Carter takes title at Kenmure with a 67

EAST FLAT ROCK — John Carter took advantage of Monday’s favorable scoring conditions to win the Fletcher BMW Scholarship Pro-Am at Kenmure Country Club.

Carter, the head pro at Elk River Country Club in Banner Elk, carded a 5-under 67 (34-33) to edge Bob Groff by one shot. Thirteen of the 29 professionals shot par (72) or better.

Kenmure head professional Jay King said the course played at a relatively short 6,231 yards for the tournament to help the amateurs. Recent rains also softened the greens.

“The greens weren’t extremely firm,” King said, “and I think a lot of the pros played well today.”

King was among a group of six pros to finish within two strokes of par.

Carter teed off on the sixth hole and got rolling early. He collected birdies at No. 7 and No. 8. His only misstep occurred after his fourth birdie at No. 13. Carter bogeyed the 14th before collecting birdies on the 17th and 18th holes.

His win earned him $453.12 of the $2,265.60 professional purse.

Tournament organizers moved the start to 10 a.m. this year. The change brought the field in around 5 p.m.

“We moved it up,” King said. “This time of year there’s always the risk of afternoon storms and we wanted a little more leeway in case we had to suspend play.”

A pair of local pros finished in the money. Biltmore Forest’s Drew Davis carded a 70 to tie for fourth while Biltmore Country Club’s Trey Wyatt shot a 71 to tie for eighth.

Bob Nelson, Michael Littleton and Bill White teamed with pro Todd Ellison to shoot a combined 127 to finish first in the team competition.

This was the fourth year that Fletcher BMW has sponsored the event, with proceeds going to help local pros continue their education with the PGA of America.