HILTON HEAD, S.C. - The Island of Hilton Head will host the inaugural 54 hole eGolf Amateur Tour National Championship. The tournament is expected to be the largest competitive stroke play event ever held in Hilton Head, SC.

A field of approximately 600 golfers from across the country will converge on the island Oct. 22-24th for the Tour's national finals. The championship will be contested on six courses, including the three Palmetto Dunes Resort courses as well as Robber’s Row, Oyster Reef and the Arthur Hills course in Palmetto Hall. The Tour will bring the top players from over 36 regional Tours representing 20 states.  Over 650 tournaments were held nationwide for players to qualify to play in Hilton Head.  Now the best from each flight will compete over 3 days to be crowned the eGolf Tour Champion.

This marks the fifth straight year the eGolf Amateur Tour has hosted its national championship on Hilton Head Island. Last year's event drew just under 550 golfers and encompassed six courses. The overall champions were:

Championship Flight:                        Joe Jaspers                   Charlotte, NC
A Flight:                                  David Anthony             Houston, TX
B Flight:                                  Mark Toloso                  Louisiana North
C Flight:                                  Shawn Colin                 Hilton Head, SC
D Flight:                                  Daryl Taylor                  Louisiana North

Team Championship:            Louisiana North

"We expect another competitive tournament throughout all five flights. Guys are grinding through out the season to earn enough points to qualify for the National Championship," said tour president Dennis McCormac. "The players who came last year really enjoyed Hilton Head Island. In addition to world-class golf, it offers great beaches, restaurants and family activities."

The record number of participants will be gunning for a total purse of at least $17,000 in gift certificates in the first ever 54-hole stroke play Tour Championship. In addition to the Friday, Saturday and Sunday rounds, golfers have the opportunity to arrive early for practice rounds from Oct. 18-21st.

"This is a big event. Not just for our tour members, but also their families," McCormac said. "Guys are bringing their wives and children. It's evolved into a family event over the last decade with the number of spectators increasing as well."

Joe Jaspers wins his third eGolf Amateur Tour National Championship! 

On Sunday, already two shots behind the lead Joe Jaspers stepped up to the first tee and hit his first drive out of bounds. Jim Aughtry playing right behind Jaspers told his playing partners, “We are in trouble now. The three other players responded “Why you would say that??and Aughtry's response was “He (Joe) is mad now and will probably shoot 69.?Aughtry might not have been prophetic on the 69 but he was accurate on the outcome for Jaspers.

Jaspers ended up with double on number one, then bogied four and five before he began to heat up. On hole five, he made his first of 5 birdies, four of which came on the back nine holes.

Jaspers turned the front in 39 then birdied 10, 11, 14 & the most difficult hole, 18 to win the eGolf Amateur Tour National Championship by only one shot. Jaspers shot a 73, 72 for a final total of 145. Saturday's round was played in Palmetto Dunes at the Fazio course and Sunday was played at the Cupp Course in Palmetto Hall.

David Schmidt had the round of the day on Sunday, pouring in five birdies in route to a 3 under par round of 69. Schmidt finishes in the second spot, one shot behind Jaspers with a two day total of 146. Rounding out the top three was Josh Earnest of Lexington , KY with scores of 74 and 73 for a total of 147.

Top honors in the A Flight went to David Anthony of the Houston (TX) Tour. Anthony fired a final-round 77 to finish at 153. Second place in A Flight went to Tidewater (VA) David Scearce (79, 78 for a total of 157); while Jim Boyce of Charlotte was third with 85, 73 totaling 158.

The B Flight champ was Mark Toloso of the Louisiana Tour. Toloso shot 78, 83, total of 161 for a three-shot victory over Greg McCoy (82, 82, total 164) of Charlotte (NC) Tour.

Hilton Head (SC) produced the C Flight champion as Shawn Colin vaulted into the top spot with an 87 for a 168 total. Second place went to Richard Peavy ( Houston TX ) at 85, 89, total 174.

In the D Flight, Daryl Taylor from the (Louisiana North Tour) shot a 175 total and beat out Charles Mines of (Charlotte NC) by four shots at 179.

This marked the fourth straight year the eGolf AGT has hosted its National Tour Championship on Hilton Head Island . This year's field of 540 golfers was one of the largest ever for a golf tournament on the island. Competition took place on six courses: Oyster Reef Golf Club, Shipyard, two courses at The Cupp and all three courses at Palmetto Dunes Resort.

This Tour Championship marked the beginning of a year long campaign to raise money for Stand Up for Cancer in memory of Roger Mitterling who was a tour director for 10 years before passing away in January from this terrible disease. This weekend participants raised $1000 and the eGolf Amateur Tour is going to match that amount to jump start the campaign for the 2010 season.

In Team Competition, the Louisiana (North) Tour edged out Charlotte by only two shots. Louisiana's team total was 1,669, followed by Charlotte (1,671), Tidewater VA (1,688), Orlando (1692) and Louisiana (South) 1708. The eGolf Tour Championship brought in 32 Tours from 15 different states to Hilton Head Island for the week.

Thank you to all of the donors that gave generously to make our raffle a success for STAND UP TO CANCER. Please click here to learn more about their products and services.

Help the eGolf Amateur Tour STAND UP TO CANCER

During the 2010 season, the eGolf Amateur Tour will join the fight to Stand up to Cancer The Tour's initiative to fight against cancer was driven by the passing of fellow Tour director Roger Mitterling in 2009. The eGolf Amateur Tour will continue its support of Stand Up To Cancer with donations being accepted through the website and at tournaments. In addition, special team fundraising events will be held throughout the 2010 season, culminating at the 2010 National Tour Championship in October. We invite you to join our team , invite others to join, and give all that you can to give others the chance to swing another day.

The campaign will continue throughout the 2010 tour season, please click here to see how you can make a difference!