Tarheel Tour Closes Out July with Inaugural visit to Hickory  

Hickory, NC- The Charlotte, NC based Tarheel Tour will make its fourth and final first-time visit of 2008 this week when it travels to Hickory, NC for the inaugural Lake Hickory Open at Catawba Springs.

The field of just 120 competitors is one of the deepest of the season as it includes eleven of the top thirteen money winners in 2008 as well as eleven of the thirteen winners this season. Heading that list is two-time winner in 2008 David Robinson. Despite just a tie for 13th last week at the River Hills Open, the Sandersville, GA native eclipsed $70,000 in year to date earnings, which gives him almost a $21,500 lead over Andy Bare who resides in second place on the money list at $49,141. With a win this week at Catawba Springs, Robinson would pass Matt Cannon’s total of $81,723 in 2007, giving him the largest single season earnings total in Tarheel Tour history.

Other top players in the field this week include Jacksonville, FL resident Andy Bare and Walnut Creek Classic Champion Jonathan Moore. Bare, the Sapona Open and Warrior Classic Champion this year, is back in action on the Tarheel Tour after a tie for 28th last week in the Nationwide Tour’s Price Cutter Charity Championship. Just like the aforementioned Robinson, Bare will be looking for his third win of 2008 on the Tarheel Tour this week. As for Jonathan Moore, this will be his first tournament on the Tarheel Tour since his win at Walnut Creek. The former NCAA Individual Champion has been playing the Nationwide and PGA Tour, as well as some Monday Qualifiers since his win at Walnut Creek at the end of May. A win this week for Moore would likely vault him into the top ten on the money list. Recent Southern Open Champion Ted Brown is making his first start on the Tarheel Tour this week following his victory at Cabarrus.

The Tarheel Tour’s Lake Hickory Open at Catawba Springs will be a 54-hole stroke play event with a cut to the low 35% after 36 holes. The first round begins on Wednesday July 23rd at 8:00 a.m. off the first and tenth tees. The second round will follow the same format on Thursday. Those surviving the cut will compete Friday for the purse of approximately $97,500 with a winner’s share of $16,000. In accordance with all Tarheel Tour events, admission to the Lake Hickory Open at Catawba Springs is open to public and free of charge.

The Lake Hickory Open at Catawba Springs concludes the month of July for the Tarheel Tour. The Tour will take a few weeks off following the event before resurfacing in late August for the Firethorne Open and the River Run Classic.