Hickory, North Carolina: The Hickory Christmas Classic Tournament held at the Putt-Putt Fun Center located in Hickory, NC, turned out to be an eventful and surprising one as Bryan Deal from Valdese, NC, emerged as the champion in stunning fashion, staging a thrilling comeback in a come-from-behind victory. The tournament took place over three rounds and 54 holes on course one, which is known for hosting PPA and APA tournaments. You can find out more information about these tournaments by contacting the company on their website: https://puttputt.com/hickory-nc
After the completion of the first round, Pro Mini Golf Hall of Famer and PPA player Greg Newport from Icard, NC, and one of only four players in Putt-Putt tournament history to have ever scored a perfect 18, held a three-stroke lead over reigning (APA) N.C. State Champion Richard Miller from Hudson, NC, and newcomer Gavin Hoke from Hickory, NC, who were also in contention, while Deal found himself a few strokes behind in the top six.
In the second round, Deal played exceptionally well, recording the lowest round of the day with a score of 23. This narrowed the gap between him and the leader, positioning him ahead of Miller and the other competitors. Going into the third and final round, Newport still maintained control of the lead, but Deal was only one stroke behind.
As the players completed the last round and the scores were tallied, Deal continued his impressive performance by scoring the second-lowest round of the day with a 24. This gave him the lowest consecutive rounds of the tournament, which ultimately secured him a first-place finish and edged out Miller by two strokes, who finished as the runner-up, and Newport by five strokes, who ended up in third place.
This victory marks a significant achievement for Deal in his first full season of competition in Putt-Putt. It adds another accolade to his resume, as he claims his very first singles tournament win. It’s worth noting that Best Ball tournaments are primarily played throughout the year at this location. Deal is the current co-holder of the Best Ball single-round tournament record in Hickory, shared with his teammate Miller. He is also the runner-up Best Ball Player of the Year with the second-most tournament wins in 2023 and is the 2023 Hickory City Best Ball Champion, along with Miller as well.
The putting tournaments are public and open to everyone.
