Canadian Ted Brown of Richmond, VA went out in 5-under-par 31 and came home in even-par 36 to fire a final-round 67 to win the Tarheel Tour’s Firethorne Open by two shots over his final round playing competitors Kevin Silva and Bryant Odom.

Brown started the day at 10-under-par and one shot off the lead which was held by former University of North Carolina golfer Kevin Silva. Brown quickly squared things with Silva after making birdie at the 379-yard par-4 first, and then took the lead on his own after an unlikely birdie on the short par-4 second.

“I blocked my tee shot right and then tried to hit a low cut into the green, but I pulled it and it was headed way left of the green but it hit a cart post and kicked hard right across the other side of the green. From there, I chipped it in for a birdie,” said Brown.

After taking the lead for the first time at the second with a birdie that just as easily could have been a bogey, the former Virginia Commonwealth golfer would hold at least a share of the lead for the rest of the tournament. After birdies on Nos. 6, 7 and 9, Brown held a three-shot lead over Silva. This year’s Southern Open champion kept his lead intact by recording seven pars and a birdie before making an inconsequential bogey on the 18th to clinch a two-shot victory at 15-under par.

In the end, Silva and Odom fell two-shots shy Brown and each is still looking for his first win on the Tarheel Tour.
Odom, after bogeying Nos. 8 and 9, fell seven shots behind Brown at the turn and was barely in the top ten. He then birdied the first four holes on the back nine and birdied the par-5 17th to come home in 31 for a final-round 68 to grab a share of second.

Silva, who admittedly struggled all day with the putter, holed a downhill 18-foot putt on the last hole for birdie to fire a 2-under 70 and grab a share of second place with Odom.

Rounding out the top five was Blasdell, NY-native Matthew Thomas, who took fourth by himself at 9-under, and Spring Creek Classic runner-up Cory Kaufman, who finished alone in fifth at 8-under. Former Tarheel Tour winner Stephen Poole, one week removed from a T36 finish at the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship, headlined a group of six players who shared sixth place, which helped each of them earn valuable points in the first event of the EGOLF Points Race.

For Brown, this win validates his Southern Open victory six weeks ago where he came from four shots back on the final day to grab the title. More importantly, with the $18,500 winner’s check, he jumps into second place in season earnings with $54,669. In addition, he joins Andy Bare and David Robinson as the only multiple winners this season on the Tarheel Tour. Brown also earned 600 EGOLF points for the win, giving him the lead after the first of six events in the race for the $20,000 first-place bonus check at season’s end.

The Tarheel Tour would like to thank Head Golf Professional Randy Few, Golf Course Superintendent Chad Tulloch and their staffs for hosting an excellent event.

The Tarheel Tour and its players will prepare for a quick turnaround next week with the River Run Classic at the recently renovated River Run Country Club beginning on Tuesday, August 26. In addition to the continuation of the EGOLF Points Race, the S & K Fall Finale Series will kickoff at River Run, with a similar points race included.

Final Scoreboard as Follows (Par 72).

1. Ted Brown, Richmond, VA, $18,500.00, *66-68-67-201 -15
2. Bryant Odom, St Simons Island, GA, $8,750.00, *69-66-68-203 -13
2. Kevin Silva, Charlotte, NC, $8,750.00, *68-65-70-203 -13
4. Matthew Thomas, Blasdell, NY, $6,000.00, *69-66-72-207 -9
5. Cory Kaufman, Bluffton, SC, $5,000.00, *69-71-68-208 -8
6. Andrew DiBitetto, Rochester, NY, $2,750.00, *71-69-69-209 -7
6. Don Carpenter, Athens, GA, $2,750.00, *67-76-66-209 -7
6. Blake Adams, Eatonton, GA, $2,750.00, *70-69-70-209 -7
6. Chris Gallagher, West Chester, PA, $2,750.00, *72-67-70-209 -7
6. Elliot Gealy, Sanford, FL, $2,750.00, *65-74-70-209 -7
6. Stephen Poole, Aiken, SC, $2,750.00, *69-68-72-209 -7
12. B.J Pitzen, Lakeland, FL, $1,916.67, *71-70-69-210 -6
12. Brad Smith, Australia, $1,916.67, *72-70-68-210 -6