CGA Names 2008 Players of the Year
Paul Simson of Raleigh, NC caps his 2008 season with his third Carolinas Men’s Player of the Year award and third consecutive Carolinas Senior Men’s Player of the Year honor. Simson, an insurance executive, previously garnered the 1998 and 2005 Carolinas Men’s Player of the Year awards. The 57-year-old had an outstanding year on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean that watched him claim four victories and compete in the U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Senior Amateur. His two-stroke victory at the British Seniors Open Amateur Championship in Kent, England highlighted Simson’s year. This was his second British Seniors Open Amateur title in three years. A 17-time CGA champion, Simson won the weather-shortened Carolinas Senior Amateur Championship, National Senior Hall of Fame Championship and Eagle Point Amateur Invitational. He finished T2 at the North Carolina Senior Amateur Championship, 7th at the Coleman Invitational, T13 at Carolinas Mid-Amateur Championship and round of 32 match play finishes at the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, Carolinas Amateur Championship and North-South Amateur Championship.
Patty Moore of Charlotte, NC sweeps the women’s awards for the second consecutive year. The 58-year old wins her third Carolinas Women’s Player of the Year title and fifth consecutive Carolinas Senior Women’s Player of the Year honor. Her 2008 season included three victories and participation in two USGA national championships. Her three victories were at the Carolinas Women’s Senior Championship, Carolinas Women’s Match Play Championship and North Carolina Women’s Senior Championship. Moore advanced to the round of 32 at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship and qualified for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship. Other top finishes included a second place showing at the Women’s Carolinas Amateur Championship and a seventh place finish at the North Carolina Women’s Amateur Championship.
Haley Stephens, an 18-year-old high school senior from Greer, SC, captures her second-straight Carolinas Junior Girls Player of the Year award. Stephens’ 2008 tournament highlights include victories at the Carolinas Junior Girls’ Championship, South Carolina Junior Match Play Championship and Joe Cheves Junior Invitational. She finished second at the Vicki DiSantis Junior Girls’ Championship, third at the Twin States Junior Girls’ Championship and a T3 at The Blade Junior. Stephens will attend the University of Texas this fall on a golf scholarship.
Mark Joye, an 18-year-old high school senior from Columbia, SC, is the 2008 Carolinas Junior Boys Player of the Year. Joye’s 2008 tournament season includes a victory at the Carolinas PGA Junior Championship, second at the Carolinas Junior Championship, third at the CPGA Charles Tilghman, T6 at the SCGA South Carolina Junior Championship, T10 at the Bobby Chapman Invitational and qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. He has signed a letter of intent with Wofford College to play collegiate golf this fall.