Nathan Young, a caddie at Old Chatham Golf Club, placed first in the sectional qualifier round of the seventh North Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship.

The qualifying victory marks his first win in professional play. Young, who finished three under par, earned medalist honors and qualified for the championship. The competition runs Aug.10-14 in Southern Pines, North Carolina.

Young, of Oak Ridge, North Carolina, always felt passionately about playing sports. Growing up playing golf and baseball, Young went on to play baseball at Elon University. Upon graduation, and the end of his baseball career, Nate knew he wanted to pursue golf professionally. He began working at Old Chatham, the top-ranked golf course in North Carolina’s Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill Triangle area, earning the title caddie. Under head golf professional Brian Rigsby and PGA instructor Patrick Kelley, Nate fine-tuned his professional game.

Up against 35 skilled amateur golfers from across the state, Nate finished one stroke under the second qualifier. Remarkably, he birdied four holes on his back nine holes to win the qualifier round, earning a medal. On Aug. 10 Nate will take on North Carolina’s top 126 male amateur golfers at the Championship in Southern Pines.

QUOTES:

“I’ve always had a love for sports, and golf especially,” Young said. “I’ve really been putting in time towards my professional golf game, and I am excited for my first win and the tournament ahead. Getting a win really gives a golfer the confidence he needs to continue playing well.”

“I’m proud of the way Nate’s been playing,” said PGA instructor Patrick Kelley. “He has been working hard on his game, and he deserved this win.”

ABOUT OLD CHATHAM GOLF CLUB:

Established in 1999 by North Carolina business leaders, Old Chatham Golf Club has earned a reputation as a nationally recognized club, with notable members hailing from across the United States as well as international locations like Beijing, London and Singapore among others. A Rees Jones design, the North Carolina Golf Panel ranks Old Chatham the No. 1 course in the Triangle. Located minutes from Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill, Old Chatham Golf Club offers members and their guests a tranquil, uncrowded retreat for doing business, making connections or simply enjoying the game of golf. For more information, visit http://oldchathamgolf.org.