Norris Goes Wire To Wire

Concord NC- Long hitting South African Shaun Norris continued his destruction of normally difficult Cabarrus Country Club by shooting a final round 67 to win the Tarheel Tour’s third annual Southern Open Saturday.

Norris, a native of Pretoria, set an all-time Tarheel Tour record by finishing the three-round event at 20-under par after opening the event with a course record-tying 63 followed by a 66 in Friday’s second round. For Norris, the win was his first since turning professional and it came at exactly the right time earning him $20,000, the largest first prize in the six-year history of the Tarheel Tour. Norris had never finished in the top ten in his previous 20-events on the Charlotte-based tour.

"It was the best three days of golf I have ever played. I hit it as well as I could, putted it as well as I could, and scored as well as I could," laughed the amiable Norris. "I knew I had to play my very best to outlast a field this strong."

Tarheel Tour leading money winner Will McGirt started the final round only a shot behind Norris after opening with rounds of 66-64, and briefly held the lead with three early birdies. However, a birdie-eagle-birdie finish to the front side gave Norris a four shot lead at the turn and gave him the cushion needed to cruise down the home stretch secure in the victory.

"Will is a great player and he really put the pressure on me early, but I knew I was playing well and just let it happen."

McGirt finished with a final round 70, and although he wasn’t able to lock up his second victory this year at Cabarrus Country Club, he did finish in a tie for second at 16-under par and received a nice consolation prize of $8,750. McGirt has now earned just over $50,000 on the Tarheel Tour in 2007.

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Matt Cannon, the Tarheel Tour’s all time leading money winner was among three players who shot 65,the low score of the day. The Huntersville, NC, native leapfrogged past most of the field and finished tied with McGirt. Cannon’s round featured 7 birdies without a bogey and helped move him into second place on the 2007 Tarheel Tour money list with just under $41,000 for the 2007 season. Veteran Reid Edstrom also shot 65 Saturday to jump into a tie for fourth with three other players.

The Tarheel Tour would like to thank the entire Cabarrus staff as well as the members for once again being such gracious hosts to the players and staff. A special thanks goes to all of the volunteers who helped run the event, especially David LeMaire, who went above and beyond for the Tour this week.

Next week the tour heads to Mint Hill, North Carolina, for the Olde Sycamore Open. Former PGA Tour star Tim Simpson won last year’s event with a 13-under par total.