SENIOR ROOKIE SIMSON WINS NORTH CAROLINA SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

Victory is Simson's 14th CGA Major Championship

SALISBURY, NC—Final round results of the 21^st North Carolina Senior Amateur Championship of the Carolinas Golf Association hosted by the Country Club of Salisbury in Salisbury, NC on Thursday, May 18, 2006 (6459 yards, par 35-36—71).

Pre-tournament favorite Paul Simson of Raleigh lead wire-to-wire to win the 21^st North Carolina Senior Amateur Championship. Simson, who just turned 55 this month, was competing in his first senior tournament. He is also the reigning Carolinas Men’s Player of the Year after a stellar 2005 tournament season.

Simson, an insurance executive, captured his 14th CGA win and first North Carolina Senior Amateur. With this North Carolina Senior Amateur win, Simson’s CGA collection of titles includes four Carolinas Mid-Amateurs, two Carolinas Amateurs, one Father-Son, five North Carolina Amateurs, and one North Carolina Mid-Amateur.

“It’s a thrill to win my first one”, Simson stated at the awards ceremony. “I do not want to be a senior but I have no choice”, he jokingly said to the crowd.

“I thought I was cruising with a five-shot lead but then Logan (Jackson) really got my heart pumping out there on the back nine making all those birdies. It was a lot of fun”.

Simson started the day with a slim one-stroke lead but had expanded that to a three-stroke lead after the outward nine.

But things got really interesting on the back nine. Logan Jackson of Winston-Salem went on a birdie barrage canning putts at holes #12, 13, 15 and 17 to get within one-stroke of the lead heading to the final hole. Jackson could not convert his birdie attempt on the 18^th hole and Simson made a par four to seal the victory.

Playing in the group ahead of Simson was Bill Boles of Wilson, who shot the lowest round of the day in tough windy conditions, a two-under par 69 to finish in third place, two-strokes back.

Defending champion Robert Kulp of Winston-Salem shot a final round 76 to finish in a tie for 12^th at five-over par 218.