Bock finishes runner-up at NC Match Play championship

Last week’s 17th annual North Carolina Men’s Amateur Match Play Championship featured a distinctive Burke County feel.

Morganton native Alex Bock, a 2024 Freedom High School graduate, finished as runner-up, while Hank Johnson of Newland, a former middle school state champion at Table Rock and Mimosa Hills Golf Club member, also reached the semifinals.

The 64-player event was held Aug. 5-8 at Woodlake Resort and Country Club, located just outside of Pinehurst.

Bock, a rising junior golfer at UNC Charlotte, won each of his first five matches on the week to reach the finals. He topped Maddox Whittington of Lenoir, 4 and 3, in the round of 16 before advancing to the semis with a 3 and 2 triumph over Connor Williams of Clemmons, both on the penultimate day of the tournament.

Johnson, meanwhile, eliminated Wills Eller of Wilkesboro, 4 and 2, to reach the quarterfinals and beat Eli Schmidly of Charlotte, 1 up, to set up a semifinal showdown versus Bock.

Bock then defeated Johnson on the 18th hole, 1 up, to advance to meet Salisbury’s Michael Childress in the 18-hole final, where Bock fought back from a 4 down deficit on the back nine to reach the 18th hole but wound up falling after a Childress birdie on No. 18, 2 down.

Bock is a former two-time county individual prep champion who led FHS to two county crowns and four conference crowns. He was also a four-time prep state qualifier, FHS male athlete of the year, and 2025 Burke County Open champion.

“A nice way to wrap up a solid summer before heading back to UNCC,” Alex’s father, Duane, posted to Facebook. Duane is also a longtime PGA Tour caddie. “Thanks to everyone that is helping (Alex) progress and get closer to reaching his goals.”

Mimosa Hills Jr. Invitational next weekend

The seventh annual Mimosa Hills Junior Invitational golf tournament, which is conducted by the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) and hosted by Mimosa Hills Golf Club, is set for next weekend, Aug. 21-23.

Top teen golfers from around the Southeast will play their practice rounds on day one before the 36-hole tournament features 120 total golfers spanning the boys and girls divisions over the final two days.

All players will tee off hole No. 1 both days. Players will be re-paired for the final round, with the lowest scorers starting last. Tee times last until just before 2 p.m. both days, and there is no spectator charge to attend the tournament.

The 96 boys golfers in the field will play Mimosa as a par 70 from 6,648 yards, while the 24-player girls field will meet a 6,048-yard, par-72 challenge.

Grayson Baucom of Hickory and Ira Joshi of Southern Pines were the 2025 champions.

Silver Creek brings back night golf tourney

Silver Creek Golf Club recently announced that it is bringing back the Morganton Parks and Recreation Department’s Glow Vibe day/night golf tournament for a third consecutive year. The event will be held Oct. 15 starting at 4:30 p.m.

In this year’s event, two-person Texas Scramble teams will play nine holes in the daytime, break for dinner, then play nine holes in the dark using glow equipment. Cost is $75 per player and includes golf and dinner. The event is expected to conclude by 11 p.m.

The registration deadline is Oct. 1. To register, visit shorturl.at/J7Ebl. For more information, contact Andew Tallent at atallent@morgantonnc.gov or 828-438-5350.