BLUEFIELD, Va. —
The 43rd annual Pocahontas Men’s Amateur has three former champions, a handful of rising stars, and several perennial contenders in a field that numbers nearly 80 golfers.
The tournament, which begins play this morning at Fincastle Country Club in Bluefield, Va., promises to be a “wide open” affair.
Although Garland Green, who won the Pocahontas for the past four years in a row, won’t be playing since he recently turned pro, this year’s Pocahontas field is teeming with talent.
Topping the list are seven-time Pocahontas champion Todd Satterfield, six-time Pocahontas winner Kevin Leatherwood, and Buck Brittain, who won the Pocahontas in 1999 and is now playing extremely well.
Among the interesting first-time Pocahontas competitors is Winston Canada, an Oak Hill resident who finished second in the West Virginia State Amateur several days ago.
The long-hitting Canada posted more birdies than anyone else in the field at that event and has a flair for the dramatic.
Ben Campbell of Cleveland, Va., is also an interesting new addition . He was Medalist at the 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifier at Sleepy Hollow Golf Club on Wednesday.
Campbell earned his way into the Championship by shooting a 3-under-par 69 on the 6,928-yard course.
Concord standout Matt Morgan is in the field one week after finishing second in the Southwest Virginia Amateur.
Several tournament-tested college golfers, Bluefield High School’s Evan Smith, and Matt Brittain from Abingdon, Va., are among the younger headliners.
The 6,600-yard Fincastle Country Club course is in pristine condition, and golfers are aware that the opportunities for birdies on the par-five holes are counterbalanced by the five demanding par-threes on the course.
The three-day, 54-hole tournament will crown a champion this Sunday afternoon.
The 43rd annual Pocahontas Men’s Amateur is sponsored exclusively by First Century Bank.
The tournament will run through Sunday when the winner is crowned.
Local Sports
August 10, 2012
Pocahontas begins at Fincastle
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