Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Here’s a cool note I received recently from a loyal reader. It’s for all you golf fans out there:
Good evening.
Might not be of tremendous interest to your reader base demographics I’m guessing, but one of the members @ Country Club of Asheville, Pat Thompson, came w/ in a stroke two weeks ago of gaining most limited form of exempt status for next year’s Champions (Senior) PGA tour.
Pat came thru the first round of qualifying by winning a playoff and then went to Scottsdale (AZ) TPC course for final leg. He wound-up tied for 33rd overall, but bested a number of others who had either won on PGA and/or Champions tour previously. In fact, his final tally was far better than a past U.S. Amateur standout, CBS golf analyst & 2-time pro tour winner – Bobby Clampett.
Although Pat has won the CCA championship numerous times and been a standout amateur player in NC for at least past 20 years, his accomplishment is borderline mind-blowing considering all the other great non-professional sticks out there. I believe Pat was one of only two amateurs in the whole field and the other gent formerly was a professional (but had stayed out of events long ago to regain his amateur status). In that sense, Pat was only true amateur in field.
To add to local flair, Pat’s caddy for both legs of qualifying was Jesse Frazier – a fellow CCA member & owner of namesake restaurant on Merrimon Ave. All the core CCA golf membership was able to follow Pat’s progress hole-by-hole due to tracking now available on PGA.com. Besides that the e-mails were flying between members as Pat was in the hunt right down, literally, to the last hole.
Don’t know how to contact Pat for comment and he might be embarrassed by attention, but his play was truly exceptional. Thought it might be on some interest.
Keep up the good work on the blog. Truly enjoyable + great public service.
