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Pro golf returns to Conover with one of strongest fields ever

Robert C. Reed

Nathan Rackard of High Point prepares to display flags of various countries on the grandstand overlooking the 18th hole at the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn. The Champions Tour in Conover starts today.

From Staff Reports

Published: September 13, 2009

CONOVER - The Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn kicks off today with a tournament for high school golfers and the open qualifier.

The open qualifier is at 8 a.m., and the Greater Hickory High School Classic is at 12:30 p.m.

All of today's events are free.

The actual Champions Tour tournaments is Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

According to Champions Tour notes from the Professional Golf Association, this year's Greater Hickory Classic could boast its best field ever.

Twenty-six of the top 30 money winners in 2008 are committed, and the field also includes World Golf Hall of Famers Lee Trevino and Larry Nelson as well as former major championship winners like Bob Tway, Sandy Lyle, Lanny Wadkins, Hal Sutton and Larry Mize.

A number of Champions Tour players have local ties to North Carolina. Among that group are Chip Beck (born in Fayetteville), Bruce Fleisher (lived for a period in Wilmington), Mike Goodes (lives in Browns Summit), Jay Haas (attended Wake Forest), Morris Hatalsky (lives in Cashiers), Scott Hoch (born in Raleigh and attended Wake Forest), Walter Hall (Clemmons), Gene Jones (born in High Point), Jay Sigel (attended Wake Forest), Leonard Thompson (born in Laurinburg) and Jim Thorpe (born in Roxboro).

The ageless Thompson will reach another milestone at Rock Barn, making his 999th career start in a PGA Tour/Champions Tour event. A three-time winner on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, Thompson made 651 starts on the PGA Tour and 347 more on the Champions Tour.

Thompson attended Wake Forest University and is a member of that school's Athletic Hall of Fame
One golfer to watch is the defending champion.

R.W. Eaks enters this year's tournament a total of 48-under-par on his last 162 holes, with two wins and a runner-up finish to his credit. During this span, he has made four eagles, 51 birdies, 97 pars, nine bogeys and one double bogey.

Eaks is 28 under par on the front nine and 20 under par on the back nine. He also is 27 under par on the par 5s, 3 under par on the par 3s and 18 under on the par 4s.

Heading into the 2009 event, Eaks has made just one bogey over his last 57 holes. That came at No. 13 in the final round last year, when he cruised to a four-stroke win.

Eaks' opening-round, 11-under-par 61 last year, was the best start by a Champions Tour winner since Tom Purtzer fired an 11-under 60 at the Toshiba Classic.

Information source: PGA Tour/Champions Tour