Former UNC TeammateS Win 25th NC Senior Four-Ball

Event: 25th North Carolina Senior Four-Ball Championship
Host Site: Cowan's Ford Golf Club, Stanley, N.C.
Playing Dates: August 4-6, 2026

Related Links: Final Leaderboard | Course Statistics | Photos

By Mae O'Neill

STANLEY, N.C. (August 7, 2026) – Tee Burton of Shelby, N.C., and Hunter Grove of Cary, N.C., claimed the 25th North Carolina Senior Four-Ball Championship after back-to-back rounds of 65 (-7) to finish at 197 (-19) at Cowan’s Ford Golf Club. 

The opening round featured 40 rounds under par, including a 67 (-5) from Burton and Grove. Larry Cloninger and Mark Hodges led the field after firing a tournament-low 63 (-9). 

"We were told we couldn't make 10 birdies in our round," Cloninger and Hodges said. "We didn't, but we did make nine, which is close enough." 

Day two had six rounds of 65 (-7), including those from Steve Kidd and Steve Harwell, Burton and Grove, and George Harris and Larry Griffin. Those performances helped create a crowded leaderboard, with five teams sharing the lead entering the final round. 

The final day once again featured several low scores, highlighted by a 65 (-7) from Daniel Hendrickson and Ron Kirkpatrick, who climbed 13 spots on the leaderboard, and another 65 (-7) from Burton and Grove. 

Burton and Grove finished the front nine with a 32 (-4) before making four consecutive pars on holes 10-13. Back-to-back birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 gave the duo sole possession of the lead. On the par-3 17th, their tee shot landed about 20 feet from the hole, and they converted the birdie putt to carry momentum into the long par-5 18th. A closing par secured the championship with a three-day total of 197 (-19). 

Burton currently serves as the head men's and women's golf coach at Gardner-Webb University and was an All-American at UNC Chapel Hill. In 2002, he was named to the ACC's 50th Anniversary All-ACC Men's Golf Team. Grove also competed at UNC Chapel Hill from 1989-93, overlapping with Burton for two seasons. A longtime CGA competitor, Grove won the 1989 Father-Son Championship and finished runner-up in the event in 1990. 

The Carolinas Golf Association extends its appreciation to the staff and membership of Cowan's Ford Country Club for their support and hospitality throughout the championship. Special thanks to Superintendent Mitch Clodfelter, General Manager Mike Riddle, Head Golf Professional Lucas Banks, Director of Golf Lance Reid, and the entire club staff for helping host the 25th North Carolina Senior Four-Ball Championship.