The Jones Cup

2017 Summary

The 2017 annual invitational marked a milestone with 28 competitors in the field. The largest field in the history of The Jones Cup. Again, Oyster Bay Golf Links in Sunset Beach, NC hosted a practice round before the competition started at The Legends in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Heathland

In many ways the Heathland course set tone for the 6th playing of the The Jones Cup. Designed by Tom Doak, the Heathland course has the image of a British-style links course. Good weather and good scoring conditions allowed players to get off to quick start. Five rounds were carded on the 70's including David Geary at 78. Playing out of Bermuda Run C.C., David was boosted by two eagles for 22 points on just 2 holes. David blasted a driver on a Par 5 setting up a second shot 7-iron that pitched close to hole - tap-in eagle! Then a hole-out on the closing Par 4 18th for a second eagle! Rookie Scott Howarton took the early scoring lead with a fine 75 and 69 points. Jim Johnson followed closely with 76 and 65 points. Other great rounds were produced by Barry Kelley and Rich Crim with 78. At the end play on Day One, it was David Geary claiming the lead at +24. Chris Kelley was 5 points back with Barry Kelley and Scott Howarton rounding out the page one leaderboard.

Moorland

P. B. Dye created the Moorland course with an evil mind - #37 in Golf Digest list of “Top 50 Toughest Courses in America”. The course features extraordinary undulations, deep sand pitches and bulkheads. Negoiating the sculpted terrain made mountain goats of many players and just plain "old goats" of others. The rumor was that some players carded more putts during the round than total points. However, 4 players broke 80 under clear skies and light winds. Again, it was Jim Johnson and Scott Howarton with remarkable 77s each. They were joined by last year's "Money-Man" - Dale Harriman also at 77 and Joe White with 57 points. Defending champion Mike Tallant made a charge and was only 2 back of the leaders with a 79 and 57 points. KC Rankin and Rex Thayer jumped on the leaderboard with rounds of 87. Frank Hughes joined the fray with a round of 80 and 60 points. David Geary fell back a little to watch Scott Howarton take the total point lead with Jim Johnson very close by. The race for the cup tighten with KC Rankin piling on the points with steady play.

Parkland

Parkland is modeled after the style of architect Alister MacKenzie and offers distinct contrast to the other two Legends courses. With winds picking up, the seen was set for a Sunday finish of - wait for it - The Jones Cup. Sunday's play featured a three-some of leaders - Scott, Jim and David. Was there a "new" champion in the bunch? Would a late charger throw down a winning round? Would a previous champion rise to grab glory once again? Winds swirled in the pines as Jimmy Johnson (not NASCAR, not NFL) made his bid with 51 points on the day. Defending champion Mike Tallant played great shots to earn 59 points on Sunday and kept his point total growing each day with 55, 57 and 59 points over the 3 rounds. Rookie Efrin De la Luz made a statement with a fine 83 and 54 points. KC Rankin raced up the leaderboard with a great round of 86 and 51 points. Scott Howarton faded back a bit which tighten the race between David Geary, Jim Johnson and KC Rankin. Jim Johnson produced the best round of the day at 79; however, Jim's point total of 62 was not enough to overcome the solid play of the 2017 Champion - David Geary. KC Rankin tied with Jim Johnson with KC winning a score card playoff by paring the #1 handicap hole.

Congratulations to David Geary - winner of The Jones Cup for 2017!

Individual and Team Scoring

Player Qta Team Q Score Points Total Team Total Adj Score Points Total Team Total Adj Score Points Total Team Total
Heathland Moorland Parkland
Jimmy J 42 97 97 39 -3 -9 90 40 -5 -11 85 51 4 -57
Doss 55 84 49 -6 84 55 -6 0 0 0
Jim J 53 97 76 65 12 7 77 65 24 13 79 62 33 3rd** 26 3rd
Koeval 44 90 39 -5 93 38 -11 95 35 -20
Crim 43 87 78 59 16 14 96 33 6 7 98 32 -5 -10
Thayer 44 89 42 -2 87 47 1 93 38 -5
Poore 27 53 102 27 0 3 101 26 -1 5 101 29 1 0
Ketner 26 99 29 3 101 29 6 108 19 -1
Howerton 51 75 75 69 18 17 77 67 34 41 60 90 43 17 5th 30 2nd
Cheek 24 102 23 -1 99 32 7 105 21 4
Rath 44 99 88 44 0 -2 92 37 -7 -19 88 44 -7 -20
Delaluz 55 82 53 -2 87 45 -12 83 54 -13
Tallant 51 95 80 55 4 2 79 57 10 -5 80 59 18 4th -10
Tallant 44 91 42 -2 95 31 -15 97 31 -28
Lovett 41 80 82 55 14 4 88 44 17 7 90 35 11 3
Davis 39 100 29 -10 91 39 -10 95 34 -15
C Kelley 38 81 84 57 19 36 97 33 14 31 93 36 12 21 4th
B Kelley 43 78 60 17 90 43 17 90 41 15
Mathis 34 89 92 36 2 -8 89 45 13 8 94 37 16 8
Hughes 55 88 45 -10 80 60 -5 84 52 -8
Tittsworth 53 93 88 43 -10 3 97 40 -23 -17 101 26 -50 -41
Hunter 40 82 53 13 93 33 6 90 43 9
White 48 103 89 45 -3 -10 83 57 6 7 0 0 0 NA
Harriman 55 85 48 -7 77 63 1 0 0 0
Rankin 38 79 86 48 10 34 87 48 20 49 86 51 33 2nd** 68 1st
Geary 41 78 65 24 87 46 29 93 47 35 1st
J. Carowan 33 63 97 31 -2 6 103 26 -9 0 92 39 -3 11 5th
RW 30 93 38 8 97 31 9 92 35 14
** denotes playoff

Never Upset with PAR

NEVER UPSET WITH PAR
Player 1st 2nd 3rd Player 1st 2nd 3rd
Delaluz 10 16 26 Crim 10 14 18
Doss 6 13 Jimmy J 5 9 19
Harriman 5 19 Geary 6 13 15
Hughes 5 13 23 Lovett 9 15 22
Jim J 7 17 29 1st Hunter 6 8 12
Tittsworth 7 11 12 Davis 4 10 12
Howerton 7 16 23 C Kelley 4 8 10
Tallant 9 17 26 Rankin 9 15 23
White 6 14 Mathis 3 8 10
Koeval 1 6 9 J. Carowan 3 6 11
Rath 6 9 16 RW 3 5 8
Tallant 5 9 13 Poore 4 5 8
Thayer 6 11 16 Ketner 3 6 8
B Kelley 5 9 14 Cheek 0 3 4

Points Leaderboard

MOST POINTS
Player Qta Points Total Points
Heathland Moorland Parkland
Jim J 53 65 65 62 192
Howerton 51 69 67 43 179
Tallant 51 55 57 59 171
Geary 41 65 46 47 158
Hughes 55 45 60 52 157
Delaluz 55 53 45 54 152
Rankin 38 48 48 51 147
B Kelley 43 60 43 41 144
Lovett 41 55 44 35 134
Jimmy J 42 39 40 51 130
Hunter 40 53 33 43 129
Thayer 44 42 47 38 127
C Kelley 38 57 33 36 126
Rath 44 44 37 44 125
Crim 43 59 33 32 124
Mathis 34 36 45 37 118
Koeval 44 39 38 35 112
Harriman 55 48 63 0 111
Tittsworth 53 43 40 26 109
Doss 55 49 55 0 104
Tallant 44 42 31 31 104
RW 30 38 31 35 104
Davis 39 29 39 34 102
White 48 45 57 0 102
J. Carowan 33 31 26 39 96
Poore 27 27 26 29 82
Ketner 26 29 29 19 77
Cheek 24 23 32 21 76

Medal Play

LOW SCORE
Player Score Score Score Total
Heathland Moorland Parkland
Jim J 76 77 79 232
M Tallant 80 79 80 239
Howerton 75 77 90 242
Delaluz 82 87 83 252
Hughes 88 80 84 252
B Kelley 78 90 90 258
Geary 78 87 93 258
Rankin 86 87 86 259
Lovett 82 88 90 260
Hunter 82 93 90 265
Rath 88 92 88 268
Thayer 89 87 93 269
Jimmy J 97 90 85 272
Crim 78 96 98 272
C Kelley 84 97 93 274
Mathis 92 89 94 275
Koeval 90 93 95 278
RW 93 97 92 282
J Tallant 91 95 97 283
Davis 100 91 95 286
Tittsworth 88 97 101 286
J. Carowan 97 103 92 292
Poore 102 101 101 304
Cheek 102 99 105 306
Ketner 99 101 108 308

Photos

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