UNCG-Starmount Fall Classic gets underway this weekend

GREENSBORO, NC – UNC Greensboro and historic Starmount Forest Country Club will play host to a field of 15 teams for the second annual UNCG-Starmount Fall Classic women’s golf tournament beginning Sunday.

Teams from Miami (FL), Mississippi State, East Tennessee State, Illinois State, UNC Wilmington, East Carolina, South Florida, Georgia State, Augusta State, Florida International, Elon, James Madison, Western Carolina, Winthrop and UNCG will begin play with tee times Sunday morning at 8:15. Play will get underway off of the first tee at that point beginning with Miami (FL), Mississippi State and East Tennessee State. The first group to go off at No. 10 will have players from Augusta State, Florida International and Elon beginning at 8:45 am.

Wayne Stiles and John Van Kleek of Boston, MA designed the original Starmount Forest golf course and it was completed with consultation from Perry Maxwell. The course formally opened for play as a public golf course on August 1, 1930. The course was renovated in 1971 with consultation from George Cobb, and totally rebuilt in 1999 by Architect Lester George. During seventy-five plus years of existence, Starmount Forest has hosted many professional and amateur tournaments. The course, which will play at 6,625 yards and a par 71 for this tournament, covers 155 acres and offers a tremendous test for the most avid golfer.

Starmount Forest was the inaugural host for the Greater Greensboro Open held in 1938. Sam Snead won that event at the ripe age of 24. Starmount Forest continued its involvement with the GGO (now known as the Wyndham Championship) until 1960. In 1947, Starmount Forest held the 1947 Women's U.S. Open. Betty Jameson won with a score of 295, marking the first female golfer to score below 300 in a 72-hole tournament. Recently, Starmount Forest hosted the 2001 North Carolina Senior Amateur Championship, the 2004 North Carolina Mid-Am Championship, the 2004 Southern Conference Women's Golf Championships, and the 2007 North Carolina Amateur Championship.

In its inaugural year, the then-36 hole tournament was won by East Carolina. The Pirates opened up a 15-shot lead after the opening round and held off UNCG for an eight-shot win. ECU’s Emelie Lind won the individual title with rounds of 70 and 71 to record a one-shot win over High Point’s Ann Marie Dalton.

Teams will play their practice round on Saturday afternoon and the second and third rounds of the tournament will be played on Monday and Tuesday. Admission is free and the public is welcome.

Scoring updates after nine holes will be available each day through Golfstat and UNCGSpartans.com.

- UNCG -