Arkansas will attempt to win its second consecutive Governors Cup championship against Mississippi when 20 of the top amateur golfers from each state tee off today at Texarkana Country Club.
Arkansas won last year’s Cup, 22 ½-17 ½ at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Miss., and leads the series, 4-3. Arkansas, which needs 20 points to retain the title, last won in the state in 2009 at Chenal Country Club in Little Rock.
“I feel like we have a very strong team this year,” Arkansas team captain Roy McSpadden said. “It’s not a lot about pairing two of the best players together. You want that chemistry and that guy in the cart next to you that you can trust.”
The Arkansas roster, made up of 10 mid-amateurs and 10 senior amateurs, includes former USGA Senior Amateur champions and brothers Louis and Stan Lee of Heber Springs and Little Rock’s Mark Bartlett, who has advanced to a U.S. Open sectional qualifier after winning a playoff at a local qualifier Tuesday in Hot Springs.
Mississippi’s roster includes Steve Wilson, the 2008 U.S. Mid-Amateur Champion who also played in the 2009 Masters.
The tournament format consists of four-ball matches beginning at 8 a.m. today. All golfers will be back on the course in the afternoon for foursome matches, or alternate shot, starting at 1:30. The competition will conclude with 20 singles matches, involving all 40 players, beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday.
“Mississippi has some fine amateurs,” McSpadden said. “Our guys love representing the state of Arkansas. We’ve got a lot of experience in team competition. These guys know how to finish a match.”
Governors Cup WHO Arkansas vs. Mississippi WHERE Texarkana Country Club WHEN Today-Saturday SERIES Arkansas leads 4-3 FORMAT 10 four-ball matches and 10 foursome matches today; 20 singles matches Saturday NOTEWORTHY Arkansas needs a 20-20 tie to retain the cup. … Roy McSpadden of Russellville will serve as the nonplaying captain of the Arkansas team.
ARKANSAS ROSTER Bobby Baker (Little Rock); Mark Bartlett (Little Rock); Keith Browning (Bryant); Rick Coatney (Fort Smith); Bruce Dickey (Paragould); Clark Fitts (Little Rock);
Ken Golden (Clarsville); Bev Hargraves (Helena); Chris Jenkins (Little Rock);
Ronnie Johnson (Hot Springs); Bubba Klugh (Little Rock); Louis Lee (Heber Springs); Stan Lee (Heber Springs);
Wes McNulty (White Hall); Lyle Middleton (Conway); Stan Payne (Little Rock); Ron Richard (Fort Smith); Mike Satterwhite (Little Rock); Trey Schaap (North Little Rock); Oscar Taylor (Hot Springs Village)
Sports, Pages 27 on 05/10/2013