Michael Swaringen, Kevin Lentz

Jaden and Bryson Sprinkle.

 

By Mike London

Salisbury Post

SALISBURY — The team of Michael Swaringen and Kevin Lentz won the Championship Flight in the recent 61st annual Grady B. McCanless 4-Ball Tournament.

They prevailed 3 and 2 in the final over Bryson Sprinkle and Jaden Sprinkle.

It came down to the qualifying medalists, Swaringen and Lentz, against the defending champions, the Sprinkles.

“We played some really good golf here, shot 61 in qualifying (9-under) and we were 8-under for 16 holes in the final,” Swaringen said.

It was the fourth “Grady B.” title for Swaringen and the third for Lentz. They also tag-teamed at McCanless in 2024, but didn’t qualify for the Championship Flight. They did manage to take the First Flight.

Lentz has been on a roll at McCanless. He’s almost always a contender on every course in the county, but McCanless brings out the best in him.

“The last 10 years, that’s three wins in the Grady B. Championship Flight, three years as a qualifying medalist, and four runner-up finishes in the Championship Flight,” he said. “Plus two wins in the First Flight. That’s a really nice run, and I’ve enjoyed it. There’s nothing more fun that match play at McCanless. It’s a shorter course, and a lot of guys are hitting wedges (on their approach shots) and there are a lot of birdie opportunities and a lot of birdies being made. It’s always exciting. I’ve shot 10-under at McCanless — and lost.”

Lentz said he and Swaringen “ham and egged” it. One or the other was always playing well. There weren’t any holes where they both struggled.

Swaringen, the 2023 Rowan Masters champ at Warrior and the qualifying medalist for the Rowan Amateur at Corbin Hills last summer, lives on High Rock Lake and said he spends more time fishing than golfing these days, but he can still bring it for the major tournaments.

“This was a really good tournament, excellent field,” Swaringen said. “We played the Dorsetts (Keith and Michael) in the first round of the Championship Flight and won 5 and 4. Then we played Thad and Gavin Sprinkle and won 3 and 2. If you’re going to win at McCanless, you’re going to have to beat some  Sprinkles. Then we played Jaden and Bryson in the final.”

Believe or not, Jaden Sprinkle made two eagles in the championship match, but it still wasn’t enough.

“He chipped in on No. 4 for eagle and he holed out from 65 yards on 11 for another one,” Swaringen said.

“My second shot actually hit the pin and I had an birdie,” Lentz said. “But then he knocks it in for eagle, and we still lose the hole.”

Lentz and Swaringen were 1-up going to 15 and won that hole with a birdie to go 2-up.

“That was the key hole,” Swaringen said. “Then we finished it on 16.”

“Just a day when a whole lot went right for us — except for those two eagles,” Lentz said with a laugh.

Swaringen and Lentz hope the Grady B. will be a springboard to additional success in the Rowan Masters. Qualifying for the Masters at Warrior starts on June 20. While Swaringen had a breakthrough win there in 2023 — his first big individual triumph in Rowan County — Lentz is still trying to get over that hump. Lentz has been qualifying medalist for the Masters three times and has made several trips to the finals.

“I’ve had my share of close calls, a lot of second places,” Lentz said. “But maybe this is my year.”