Semifinalists Matt Davis, Will Little, Kevin Lentz, Chris Owen.

Runner-up Will Little, champ Matt Davis.

By Mike London

Salisbury Post

CHINA GROVE — Matt Davis might want to sign up for a few more golf tournaments.

The 2025 Rowan Masters Championship at Warrior Golf Club was his first event — and he won it.

“I play some golf with my buddies, but that’s about it,” said the 24-year-old Davis. “I didn’t play college golf. This was the first official tournament I’ve ever been in, a tournament with rules and a bracket. I didn’t know that I’d even be able to qualify.”

Born and raised in Atlanta and living and working now in Charlotte, Davis played two practice rounds prior to the Masters. That was the first time he’d been on the course in China Grove. Warrior is about an hour from his home.

“I had booked a tee time at Warrior once, but it turned out to be a bad-weather day, freezing cold, so I didn’t get a chance to play,” Davis said. “But that booking did put me on Brian Lee’s mailing list. That’s how I got an invitation to play in the tournament.”

Davis qualified with a 3-over 74 that put him comfortably in the 32-man field as the No. 12 seed, but 74s don’t set off fire alarms. Not when four well-known local golfers were shooting 70s or 71s.

The Rowan Masters is a test of will as well as skill. After qualifying there’s three days and five rounds of match play.

Davis won the tournament in exciting fashion. He breezed in his first-round match with Jeff Childress, 9 and 7, but after that it was four straight matches that weren’t decided until the 18th hole. Four straight 1-ups. He got past Andrew Morgan in the second round and edged Jaden Sprinkle in a quarterfinal in his Saturday matches. He topped defending champ Chris Owen in a Sunday morning semifinal before beating Willian Little in the final in the afternoon.

“I was playing from behind in the two matches on Saturday, but usually was ahead in the two matches on Sunday,” Davis said. “It was definitely a lot of golf this weekend. All I can say is a lot of things just went my way.”

No. 7 was very good to Davis. He chipped in twice on that hole.

His longest putt was a 50-footer in the quarterfinal match with Sprinkle.

Davis said the best he played during the weekend was in the semifinal match with Owen.

“I made a lot of birdies in that match,” Davis said.

Little, the 2024 runner-up to Owen, had an unusual run to get to another final. He struggled in his qualifying round, shot 83 and barely squirmed into the field as the No. 31 seed.

But Little is a long hitter and a proven competitor in the big tournaments and put his game back together. He beat No. 2 seed Derek Lipe in the first round. Then he went through Chris Harte, Landon Merrell and No. 3 seed Kevin Lentz and was still standing for the final.

Davis never trailed, although Little caught up with him twice.

Little started slowly in the championship match, and Davis won two early holes with pars. Little birdied the par-5 No. 4 hole to get back in the match.

Davis won 5 and 7 and was 3-up after eight holes, but that’s when Little got on a roll. Little won the 9th hole. After Little won the 10th and 11th holes with birdies, the match was even.

A key hole for Davis was the 13th. That’s one of the par-5s, and the longer holes are Little’s strength. But Davis birdied, stopped Little’s momentum and went back in front.

Both parred 14 and 15. Both bogeyed 16.

“I had to make a really good putt for bogey there,” Davis said. “Then I tried to hit a hero shot on 17, and got myself in trouble.”

Little won 17 with a birdie, and the match was tied again.

Davis hit the better, straighter tee shot on 18.

“Nothing spectacular, just hit the fairway and two-putted for par to take the hole,” Davis said. “It was exciting to win. I didn’t know anyone in the field when I came here, but I’ve got some new friends now. These are my kind of people, and I look forward to coming back.”

 

Rowan Masters

June 27-29, at Warrior

Defending champ — Chris Owen

Top qualifying scores — Derek Lipe 70, Kevin Lentz 70, Michael Swaringen 71, Brady McIntyre 71

First round (Friday)

(1) Chris Owen d. (32) Chris Fenerty, 5 and 4

(16) Robert Shoaf d, (17) Richard Cobb, 3 and 2

(25) Todd Pegram d. (8) Scott Goodelle, 2 and 1

(24) Ross Brown d. (9) Randy Cooper, 1-up, default

(4) Michael Swaringen d. (29) Brody Benfield, 5 and 3.

(13) Jaden Sprinkle d. (20) John Gaddy, 2 and 1

(28) Andrew Morgan d. (5) Brady McIntyre, 1-up

(13) Matt Davis d. (21) Jeff Childress, 9 and 7

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(31) William Little d. (2) Derek Lipe, 4 and 3

(18) Chris Harte d. (15) Tyler Kepley, 5 and 3

(7) Landon Merrell d. (26) Samuel Faulkner, 5 and 3

(10) Dan Hurd d. (23) Matt Graham, 5 and 3

(3) Kevin Lentz d. (30) Stephen McQuage, 3 and 2

(14) Keith Dorsett d. (19) Cade Cranfield, 2-up

(6) Hunter Byrum d. (27) Cole Sajonia, 7 and 5

(22) Griffin Robbins d. (11) Brandon Ancona, 29 holes

Second round (Saturday morning)

(1) Chris Owen d. (16) Robert Shoaf , 3 and 2

(24) Ross Brown d. (25) Todd Pegram, 3 and 2

(13) Jaden Sprinkle d. (4) Michael Swaringen, 6 and 5

(12) Matt Davis d. (28) Andrew Morgan, 1-up

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(31) Will Little d. (18) Chris Harte, 2 and 1

(7) Landon Merrell d. (10) Dan Hurd, 3 and 1

(3) Kevin Lentz d. (14) Keith Dorsett, 2-up

(6) Hunter Byram d. (22) Griffin Robbins, 3 and 2

Quarterfinals  (Saturday afternoon)

(1) Chris Owen d. (24) Ross Brown, 5 and 4

(12) Matt Davis d. (13) Jaden Sprinkle, 1-up

(31) Will Little d. (7) Landon Merrell, 3 and 2

(3) Kevin Lentz d. (6) Hunter Byram, 3 and 2

Semifinals (Sunday morning)

(12) Matt Davis d. (1) Chris Owen, 1-up

(31) Will Little d. (3) Kevin Lentz, 2 and 1

Championship (Sunday afternoon)

(12) Matt Davis d. (31) William Little, 1-up