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Former 49er Standout Makes Eagle on Last Hole for Victory on Tarheel Tour

CHARLOTTE -  By Craig Distl - Jeff Curl of Jupiter, Fla., shot his second consecutive 66 to win the $5,000 first-place check Thursday in the Tarheel Tour's Emerald Lake Classic at Emerald Lake Golf Club.
Curl, a former all-conference golfer at UNC Charlotte, put an exclamation point on his victory by rolling in a 70-foot eagle putt on the final hole to finish 14 under par at 199 on the par-71 layout. That gave him a five-shot victory of Derek Watson of Manning, S.C. It was Curl's first professional victory after turning pro about three years ago.
"I've come so close the last three years. I just lost a tournament a month ago in a playoff. I've actually lost quite a few in a playoff," said Curl. "To have a 70-footer go in on the last hole is a great way to finally win a tournament."
Watson, who played collegiately at Wofford, also shot 66 Thursday, matching Curl for the low round of the day. He finished nine under at 204 and collected $3,000. Jeremy Pope of Pawleys Island, S.C., shot 68 to jump from fifth to third and earn $2,000.
Curl's victory was a good ending to a week that began with hopes of playing across town in the PGA Tour's Wachovia Championship. He entered the Monday qualifier for the Wachovia Championship and finished one shot out of a playoff for the fourth and final spot.
"After I missed the Wachovia playoff by one, I decided to play in this event and try to make some money to pay for the trip," Curl said. "I don't know what it is about North Carolina, but I seem to play well here."
Tarheel Professional Tour
Final Results
Emerald Lake Golf Club
Par 71, 6,756 yards
Jeff Curl, Jupiter, Fla., $5,000 67-66-66--199
Derek Watson, Manning, SC, $3,000 70-68-66--204
Jeremy Pope, Pawleys Island, $2,000 67-70-68--205
Matt Cannon, Huntersville, $1,350 70-66-71--207
Steve Voinovich, Cleveland, OH, $1,350 67-68-72--207
Jay Jurecic, Caspian, Mich., $1,350 72-66-69--207
Erik Herberth, Avon Lake, OH, $1,150 70-61-77--208
Kyle Bradley, Columbia, $1,150 71-66-71--208
Chris Mundorf, Raleigh, $1,150 71-68-69--208
Stewart Moore, Charlotte, $1,025 69-72-69--210
David Herms, Charlotte, $1,025 67-72-71--210
Ben Case, Charlotte, $900 69-69-73--211
Russell Killough, Charlotte, $733.33 72-68-72--212
Grant Ramsey, Cookeville, TN, $733.33 69-70-73--212
Garth Mulroy, Raleigh, $733.33 70-73-69--212
Korky Kemp, Greensboro, $637.50 71-72-70--213
Daniel Brunson, Greenville, SC, $637.50 71-69-73--213
Justin Young, Roanoke, $600 72-70-72--214
Josh Dickinson, Matthews, $562.50 68-71-76--215
Matt Kilgo, Charlotte, $562.50 72-70-73--215
David Siegel, Charlotte, $512.50 70-72-74--216
Kevin Taylor, Mocksville, $512.50 72-71-73--216
Len Calvert, Easley, SC, $450 69-74-74--217
Landon Hames, Woodruff, SC, $450 70-72-75--217
Mark Stillwell, Greensboro, $212.50 73-70-75--218
Chris Hockaday, Mt. Airy, $212.50 67-70-DQ

Craig Distl