New Mexico alum Erkenbeck grabs Mountain Lakes Classic win in NGA Debut

Former All-Nicklaus and Palmer Cup team member runs away from field at Cross Creek

(Seneca, S.C.) – After a much heralded career at the University of New Mexico, where star player James Erkenbeck (San Diego, Cal.) competed in the US Am Publinks and Palmer Cup and was named a member of the All-Nicklaus Team, Erkenbeck did what very few golfers have ever done on the NGA Tour Pro Series over the years, and that was post a win in his very first NGA Tour Pro Series start. The former Lobo won in style shooting three straight rounds of 69 and a final day 70 to finish the 4 day event at 7 under par, three better than his next closest competitor 2012-13 Web.com Tour member and former University of Kentucky star Andy Winings (Brownsburg, Ind.). Winings was the only player to challenge Erkenbeck as his final round 68, one of only two sub-70 final rounds on the day, was two better than Erkenbeck’s final round but still only managed to get him to within three strokes for the event. Winings finished in solo 2nd, three shots better than a trio tied for third.

When asked what the key to his play was during the week, Erkenbeck exclaimed “I struck the ball well and was able to run in a few putts throughout the course of the four rounds.”

When asked what a victory on the NGA Tour Pro Series meant to him and would do for his confidence, Erkenbeck replied “It was a great field, a number of good players competing on a tough course like (Cross Creek Plantation), I can take a lot of good things and can take this to the next level.”

Erkenbeck received $14,000 for the win while Winings earned $7,000 for the runner-up finish. 2013 Woodcreek Classic Champion and former Akron star Blake Sattler (New Philadelphia, Oh.) finished tied for third at on under par with Delware alum Justin Matinson (Avondale, Pa.) and the current NGA Tour Pro Series Money Leader Dominic Bozzelli. Bozzelli, who starred at Auburn and finished runner-up in the 2013 NCAA Championships, won the first three Pro Series events of the 2014 season. The last player to win three consecutive Pro Series events was Zach Johnson during his 2001 NGA Tour Player of the Year campaign.

2014 Ocala Marion Classic Champion and former Florida Gator Tyson Alexander finished in solo 9th which moved him up to number 3 on the this year’s money list. Florida Southern’s Brian Richey, who was alone in second following the conclusion of the third round, struggled in his final round, finishing tied for 12th but still holding strong inside the top 10 on the money list in 7th place. Ontario’s Christopher Ross, who starred at Eastern Michigan, finished tied for 16th. Ross won this year’s NGA Winter Series Money Title adding three consecutive wins of his own, winning the final Winter event of 2013 and the first two of 2014.

The NGA Tour would like to thank Head Professional Mark Ernst and his staff and volunteers at Cross Creek Plantation, and the town of Seneca, S.C. for putting on such a great professional event. The NGA Tour picks back up April 28th with the Savannah Lakes Village Classic at Monticello in McCormick, S.C. with tournament play scheduled for Thursday May 1st through Sunday May 4th in one of the signature events on the NGA Tour Pro Series schedule.

To learn more about the NGATour or the National Golf Association, visit www.ngatour.com or call 800-992-8748.

For the James Erkenbeck Champions Corner video interview, visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hex4z-1PE-E

For full 2014 Mountain Lakes Classic results, visit: www.ngatour.com/finalresults/pro2014015/#.U16zX1VdU8w

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