Reynolds Lake Oconee Classic



Flight Champions (l to r) Eric Neidermeyer (A Flight, Atlanta), Sean Fletcher (C Flight, Atlanta),
Brian Quackenbush (Champ Flight, Augusta), Wes Nichols (D Flight, Columbia), Byron Johnson (B Flight, Columbia)


Contributed by Sean Naylor


The Golfweek Amateur Tour’s fourth regional of the season took place in Greensboro, Georgia. More than 115 players from 22 local tours across the country flocked to The National at Reynolds Lake Oconee, a 27-hole masterpiece that features three unique nines consistent with the region’s terrain. 


Each player rotated through the nine-hole courses — The Ridge, The Bluff, and The Cove — over the two-day event, and they weren’t fazed. Players competed daily and scores were close throughout all five flights: the first example being the Championship Flight. Brian Quackenbush, of the Augusta Tour, shot an even par (72) Saturday, holding a two-stroke lead over Adam Lee, a member of the Atlanta Tour. At the midway point of Sunday’s round, the two were knotted up at 110 a piece thanks to Lee’s strong 36. Quackenbush got out to another lead in the back and extended it to three with three holes left to play. Lee pared the 16th and birdied hole No. 17 to cut Quackenbush’s advantage to one. Quackenbush made the putt he needed to on the 18th and edged out Lee 148-149. Matt Musolf, of the Augusta Tour, finished third with a 153 while Charlotte Tour member, AJ Jackson, placed fourth (155). (Champ Flight final results)


The weekend’s stellar play trickled into the A Flight as a playoff was needed to determine the winner. Eric Neidermeyer (Atlanta) topped Westfield Brown (Columbia, SC) in the extra hole with a par. The two battled throughout their rounds, but it started to heat up Sunday. Neidermeyer turned a two-stroke deficit Saturday into a one-stroke advantage with nine holes left to play Sunday. That lead extended to two before Westfield used a par on hole No. 13 to go one up. Neidermeyer regained his advantage on the 15th and got it to two strokes on the 16th before Westfield forced a playoff with pars on the round’s final two holes. Doug Cristina (Mississippi) edged out Lionel Baker (Atlanta) 168-169, for third. Jimmy Willis (Augusta) rounded out the top-5 with a 170. (A Flight final results)

Moving into the B Flight where Columbia, SC Tour member Byron Johnson put his foot on the gas and didn’t let up. Johnson shot a 77 Saturday and stayed in attack mode, carding a two-day score of 158 and earning the victory. Mitch Quarles placed second (164) while Tim Parker, a fellow Augusta player, took third (168). Bob Santee, of the Atlanta Tour, shot a 170 for fourth, edging out Stephen Hoover, visiting from the Michigan East Tour, and Atlanta Tour member Matthew Fiedler, who tied for fifth (171). (B Flight final results)


Sean Fletcher, of the Atlanta Tour, crept up the C Flight leaderboard throughout the weekend, and found himself in the win column as the event wrapped up. Fletcher was three strokes back from the leader, Dusty Mullis (Augusta) after the opening 18 holes, 79-76. A strong 40 on the front Sunday cut that advantage to one. Fletcher remained calm and made the strokes he needed to take the eventual lead and hold onto it as the Reynolds Lake Oconee Classic concluded. Scott Holland (Augusta) finished second with a card of 175. Two players tied for third (176): Atlanta Tour member Jeff Stewart and Dusty Mullis. Michael Webb (Atlanta) carded a 177, good for fifth. (C Flight final results)


We wrapped up a great regional event in the D Flight! Wesley Nichols, of the Columbia, SC Tour, and Donald Price, a member of the Atlanta Tour, were tied up at 144 after 27 holes. Nichols took a two-stroke lead on the back, but Price answered back, tying the score up on the 13th. A hole later, Nichols gained an advantage once again, but this time it was by three. Price cut the deficit to one heading into the final hole, but Nichols sealed the deal, and the victory, with a bogey, 188-190. Kelvin Hughes edged fellow Augusta Tour member David Schimdt, 191-192, for third while Mitchell Meaders, of the Atlanta Tour, rounded out the top-5 with a two-day score of 193. (D Flight final results)


Click on each flight winner's name (in red and/or his picture below) for a brief video.









Posted: 3/22/2022 9:49:17 PM