Our Play! blog is taking a hiatus, and we are not sure when it will be active again. In the meantime you can continue to submit your team photos to Your Voice, and your calendar listing to our Events calendar, both on triangle.com.
Until this week, the Triangle's hole-in-one competitions have largely been limited to one-time charity events or contests within tournaments.
Starting Friday, golfers will be able to try their luck in series of hole-in-one contests for a chance at a $100,000 prize.
The inaugural Triangle Hole-in-One Series Presented by Backyard Bistro begins Saturday with Round 1 at the Crooked Creek Golf Club in Fuquay-Varina. Golfers can try their luck from noon until 4 p.m.
The action is in Cary this afternoon and evening as BMX riders take to the Sk8-Carys' 12,000-square-foot street course.
Riders have the skateboarding and biking park to themselves for the BMX Day event, which lasts 3-10p.m. today. It will be a great opportunity for would-be BMX riders to observe and learn.
Laura Wearn of Charlotte led wire-to-wire in winning her first major championship title by four strokes over defending champion Katherine Perry of Cary at the 61st N.C. Women's Amateur Championship in Gastonia.
Wearn's final round 74 was the highest round she shot throughout the N.C. Women's Golf Association www.ncwga.com event, which was played Tuesday through Thursday at the 6,024-yard, par-36-36--72 Gaston Country Club layout.
Lori Beth Adams of Burlington was third, followed by Corrine Carr of Pinehurst in a tie for fourth. Courtney Rouse of Holly Springs was seventh, and Wendell's Ashley Denton shared ninth.
The summer season splashed into action Tuesday evening as the Tarheel Swimming Association (www.tsanc.org) began its six-week run.
The dual-meet competition among recreational teams from community pools through the Triangle has added three new teams for a total of 78, TSA president Bob Goudreau said this week.
The number of swimmers - ages 18 and younger - should surpass 10,000 for the first time after passing 9,700 last year, Goudreau said.
More than 14,000 amateur athletes of all ages - including many from the Triangle - are expected to converge in and around Charlotte for the Powerade State Games of North Carolina.
Opening ceremonies take place at 8 p.m. Friday at the Paladium at Carowinds theme park, and competition ends June 27.
The Olympic-style festival will include a variety of age and skill levels in baseball, basketball, BMX, cycling criterium , disc golf, fencing, figure skating, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, karate, lacrosse, mountain biking, soccer, softball, swimming, taekwondo, tennis, track and field and wrestling.
The action will be fast and beginner-friendly at the Raleigh Rugby Complex on Saturday as the Raleigh Rugby Football Club hosts its annual Charity Sevens tournament.
"Sevens" competition is a smaller, quicker version of the sport, club spokesman Brent Vaughn said. Instead of the usual 15 players per side, each team sends seven to the field, or pitch, and instead of the usual 40-minute halves, teams play seven-minute halves. The result is a family-friendly format that is ideal for introducing spectators to the game.
"Spectators can expect a very fast-paced, full-contact sport that they will be able to enjoy with people around the facility who are familiar with the sport and will be happy to explain," Vaughn said.
The three golfers who advanced from the sectional qualifier in
Sanford will add to the international flavor of next month’s U.S.
Women’s Open Championship in Pennsylvania.
Sectional winner Hsiao-Ching Lu is from Chinese Taipei. She shot rounds
of 69 and 70 for 5-under-par 139 and a three-stroke victory on Thursday
at Carolina Trace Country Club.
Runner-up Gwladys Nocera (74-68—142) is from France, and the third and
final qualifier, Joomi Kim (72-71—143), is from Korea.
Free training is available this week for blind athletes who want to try
Paralympic sports and for the coaches and trainers who work with them.
Bridge II Sports, a Triangle-based nonprofit organization that provides
sports opportunities for people with disabilities, is conducting the
Paralympics Sports Academy for the blind on Friday and Saturday at the
Governor Morehead School at 301 Ashe Ave. in Raleigh.
The academy, held in conjunction with the U.S. Paralympics, will train
people ages 8 to adult in track and field, judo, tandem cycling and
goal ball.
Triangle golfers from Raleigh, Durham, Morrisville and Apex on
Wednesday were among the 23 competitors to advance to the 50th N.C.
Amateur Championship from sectional qualifying hosted by the Lonnie
Poole Golf Course on N.C. State's Centennial Campus in Raleigh.
Henry Zaytoun III of Raleigh led the Triangle contingent, shooting a
3-under-par 69 and sharing second place with Daniel Claytor of Rocky
Mount. They finished two shots behind event winner Harold Varner III of
Gastonia, who shot a 67.
