Entries build for Kivett tourney

Greer Smith, The High Point Enterprise, N.C.
·3 min read

Apr. 16—HIGH POINT — City golf administrator Steve High sees indications that the number of entries for the upcoming Bud Kivett Memorial City Golf Championship could return to pre-pandemic levels.

With two weeks left for golfers to sign up for the 36-hole tournament scheduled May 1-2, High said about 45 entries have been received and that's consistent with recent years when a flood of signups just before the deadline pushed the final number to 100-120.

Last year, the tournament was pushed back to July because of the pandemic and attracted about 80 golfers.

High said entries will be taken through Thursday of tournament week.

"They're coming like normal and we anticipate around 120 players, so we hope to get back to that," High said. "Traditionally, a lot of people wait until near the deadline, and that's what we expect again this time."

The tournament is open to amateurs 16 and over. The format remains the same, with the first round at Blair Park on Saturday and the final round at Oak Hollow on Sunday. Older golfers can opt to play in a senior division from the white tees and are able to make that designation as late as check in on Saturday.

Among the early entries are former winners Bryan Colquitt, Brian Skeen and Marc Cox plus former HPGA Memorial winner Curtis Brotherton. Cox also won the senior division title last year.

HOLE UNDER REPAIR

Golfers in the Kivett will see a repair project on one of the holes at Oak Hollow.

A wooden bulkhead wall along one of the lake banks on No. 4 is being replaced. The hole is a par-3 where golfers play over a finger of the lake onto the green.

"We've been looking at this for several years and finally got it on the table," High said. "They are completely redoing the bulkhead. That wood wall has completely deteriorated and a portion of the bank has fallen in. So, we're replacing it.

"He hope to have it finished by the Kivett. If we don't, the hole will be open for the Kivett. There will be no work at that time. It's going to be a major improvement to the looks and stability there."

On days when work is in progress, holes 3 and 4 are closed, and golfers can play 16 holes at a reduced rate.

"We closed 3 because of the construction equipment going to 4 from the parking lot and if you go all the way down 3, there's not an easy way to get to 5 with 4 closed," High said. "We're not having construction every day so on days when there's not construction, the holes are open for play, just like normal.

"It's working out fine when we have construction. People get to play a great course at a reduced rate."

The Kivett tournament is the first notable on the local golf calendar.

Dates for the city's other annual tournaments are May 22-23 for the HPGA Memorial at Blair Park; June 16-18 for the National Senior Amateur Hall of Fame tournament at High Point Country Club's Willow Creek Course; July 14-15 for the TYGA High Point Junior Open at Blair and Oak Hollow; July 24-25 for the Triad Amateur at Willow Creek; and Oct. 2-3 for the TYGA Archdale-Trinity Open at Holly Ridge.

Willow Creek will host a sectional qualifier on Aug. 18 for the USGA Mid-Amateur.