Former Tiger Chris Patton Wins Hooters Air Inaugural

June 29, 2003

North Myrtle Beach, SC– It’s been 14 years and many pounds ago since Chris Patton won the U. S. Amateur Championship and earned a trip to the Masters. Since then he has lost 125 pounds and worked on his game. Today, everything came together for the Clemson grad , as he captured the initial Hooters Air Medal-Match-Shoot Out over the demanding 7,343 yard par 72 Dye Course at The Barefoot Resort in Myrtle Beach.

Patton had to go two extra holes in the shoot-out portion of the golf trifecta to defeat Jean-Paul Hebert, son of the late former PGA Champion, Jay Hebert.

After eight holes of the shoot-out, only Hebert, who won his first Hooters tournament this year, and Patton, a non-winner in his year and a half as a Hooters Tour player until today, remained. Hebert had to make two putts of seven feet each to half the ninth and 10th holes. But Patton ended it at the second extra hole when he hit a sand wedge to five feet and drained the birdie putt.

“I’m really proud of the way I played this week,” said Patton. “I didn’t make a bogey since Thursday.” Patton, who has made every cut this year, feels he could have won three of the prior events, “if only I had putted like I did today.”

Both Patton and Hebert had to survive chip offs, only once during the shoot out session. Patton advanced to the shoot out with a 4 and 2 match play win over Garth Mulroy, while Hebert got in with a 3 and 2 win over Chris Eckerle.

Patton won $20,000 for his efforts on Sunday.

NGA PROFESSIONAL GOLF TOUR Hooters Air – Medal/Match/Shoot-out N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Championship Rounds Awards List Place Name Award 1 Chris Patton, Fountain Inn, SC $20,000.00 2 Jean-Paul Hebert, Houston, TX $10,000.00 3 Kyle Owen, Lebanon, GA $8,000.00 4 Chad Collins, Cloverdale, IN $6,000.00 5 Nick Cassini, Athens, GA $5,000.00 6 Dave Schreyer, Peachtree City, GA $4,200.00 7 Brett Weeks, Palm Harbor, FL $3,700.00 8 Jason Semelsberger, Newhall, CA $3,200.00