nine to turn at four-under par 32 and move his tournament total to 26-under par. “From the opening drive of the week I was hitting the ball really well and I was able to carry that momentum over each day to get my second career win,” said the 26-year-old of his amazing week on the course. “After I set the course record on Thursday I was a little nervous coming into Friday’s round because it is usually hard to back up a low round but things were going my way and I was able set the record again with a 61.” On the back nine Sunday, Knox left no doubt who the dominant golfer was in Tunica this week as he added birdies on numbers ten, fourteen and sixteen for a final nine of 33 and a tournament total of 29-under par 259. For the week, the former Jacksonville University golfer took advantage of the par five’s on the Tunica National course carding 12 birdies and three eagles to set the pace. “I got into trouble during yesterday’s front nine and I am glad it happened then and not today,” said Knox. “I am proud of the way that I was able to get back into my groove that I was in the first two days over the final nine yesterday and all eighteen today.” With his first place finish on Sunday, Russell Knox collects $30,000 and jumps to second on the season’s money list with $82,960 in earnings, but more importantly his first place finish puts him in the lead for the Knoxville News Sentinel Open Exemption. The exemption will be granted to The NGA Hooters Tour leading points winner over the three events in July and August: Auburn, Alabama, Tunica, Mississippi & LaGrange, GA. The NGA Hooters Tour member who accumulates the most points in those three events will earn the exemption into The Knoxville News Sentinel Open. With his first place finish this week and a tie for third finish last week Knox jumps out in front of early leader Michael Thompson by 135 points with 925. “I earned my only other victory last year in Dancing Rabbit (Choctaw, MS) so I may have to move here (to Mississippi) because my luck is really good here,” joked Knox after his round. Former Austin Peay state golfer Grant Leaver (Centerville, TN) finished alone in second place eight strokes behind Knox thanks in part to a five-under par 67 on Sunday that vaulted him from fourth to second. For the week, Leaver posted rounds of 65-67-68-67 for a four day total of 21 under par 267 and earned him a check worth $16,000. Current money leader Matt Harmon (Grand Rapids, MI), Todd Bailey (Spanish Fort, AL) and Jerrett Hamilton (Richardson, TX) finished tied for third at eighteen-under par 270. Harmon carded a three-under 69 Sunday, Bailey matched Knox for the low round of the day with a 65 and Hamilton managed only an even par 72 to get the 270 mark. The trio took home $9,200. Former Ole Miss golfer Kyle Ellis (Senatobia) headed up the local Mississippi contingent in the Gold Strike Casino Classic finishing T-42 at nine-under par 279 for the week. Other Mississippians included Jackson’s Josh Oller (three-under par 285) and Jesse Spiers of Oxford (even par 288). Memphis native Scott Tashie posted an even par 72 Sunday and finished T-58 at five-under par 283. The NGA Hooters Tour heads back east to LaGrange, GA next week for the Chattahoochee Hospice Classic at Overlook Golf Links with action beginning on Thursday, Aug. 12, and finishing on Sunday, Aug. 15.
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Gold Strike Casino Classic Tunica National GC Pro Tees Tunica, MS Aug 2 - Aug 8, 2010 Final Scores Par 72, 7204 yards
| Course:Tunica National GC: Pro Tees Par 72 - 7204 yards | Position | Player First Last | Home Town City, State | Scoring | all rounds | Total Score | Earnings | | | current | start | to par | thru | today | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | | | 1 | 1 | Russell Knox | Jacksonville Beach, FL | -29 | F | -7 | 62 | 61 | 71 | 65 | 259 | $30,000.00 | | | 2 | 4 | Grant Leaver | Centerville, TN | -21 | F | -5 | 65 | 67 | 68 | 67 | 267 | $16,000.00 | | | T3 | T16 | Todd Bailey | Spanish Fort, AL | -18 | F | -7 | 67 | 67 | 71 | 65 | 270 | $9,200.00 | | | T3 | T5 | Matthew Harmon | Grand Rapids, MI | -18 | F | -3 | 68 | 67 | 66 | 69 | 270 | $9,200.00 | | | T3 | 2 | Jerrett Hamilton | Richardson, TX | -18 | F | E | 68 | 64 | 66 | 72 | 270 | $9,200.00 | | | T6 | T11 | Patrick Nagle | Pacifica, CA | -17 | F | -5 | 71 | 66 | 67 | 67 | 271 | $6,100.00 | | | T6 | T11 | Ben Briscoe | Old Colwyn, Wales | -17 | F | -5 | 66 | 71 | 67 | 67 | 271 | $6,100.00 | | | T6 | T5 | Parker LaBarge | St. Louis, MO | -17 | F | -2 | 67 | 64 | 70 | 70 | 271 | $6,100.00 | | | T9 | T22 | Zack Sucher | Mobile, AL | -16 | F | -6 | 69 | 69 | 68 | 66 | 272 | $4,313.00 | | | T9 | T22 | Chris Erwin | Brentwood, TN | -16 | F | -6 | 66 | 71 | 69 | 66 | 272 | $4,313.00 | | | T9 | T16 | Phillip Mollica | Anderson, SC | -16 | F | -5 | 68 | 70 | 67 | 67 | 272 | $4,313.00 | | | T9 | T8 | Michael Thompson | Birmingham, AL | -16 | F | -3 | 68 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 272 | $4,313.00 | | | T13 | T22 | Andy Pope | Glen Ellyn, IL | -15 | F | -5 | 73 | 65 | 68 | 67 | 273 | $3,019.00 | | | T13 | T16 | Kevin Hall | Cincinnati, OH | -15 | F | -4 | 69 | 70 | 66 | 68 | 273 | $3,019.00 | | | T13 | 7 | Joshua Wooding | Riverside, CA | -15 | F | -1 | 70 | 66 | 66 | 71 | 273 | $3,019.00 | | | T13 | T8 | Jack Newman | Des Moines, IA | -15 | F | -2 | 68 | 67 | 68 | 70 | 273 | $3,019.00 | | | T17 | T31 | JP Van der Walt | Plettenberg Bay, South Africa | -14 | F | -5 | 68 | 68 | 71 | 67 | 274 | $2,320.00 | | | T17 | T22 | Ryan Brooks | Tulsa, OK | -14 | F | -4 | 70 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 274 | $2,320.00 | | | T17 | T16 | Chris Devlin | Ireland | -14 | F | -3 | 67 | 69 | 69 | 69 | 274 | $2,320.00 | | | T17 | T8 | Casey Crain | La Combe, LA | -14 | F | -1 | 71 | 67 | 65 | 71 | 274 | $2,320.00 | | | T17 | 3 | Jay Woodson | Richmond, VA | -14 | F | +3 | 68 | 66 | 65 | 75 | 274 | $2,320.00 | | | T22 | T41 | Jim Renner | Plainville, MA | -13 | F | -5 | 68 | 68 | 72 | 67 | 275 | $1,996.00 | | | T22 | T22 | Michael ONeal | Jacksonville, FL | -13 | F | -3 | 68 | 69 | 69 | 69 | 275 | $1,996.00 | | | T22 | T49 | Mark Harrell | Hazelhurst, GA | -13 | F | -6 | 68 | 71 | 70 | 66 | 275 | $1,996.00 | | | T22 | T11 | Chip Brooke | St Augustine, FL | -13 | F | -1 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 71 | 275 | $1,996.00 | | | T26 | T31 | Jonathan Moore | Champions Gate, FL | -12 | F | -3 | 67 | 67 | 73 | 69 | 276 | $1,765.00 | | | T26 | T31 | Tyler Brown | Ponte Verda Beach, FL | -12 | F | -3 | 67 | 69 | 71 | 69 | 276 | $1,765.00 | | | T26 | T31 | Eric Onesi | Bear, DE | -12 | F | -3 | 68 | 66 | 73 | 69 | 276 | $1,765.00 | | | T26 | T31 | Brian Carroll | Crystal Lake , IL | -12 | F | -3 | 68 | 70 | 69 | 69 | 276 | $1,765.00 | | | T26 | T16 | Travis Hampshire | Zephyrhills, FL | -12 | F | -1 | 68 | 69 | 68 | 71 | 276 | $1,765.00 | | | T26 | T11 | Ryan Brehm | Mount Pleasant, MI | -12 | F | E | 70 | 66 | 68 | 72 | 276 | $1,765.00 | | | T32 | T41 | Adam Swope | Wesley Chapel, FL | -11 | F | -3 | 68 | 71 | 69 | 69 | 277 | $1,577.00 | | | T32 | T31 | Richard Swift | Sydney, Australia | -11 | F | -2 | 70 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 277 | $1,577.00 | | | T32 | T22 | Bryce Easton | Arlington, TX | -11 | F | -1 | 68 | 67 | 71 | 71 | 277 | $1,577.00 | | | T32 | T22 | Wes Homan | Cincinnati, OH | -11 | F | -1 | 70 | 68 | 68 | 71 | 277 | $1,577.00 | | | T32 | T11 | Jonathan Hodge | Strawberry Plains, TN | -11 | F | +1 | 67 | 67 | 70 | 73 | 277 | $1,577.00 | | | T37 | T31 | Kyle Vasel | Greenville, IL | -10 | F | -1 | 69 | 69 | 69 | 71 | 278 | $1,445.00 | | | T37 | T41 | Philip Pettitt Jr | Murfreesboro, TN | -10 | F | -2 | 73 | 67 | 68 | 70 | 278 | $1,445.00 | | | T37 | T41 | Will Claxton | Swainsboro, GA | -10 | F | -2 | 66 | 67 | 75 | 70 | 278 | $1,445.00 | | | T37 | T54 | David Skinns | Lincoln, England | -10 | F | -4 | 70 | 67 | 73 | 68 | 278 | $1,445.00 | | | T37 | T16 | Michael Welch | Quincy , MA | -10 | F | +1 | 69 | 66 | 70 | 73 | 278 | $1,445.00 | | | T42 | T31 | Andrew Suggs | Fayetteville, GA | -9 | F | E | 66 | 72 | 69 | 72 | 279 | $1,322.00 | | | T42 | T41 | Jeff Street | Charlotte, NC | -9 | F | -1 | 68 | 71 | 69 | 71 | 279 | $1,322.00 | | | T42 | T22 | Kevin Warrick | Valrico, FL | -9 | F | +1 | 68 | 70 | 68 | 73 | 279 | $1,322.00 | | | T42 | T22 | Renier Saxton | Amsterdam, | -9 | F | +1 | 66 | 70 | 70 | 73 | 279 | $1,322.00 | | | T42 | T49 | Kyle Ellis | Senatobia, MS | -9 | F | -2 | 68 | 67 | 74 | 70 | 279 | $1,322.00 | | | T42 | T49 | Blaine Peffley | Lebanon, PA | -9 | F | -2 | 72 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 279 | $1,322.00 | | | T48 | T49 | Jon Curran | Hopkinton, MA | -8 | F | -1 | 69 | 69 | 71 | 71 | 280 | $1,268.00 | | | T48 | T54 | Brent Long | Carthage, TN | -8 | F | -2 | 65 | 72 | 73 | 70 | 280 | $1,268.00 | | | T48 | T54 | Ryan Henry | Broken Arrow, OK | -8 | F | -2 | 66 | 72 | 72 | 70 | 280 | $1,268.00 | | | T48 | T62 | Ted Smith | Orlando, FL | -8 | F | -4 | 73 | 66 | 73 | 68 | 280 | $1,268.00 | | | T52 | T31 | Simon Walsh | Manchester, England | -7 | F | +2 | 70 | 69 | 68 | 74 | 281 | $1,250.00 | | | T52 | T41 | Nathan Stamey | Bluffton, SC | -7 | F | +1 | 66 | 71 | 71 | 73 | 281 | $1,250.00 | | | T52 | T67 | Bryce Ledford | Ooltewah, TN | -7 | F | -5 | 71 | 69 | 74 | 67 | 281 | $1,250.00 | | | T55 | T41 | George Zolotas | Peabody, MA | -6 | F | +2 | 66 | 70 | 72 | 74 | 282 | $1,235.00 | | | T55 | T41 | Manuel Villegas | Medellin, Columbia | -6 | F | +2 | 69 | 71 | 68 | 74 | 282 | $1,235.00 | | | T55 | T62 | Josh Sandman | High Point, NC | -6 | F | -2 | 67 | 72 | 73 | 70 | 282 | $1,235.00 | | | T58 | T59 | Ian Rochester | Cordova, TN | -5 | F | E | 68 | 68 | 75 | 72 | 283 | $1,223.00 | | | T58 | T59 | Scott Tashie | Memphis, TN | -5 | F | E | 68 | 72 | 71 | 72 | 283 | $1,223.00 | | | T60 | T62 | James Oh | Lakewood, CA | -4 | F | E | 71 | 63 | 78 | 72 | 284 | $1,108.00 | | | T60 | T69 | Eddie Brescher | Ponchatoula, LA | -4 | F | -4 | 70 | 69 | 77 | 68 | 284 | $1,108.00 | | | T62 | T31 | Brandon Anthony | Albany, GA | -3 | F | +6 | 71 | 66 | 70 | 78 | 285 | $1,000.00 | | | T62 | T54 | Cole Moreland | Austin, TX | -3 | F | +3 | 73 | 67 | 70 | 75 | 285 | $1,000.00 | | | T62 | T67 | Josh Oller | Jackson, MS | -3 | F | -1 | 70 | 67 | 77 | 71 | 285 | $1,000.00 | | | T65 | T49 | Michael Arnaud | Baton Rouge, LA | -2 | F | +5 | 68 | 72 | 69 | 77 | 286 | $938.00 | | | T65 | T54 | Chad Keohane | Riverview, FL | -2 | F | +4 | 71 | 69 | 70 | 76 | 286 | $938.00 | | | 67 | T59 | Drew Laning | Little Rock, AR | -1 | F | +4 | 64 | 72 | 75 | 76 | 287 | $875.00 | | | 68 | T65 | Jesse Speirs | Oxford, MS | E | F | +3 | 71 | 67 | 75 | 75 | 288 | $875.00 | | | 69 | T69 | Andrew Dresser | Carrollton, TX | +1 | F | +1 | 69 | 71 | 76 | 73 | 289 | $875.00 | | | 69 | T65 | Patrick Lundy | Little River, SC | - | - | - | 69 | 71 | 73 | D | D | $875.00 | | |
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