ATLANTA - Former Georgia State men's golfer Jonathan Fricke won the 59th annual Georgia Open presented by Club Car on Sunday at The Legends at Chateau Elan. The 2005 graduate shot a 2-under 70 to earn a one-stroke victory over Matt Nagy.
Fricke, who resides in Snellville and can frequently be found playing at The Legends, made five birdies in his final round, his third 2-under par 70 round of the event. He has spent the summer playing on the eGolf Professional Tour, though has had stints on the Web.com Tour (formerly Nationwide Tour) in the past.
Fricke played solid golf throughout the week and finished with 16 birdies and was tied for first in that category. For his efforts, Fricke earned the first place check of $6,000. During the check and trophy presentation Fricke credited his work with PGA professional Jeff Paton for making improvements with his golf swing. The duo has worked together for more than 12 years. Paton is the Director of Golf at the Golf Club of Georgia in Alpharetta and also teaches the 2009 Georgia Open champion Roberto Castro of Alpharetta who is currently a rookie on the PGA Tour, as well as, several other touring professionals.
Fricke entered the final round tied for the lead with 2007 Georgia Open Champion Jeff Hull of Watkinsville. During the final round, he birdied the 15th and 16th holes which proved to be enough after making a bogey at the 17th.
Another former Panther, Allen Thompson, shot a final round 73 to finish tied for 19th. Thompson was a part of the Panthers first-ever NCAA National Championship appearance in 2000 and won the 2001 TAAC Championship (now Atlantic Sun Conference).
The Legends at Chateau Elan is a private golf club that gracefully winds through the heart of Chateau Elan. Unique by design, The Legends at Chateau Elan is crafted from the worldly experience of three great champions: Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, and Kathy Whitworth. Each was asked to select six of their all-time favorite holes, and the result is a classic 18, bearing certain design elements from the legends' selections. Certainly noticeable at The Legends at Chateau Elan is the tribute to traditional golf course architecture of the early 1900's. For the week the course is set up as a par 72 and plays a total length of 7,003 yards.
The Georgia PGA is one of the 41 Sections of the PGA of America. Its membership includes over 830 PGA professionals working at over 260 golf courses, clubs, and ranges throughout the state. Additionally, more than 20 Georgia PGA members compete on one of the PGA Tours. In keeping with the fundamental objectives laid down by its founders, one of the Georgia PGA's primary goals is promoting the game of golf through clinics, junior and minority golf programs, consumer programs, and print, radio, and television media.
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