Father and son duo Chad and Chase Clayton won the Crowder/Dorsett Memorial Labor Day Four-Ball Golf Tournament over Labor Day weekend in a chase that resulted in playing three extra holes. The Claytons were seeded 14th and knew they were the underdogs going into the tournament.
Chad is a 1996 graduate of Catawba College while son Chase is a current Catawba student. Both also have a close tie to golf at Catawba. Chad played as a student and Chase is a current member of the team.
“Coming back to Catawba and playing at the Country Club of Salisbury is always fun,” said Chad. “Winning the tournament with my son is very special for me. We have a lot of fun playing as a team, Chase being the younger much more talented part of our team combined with my years of experience seems to be a good combination.”
The Claytons shot a 69 in qualifying and had to make the Championship Flight in a playoff, took out two former Division I golfers, Eric Edwards and Alez Nianouris in 19 holes. They then beat the team of Charlie Barr and Will Fowler in 21 holes. These wins brought them to Monday morning’s semifinals where they were matched against Lee Frick and Blake Wray, the team that won in 2017 and 2018.
Patience finally paid off on the third extra hole where Chase sank the match-winning putt.
“My Dad kept saying, keep patient and the putts will fall,” said Chase. “Each match was stressful from the first hole to the last. Steady golf helped us this weekend. Overall, we had a great weekend, a lot of good people to play with, and a lot of quality father and son time.”
“I really wanted to win this tournament for Patsy and Dick Rendleman,” added Chad. “The entire Rendleman family has meant so much to Catawba golf for many years. Every time I come up on #5 fairway I look over to #6 tee box and expect to see the late Richard Rendleman standing there like he was every day during my time at Catawba many years ago. What a great man and a great family!”
Chase agreed, “It was such a pleasure to have the Rendleman’s there cheering us on every step of the way. I think Mrs. Rendleman was thrilled with our win especially since she saw my Dad play for Catawba and is now watching me play for Catawba. I am very happy to be playing on the men’s golf team and feel like Catawba is my second home.”
About Catawba College
Founded in 1851, Catawba College is a four-year, private, liberal arts college conveniently located in Salisbury, N.C. Ranked as one of the best regional colleges in the South, The College offers more than 70 academic programs and three graduate programs offering students the ability to combine and cross majors. Close faculty mentorships and numerous experiential learning options create opportunities for Catawba College graduates to exceed their own expectations and find their vocation. Additional information is available at catawba.edu.
