May 23, 2010
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — After posting a 5-under-par 67 in the tournament’s final round to finish two strokes ahead of the field, former University of Kentucky men’s golf great Mark Blakefield won the 2010 ADI Classic at the Cherry Blossom Golf Club (par-72, yardage-6842) in Georgetown, Ky., on Sunday.
Blakefield, a native of Maysville, Ky., was brilliant all weekend long, scoring 24 birdies, 47 pars and one bogey to finish the four-round tournament at 23-under-par. Blakefield posted five birdies in the final round to create enough of a lead at the top of the leaderboard to hold off Andy Pope and Chip Deason, who finished in a tie for second at 21-under-par.
A member of UK’s 2005 Southeastern Conference Championship team, Blakefield has now won two tournaments on the 2010 National Golf Association Hooters Tour, claiming the Ocala Marion Sports Commission Classic in March. In all, Blakefield has claimed three NGA Hooters Tour victories after winning the ADI Classic back in 2008 for his first tour win.
With the win Sunday, Blakefield stands as the current money leader through eight tournaments on the tour, gathering in $62,763 in total earnings. Of the eight tournaments this season, Blakefield has played in five, posting two victories and two top-60 finishes along with one withdrawal.
Blakefield sat in a tie for 26th after the first round of the tournament, posting a 4-under-par 68, but soared to the top of the leaderboard after back-to-back 7-under-par 65s in the second and third round. In the final round Sunday, Blakefield set the tone early, birdying four holes on the front nine to increase his lead and then played steadily on the final nines hole with one birdie and eight pars to take home the tournament crown.
Blakefield had a very successful career as a Wildcat, serving as a team captain on Kentucky’s first ever SEC Championship team in 2005. Blakefield was named to the All-SEC second team in 2005 as well as being an Academic All-SEC member during the 2003 season.
The next NGA Hooters Tour event will be The Bentonville Open held June 7-13 at the Lost Springs Golf and Athletic Club in Rogers, Ark.
