The Greater Gwinnett Championship may get a title sponsor sooner rather than later.
Tournament director Stan Hall said last weekend that organizers of the event are close to securing the sponsor that will ensure the long-term success of the Champions Tour event at TPC Sugarloaf.
“It will change the way we’re able to do business,” Hall said.
Although last week’s second annual event was beset by cold temperatures and occasional rain, it was all forgotten during the final round on a sunny Easter Sunday. The crowds were good, especially around the panoramic 18th hole, and Hall pointed out how the attendees covered a demographic cross section and was not limited to the plus-50 crowd.
“You see a lot of families out here, a lot of young people,” said Hall, who said the tournament has started to establish a niche within the sporting community. “People of all ages are able to connect with these players.”
Two Georgians on Palmer Cup: The selection of Georgia Tech's Ollie Schniederjans to the Palmer Cup was expected, but the addition of Oglethorpe's Anthony Macagglia to the roster was a pleasant surprise.
Macagglia, a junior from Tampa, Fla., became the first Division III player to be selected for the team since the inception of the event in 1987. Macagglia was the Division III Player of the Year in 2012 when he helped the Stormy Petrels win the NCAA title; he is a two-time All-American.
Oglethorpe coach Jim Owen said Macagglia is the best putter in the country. Macagglia finished 15th in last year’s Dogwood Invitational.
The Palmer Cup is an annual event that features 10 of the best college players from the United States against their counterparts from Great Britain and Ireland in a Ryder Cup-style competition.
Ramsey to turn pro: Georgia is loaded with players on the various PGA Tours, but not so much on the LPGA side. Until now. Ashlan Ramsey of Milledgeville, a celebrated freshman at Clemson, will turn pro after the college season and the Curtis Cup matches. Ramsey has won twice and had four other top-10s in nine starts for Clemson. But she didn't realize how much time being a full-time student would take away from her golf goals and opted instead to make the change.
Club happenings: Berkeley Hills Country Club in Norcross recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. The Duluth facility, which counts 2009 British Open champion Stewart Cink among its members, is known for being the first upper scale Atlanta-area club to switch to Champion Bermuda greens. The club has become the model that others, including Tour Championship site East Lake, have followed. … The Golf Club of Georgia in Alpharetta, host for the annual Georgia Cup and U.S. Collegiate Championships, is now being managed by Mosaic Clubs and Resorts.
College news: Led by medalist Trey Rule's 1-under 215, Mercer won the Atlantic Sun men's championship at The Legends at Chateau Elan in Braselton, besting Kennesaw State by six shots. Mercer's James Beale and Kennesaw State's Teremoana Beaucousin and Austin Vick tied for second. … No. 5 Georgia Tech beat No. 6 Georgia 5-1 to win the Capital City Club Match Play Championship. Schniederjans beat Georgia's Joey Garber 2-up in a battle of top-10 ranked players. Schniederjans and Garber are among 10 finalists for the Ben Hogan Award. … Morehouse placed Bruce Cousins and Justin McElderly on the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference first team. … Georgia State has signed twin brothers Maximilian and Alexander Herrmann from Germany. The GSU women signed Magda Kruger, South Africa's No. 1-ranked player.
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