Mike Mathews
CUMBERLAND — Top professional golfers from the region as well as some of the best amateurs from local clubs in the tri-state area will be teeing off in the 43rd annual Carroll Boggs Railey Realty Middle-Atlantic PGA Pro-Am at the Cumberland Country Club on Friday.
The defending champions are Craig Callens and Red Rice, and this year’s field will again include former U.S. Open and PGA Championship participants. The Cumberland Country Club has been a long-time favorite stop in the Middle Atlantic. Frank Kiraly, of the Blairmont Country Club in Altoona, Pa., won the first tournament with a 66.
The tournament was renamed a few years ago in memory of long-time Cumberland Country Club PGA professional Carroll Boggs, and is sponsored this year by Terry Boggs of Railey Realty.
Last year, Callens won among the professionals while Rice, a CCC member, was the amateur winner.
Callens, an assistant pro at Cress Creek Country Club at the time, led the PGA professionals with a 4-under par 67, shooting an even-par 36 on the first nine and a tournament best 4-under 31 on the final nine. He edged Fran Rhoads, of Potomac, by one stroke and three-time champion Dirk Schultz, of Beaver Creek, by two.
Six professionals scored par or better. Following Callens, Rhoads and Schultz were Bob Affelder of Ocean City and Joe Franz of Elkridge at 1-under 70. Steven WenPetren, of Sterling, Va., shot even par 71.
Rice had the best score of the day with a 5-under 66 to win the amateur title. Rice, who holds the CCC course record with a 9-under 62, shot 34 on the front nine and 32 on the back and won by a comfortable six strokes. Larry Myers was second with 72, and Butch Blank was third at 73.
It was the second year in a row that an amateur posted the low score for the field. Danny Hurley, of Loudoun, Va., had a tournament best 66 in 2007.
Larry Ringer was last year’s senior division winner with a 72.
Woody Fitzhugh won the Carroll Boggs Pro-Am a record seven times, and Ringer has won five. Fred Funk tied the CCC course competition record with a 64 when he won the 1984 tournament. The largest field was in 1987, with 60 professionals.
Spectators are welcome. There will be morning and afternoon play off the No. 1 and No. 10 tees. Morning tee times range from 8 to 9:30, and afternoon times range from 12:30 to 2 o’clock.
Contact Mike Mathews at mmathews@times-news.com.
