Castro Collects Second eGolf Tour Win at Spring Creek and $50,000 First-Place Prize

Gordonsville, VA - June 27, 2009 - Roberto Castro of Alpharetta, GA birdied three of his last four holes, including a birdie at the par-5 18th, to win the eGolf Professional Tour's $300,000 Spring Creek Championship and the $50,000 first-place prize.
Castro, who won the tour's Spring Creek Classic at the same venue in 2007, began the round trailing overnight leader Frank Adams III by three, but knew from past experience that a difficult final round lay in wait.
"I've played two tournaments here before, and I knew the front nine pins would be brutal the last day. So I kind of knew that going in," said Castro. "The back nine you can usually get at, so I kind of hung in there on the front and knew I could make some birdies on the back."
While the scores were unusually low through the first 54 holes at Spring Creek Golf Club this week, the feeling early on was that something moderate might do the trick on Saturday.
"I saw what Jay McLuen and Blaine Peffley were doing on the front, so I knew it wouldn't take a 64, but I knew it had to be something good," said Castro.
With McLuen making the turn at 4-under 32 and 14-under for the event, Castro was forced to make a move of his own. Unfortunately, that move consisted of solid pars while the field moved backwards.
McLuen, who held the 36-hole lead, bogeyed Nos. 11 and 14 to fall back while Peffley made his move into a brief lead with an eagle at the par-5 12th. A follow-up bogey at the par-3 13th dropped the former Maryland Terrapin back into a tie with Castro at 13-under, who pared his first five holes on the closing nine; however, that would soon change.
While Peffley finished with four pars and a closing birdie to post 14-under 274, Castro birdied the par-4 15th, the par-4 16th, and arrived at the 18th with a one-shot lead and victory on the horizon. While many players opted to go for the par-5 closing hole in two, Castro methodically laid up, wedged to 12 feet, and made the putt to win by two at 16-under 272.
The old saying of "horses for courses" certainly applies to Castro, who won the 2007 Spring Creek Classic in just his second start as a professional.
"I feel really comfortable hitting into the greens here. On my approach shots, I'm not worried about missing it on the short side - I'm real decisive," said Castro, who finished up an "All American" career at Georgia Tech prior to knocking down that first win. "I know what shot to hit, I just have to step up and hit it."
For Castro, experiences like this help to prepare him for PGA TOUR Qualifying School, which he almost breezed through in his first full year in 2007.
"It helps a lot. You're nervous the whole day, it's not like people who win aren't nervous, they just do better with it," said Castro, who currently resides in Alpharetta, GA. "Honestly, the fields have gotten so much better out here this year. It's a big difference from last year, and two years ago especially. Winning one of these four-day events is good."
Peffley's final-round 68 tied Castro and Dane Burkhart for low round of the day and gave the Lebanon, PA native a $27,000 runner-up boost to the checking account.
McLuen and U.S. Open 36-hole star Trevor Murphy each tied for third at 13-under 275 and earned $13,500 for the week.
Murphy, who became a household name as the boy-next-door qualifier who was in the top 20 with 36 holes to play in the U.S. Open, struggled early on Saturday but was able to recover with two birdies in his last four holes for a 1-over 73.
Brazilian Fernando Mechereffe, playing in the day's final threesome, carded a 2-over 74 to finish solo fifth and earn $11,000 for his efforts.
Local favorite Stephen Gangluff, Darryl Chappell and Adams finished tied for sixth and each earned $9,000. Adams struggled to a final-round 76 in his attempt to win a fifth career eGolf Tour event.

New England Player Notes:

• U.S. Open participant Kevin Silva of New Bedford, MA was the low New England player at the Spring Creek Championship. Just one week after competing at Bethpage Black, Silva carded rounds of 72-69-75-78-294 to finish T63. Silva was positioned nicely through 36 holes at 3-under 141, but struggled over the final 36 holes on Spring Creek's front nine, where he carded matching nines of 4-over 40 in each round.

2009 eGolf Professional Tour Money List - New England Players

64     Kevin Silva $11,281
94     Jesse Smith $7,128
110   Jeff Hill $5,528
T204 Kyle Gallo $1,273
T204 John Elliott $1,273
T215 Corey Harris $1,125
T248 Charlie Rutledge $0

Spring Creek Championship
Spring Creek G.C.
Gordonsville, VA
Par 72; 7,152 yards

Final-Round Results

1. Roberto Castro, Alpharetta, GA, $50,000.00, *69-65-70-68-272 -16
2. Blaine Peffley, Lebanon, PA, $27,000.00, *68-71-67-68-274 -14
3. Jay McLuen, Athens, GA, $13,500.00, *68-65-73-69-275 -13
3. Trevor Murphy, Scottsdale, AZ, $13,500.00, *69-68-65-73-275 -13
5. Fernando Mechereffe, Charlotte, NC, $11,000.00, *69-66-67-74-276 -12
6. Steve Gangluff, Ponte Vedra Beach,FL, $9,000.00,*71-67-70-69-277 -11
6. Daryl Chappell, Sutherland, VA, $9,000.00, *67-70-70-70-277 -11
6. Frank Adams III, Salisbury, NC, $9,000.00, *68-66-67-76-277 -11
9. Reid Edstrom, Auburn, AL, $7,000.00, *71-69-67-71-278 -10
10. Colin Biles, Columbus, OH, $5,650.00, *68-71-68-72-279 -9
10. Jess Daley, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, $5,650.00, *65-71-70-73-279 -9
10. Tommy Biershenk, Boiling Springs,SC, $5,650.00,*69-68-67-75-279 -9
10. Matt Hendrix, Reston, VA, $5,650.00, *72-64-67-76-279 -9
14. Richard Hanna, Charlottsville, VA, $4,750.00, *70-69-71-70-280 -8
14. Matt Davidson, Chapel Hill, NC, $4,750.00, *71-68-71-70-280 -8
14. Dane Burkhart, Aiken, SC, $4,750.00, *72-69-71-68-280 -8
14. Chris Baker, Brownstown, IN, $4,750.00, *71-68-68-73-280 -8
18. Adam Fox, Charlotte, NC, $4,250.00, *70-69-69-73-281 -7
18. Keven Fortin-Simard, Quebec, QC, $4,250.00, *70-69-69-73-281 -7
20. Brad Klapprott, Lakeland, FL, $3,850.00, *70-72-68-72-282 -6
20. Derek Watson, Murrells Inlet, SC, $3,850.00, *71-70-69-72-282 -6
20. David Robinson, Sandersville, GA, $3,850.00, *69-70-70-73-282 -6
20. Chris Rogers, Nashville, TN, $3,850.00, *71-68-69-74-282 -6
20. Scott Anderson, Scottsdale, AZ, $3,850.00, *72-68-68-74-282 -6
20. Gregg Jones, Florence, SC, $3,850.00, *68-72-67-75-282 -6
26. Todd Murphy, Phoenix, AZ, $3,171.43, *74-68-68-73-283 -5
26. Adam Gary, Bowling Green, KY, $3,171.43, *71-70-70-72-283 -5
26. Jay Haas, Greenville, SC, $3,171.43, *72-71-69-71-283 -5
26. Cortland Lowe, Charlotte, NC, $3,171.43, *71-70-71-71-283 -5
26. Andrew Medley, Athens, AL, $3,171.43, *71-69-68-75-283 -5
26. Brad Smith, Australia, $3,171.43, *69-73-71-70-283 -5
26. Jay Mundy, Auburn, AL, $3,171.43, *71-69-74-69-283 -5
33. Cory Kaufman, Bluffton, SC, $2,600.00, *72-69-69-74-284 -4
33. Wes Homan, Cincinnati, OH, $2,600.00, *70-68-70-76-284 -4
33. David Sanchez, Pinehurst, NC, $2,600.00, *70-70-68-76-284 -4
36. Whitfield Massey, Charleston, SC, $2,362.50, *72-68-69-76-285 -3
36. Doug Ferris, Hernando Beach, FL, $2,362.50, *72-68-73-72-285 -3
36. Jeff Street, Charlotte, NC, $2,362.50, *71-72-70-72-285 -3
36. Ryan Blaum, Coral Gables, FL, $2,362.50, *67-70-69-79-285 -3
40. Tim Cantwell, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, $1,893.75,*74-67-69-76-286 -2
40. Alex Hamilton, Aiken, SC, $1,893.75, *73-67-70-76-286 -2
40. Billy Whalen, Nashville, TN, $1,893.75, *70-71-70-75-286 -2
40. Rob Johnson, Orlando, FL, $1,893.75, *70-69-69-78-286 -2
40. Deane Pappas, South Africa, $1,893.75, *69-72-72-73-286 -2
40. Martin Ureta, Chapel Hill, NC, $1,893.75, *70-73-70-73-286 -2
40. Clint Jensen, Jupiter, FL, $1,893.75, *73-69-72-72-286 -2
40. Bryan Jones, Atlanta, GA, $1,893.75, *71-68-75-72-286 -2
48. Christo Greyling, Orlando, FL, $1,600.00, *69-68-72-78-287 -1
48. Hank Kim, Jonesboro, GA, $1,600.00, *75-66-71-75-287 -1
48. Chris McCartin, Arlington, VA, $1,600.00, *67-71-75-74-287 -1
51. Kyle Stiles, Athens, GA, $1,458.33, *70-72-69-77-288 E
51. Scott Weatherly, Fort Payne, AL, $1,458.33, *71-68-74-75-288 E
51. Cameron Yancey, Blackstone, VA, $1,458.33, *73-70-69-76-288 E
54. Jamie Miller, Buffalo, NY, $1,375.00, *74-67-71-77-289 +1
54. Tanner Ervin, Mt. Pleasant, SC, $1,375.00, *73-69-74-73-289 +1
54. Blaine Rogers, Simpsonville, SC, $1,375.00, *71-71-74-73-289 +1
57. Travis Perkins, Lakeland, FL, $1,312.50, *70-68-73-79-290 +2
57. Sang Ji, Murrieta, $1,312.50, *72-69-74-75-290 +2
59. Andy Bare, West End, NC, $1,275.00, *68-71-72-80-291 +3
60. John Saari, Lilburn, GA, $1,237.50, *71-69-76-76-292 +4
60. Ryan Dillon, Desert Hills, AZ, $1,237.50, *72-71-73-76-292 +4
62. Keith Huber, Fresno, CA, $1,200.00, *71-68-71-83-293 +5
63. Kevin Silva, Charlotte, NC, $1,162.50, *72-69-75-78-294 +6
63. Tim Hegarty, Briarcliff Manor, NY, $1,162.50, *70-73-74-77-294 +6