Paul Simson (CGA)

That can be said for Raleigh, North Carolina’s Paul Simson. One-shot back of Evan Long to begin the final round, Simson was calm, cool, and collected throughout the day.

Of course, Simson has been there before. 38 times before, to be exact. Over the years, Simson has etched his name into 38 Carolinas Golf Association trophies. Looking to make it three in a row for No. 39 at Kinston Country Club in Kinston, North Carolina, Simson had some work to do.

“I started out as hot as a firecracker,” Simson told the CGA. “I was three-under through four holes. I had a two-shot lead and was thinking things were going to be pretty good. Then I didn’t make any more birdies.”

Following a bogey on the par-4 6th, Simson went from a firecracker to an icicle. Following the 6th, Simson carded 11-consecutive pars. Meanwhile, Long had an eventful and colorful scorecard that netted him a 1-under final round, good for a 4-under total through No. 17.

One-shot ahead of Long on the 18th tee, Simson knew he had to make something happen as Long was coming off a birdie on No. 17. Striping his driver down the middle of the fairway, he trusted his 3-iron rescue to get him on the green in two for a possible eagle attempt.

He delivered.

Knocking the hybrid to 12-feet, Simson had the advantage. Long, needing three shots to get onto the green, put his approach to just 5-feet for birdie. With the tournament coming down to a putting contest, Simson called game.

“I took the putter right out of his hands by making that putt for eagle,” said Simson. “That was good because I think he probably would have made it if we had been going down the first hole.”

With the eagle, Simson tallied his first under-par score since the fourth hole and broke a streak of 11-straight pars. Finishing at 6-under, Simson looked on as Long tapped in his birdie to get to 4-under par, sealing the victory for Simson.

In the 70+ division, Jack Marin (Durham, NC) needed all of his first-round 67 to stay clear of a charging Charlie Parks (Asheboro, NC) who carded a final round 68 to finish one shot back of Marin. Marin posted an even-par 71 to finish at 4-under for the event, taking home the championship.