Baker seizes first WCC club title; Lee, Paxton, Wilkinson also winners

Year after year, Dwayne Baker has walked past and glanced at the board of club champions displayed in Wilson Country Club’s grill room and Baker knew he wanted his name added to the exclusive list.

At age 44 and after 15 years as a WCC member and golfer, Baker will soon find his name among the champions.

Seldom speaking and rarely glancing at the opponents in his final foursome on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, Baker entered the final 18-hole round with a two-shot lead and never relinquished it en route to his first WCC Men’s championship after a couple of runner-up finishes.

Baker carded rounds of 4-under-par 68-74 for a 2-under 142 total and a five shot-victory against Mark Whitley, the runner-up for the second straight year.

“This is very significant,” Baker declared. “I have been hitting the ball really good this summer. I am putting it really good — for a change. I wanted my name on that board.”

Baker fired the 2024 tournament’s low round when notching five birdies en route to his 68. He was the only participant this week to post a score under par for 36 holes.

Matt Ellis wound up third at 73-75—148. Seth Pattan wound up fourth at 74-78—152, while Clint O’Hara and Luke Spainhour shared fifth place at 153.

Whitley shot a 2-under 70 Saturday, while O’Hara and Ellis each  fashioned a 73, and Spainhour came in with a 75. Whitley, Ellis and Brandon Godwin (76-79-155) were competing in the WCC club championship for the second year.

OTHER WINNERS

Coalter Paxton IV seized the Open Division top spot at 77-72—149, edging Christian Clifton by two strokes. Clifton carded a 79-72—151. Then came Matt Figg at 77-77—154.

David Lee ruled the Seniors (ages 55-up) in his debut at 72-74—146. Hewitt Poland emerged the runner-up at 72-80—152. With a 74 the final round, M.A. Tyson surged to third at 83-74—157.

Lee and Poland approached the final 18 holes deadlocked, but Poland was victimized by out-of-bounds shots two of the first four layouts. With birdies at Nos. 5, 10 and 12, Lee, a competitor in the Men’s Championship category until this year, drained a 60-foot birdie putt on the par-5, No. 12 layout to move to 2-under for Sunday’s round. However, the southpaw with the long putter bogeyed four of the last six layouts.

“It was hard to keep focused,” Lee explained. “I think I had an eight-shot lead. My speed was bad all weekend. I played really, really good the front nine. That was probably as good as I can hit it.”

The first-time Seniors victor played the front nine at even par despite a trio of three-putts, and wound up three-putting five times in the round.

The youth invasion in the Championship flight and the fact the younger players hit the golf ball so far prompted Lee to test the Seniors ranks once becoming eligible (age 55).

“I just decided I’m going seniors and try it out,” he expressed. “Besides, it’s a lot easier hitting a wedge than it is a 6-iron.”

Poland, often a contender, realized the division had gained a formidable player once Lee became eligible.

“He’s pretty good at this game,” Poland noted, “especially playing the (white) tees. Other than the out-of-bounds shots, I was playing pretty good. David was playing good.”

SEVEN IN A ROW

Patch Wilkinson emerged the Women’s champion for the seventh straight year and for the 10th time in the last 13 years with steady rounds of 78-79—157. Saying she came out of retirement, former winner Lisa Matthews finished a distant second.

This was a weekend for Wilkinson to play golf instead of cycling some 70 miles throughout eastern North Carolina with her group.

Cathy Lane was proclaimed the Senior Women’s victor (104-95—199).

Although leading all the way, Baker saw his lead dwindle to a mere shot as Whitley birdied Nos. 8 and 9.

However, Whitley missed a one-foot putt on No. 10 and also struggled at No. 11. Baker about sealed the deal with a birdie at No. 12. He protected and increased a three-shot cushion down the stretch.

“It was pretty squirrelly to start with,” Baker revealed. “I had a lot of opportunities to mess up. I saved a lot of pars. Mark was closing in on me,  for sure.

“I was trying to keep my head down and stay focused. It wasn’t over until it’s over. I was trying to stay steady with Mark and not go pin hunting. Hit it on the green and let the putter do the work. I really didn’t need to go for a low number.’

On the back nine, one shot — the tee ball on No. 12— worried Baker.

“That’s always shaky,” he said. “As long as I get past No. 12, I’m OK.”

The birdie said plenty.

Ellis, who also missed a one-foot putt on No. 10, played the last four layouts at 1-under, but failed by a mere shot to catch his friend and frequent playing partner, Whitley.

“I don’t have a chance, but I am having a good time,” Ellis chirped. “I was 1-under on the front, but I hit two balls in the water and double-bogeyed No. 12. Dwayne was just playing really solid.”

DISAPPOINTMENT

The disappointed Whitley remarked: “I have played solid this year. I had a good showing in the (North Carolina) Mid-Amateur. It’s a matter of making it happen at the right time. I hit it solid, but just didn’t make putts. That’s just how it goes sometimes.

“I did have a couple of bonehead mistakes. If I had a shred of a chance, I had to make that (birdie putt) on No. 16.”

However,  Whitley came away with a par and a double bogey at No. 17 left him trailing by five shots with just No. 18 remaining.

O’Hara, no stranger to runner-up finishes, fell out of contention early with a two-digit score on the par-4, No. 5 layout.

Baker insisted he will be motivated to repeat in 2025.

“The only reason you play in this is to try and win it,” he reasoned. “(North Carolina golf legend Bill) Boles’ name is on that board a lot of times (14). If I’m going to catch him, I’ve got a lot of work to do, and time is getting short.”

Wilson Country Club Championship results

Final two-day (Saturday and Sunday) results in the Championship, Open, Senior  and Women’s flights for Wilson Country Club’s annual Club Championship Tournament. Par 36-36—72 WCC course played lengths of 5,900 yards in the Seniors division and 6,850 yards in the Championship group.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Dwayne Baker           68-74—142

Mark Whitley             70-77—147

Matt Ellis                   73-75—148

Seth Pattan              74-78—152

Clint O-Hara             73-80—153

Luke Spainhour       75-78—153

Scott deKeyzer       75-79—154

Brandon Goldwin   76-79—155

Kyle Norville          76-81—157

OPEN DIVISION

Coalter Paxton IV 77-72—149

Christian Clifton   79-72—151

Joey Lamm          79-80—159

Ross Romonelli  79-81—-160

Jimbo Eggleston 77-83—160

Zim Hagan          80-81—161

David Hesmer    77-87—164

Brandon Narron 86-89—175

SENIORS DIVISION

David Lee          72-74—146

Hewitt Poland   72-80—152

M.A. Tyson       83-74—157

Carey McKeithan  78-80—158

Stan Corbett    79-79—158

Coalter Paxton III  81-85—166

John Rhyne    85-84—169

Paulie Mirakaj 86-83—169

Gregg Zube    82-89—171

Glenn Wells    104-89–193

WOMEN’S DIVISION

Patch Wilkinson    79-79—158

Lisa Matthews      96-94—190

SENIOR WOMEN

Cathy Lane          104-95—199

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