Duluth, Ga. – Ryan Hybl of Colbert, Georgia, the nation’s top-ranked junior golfer the last two years, earned his first major amateur title when he won the 94^th annual Southern Amateur Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Duluth, Georgia.

The third round leader by four shots, Hybl held off a late challenge by Australian Adam Groom, the halfway leader, to win by two, 277 to 279, on the 6,989 Highlands course, site of the U. S. Open in 1976 and the 1981 and 2001 PGA Championships.

"I was just trying to get around the golf course today," said Hybl, who shot 72 with 16 pars, a birdie at the par 5 second hole and a bogey at the par-3 17^th. "I wanted to play solid golf, hit fairways and greens. I was hoping to have a little more breathing room at the end, but he applied some good pressure." Hybl hit 10 of 14 fairways, excluding the par-3s, and 16 greens; Groom 12 fairways and 14 greens.

Groom closed with 70 after birdies at the 13^th and 16^th holes but missed a 10 footer for birdie at the par-3 17^th that could have cut the margin to one with the par-5 18^th remaining.

Carl Pettersson of Raleigh, North Carolina, a first round co-leader, and Greg Kennedy of Duluth, Georgia, tied for third at 281. Drew Jones of Johnson City, Tennessee, fired the low round of the week, a seven under par 65 that featured eight birdies and a bogey to climb into a tie for fifth at 283.

"Hybl was just too good," said Groom, 21, who had his first top 10 finish in four tournaments in the US this summer. " I played well the first two days," 69-66, to lead Pettersson by three and Hybl by four, "but a little scruffy the last two (74-70). But I don’t mind losing to someone who plays so well."

A June graduate of Madison County High School, Hybl was the nation’s top junior before turning 19 on June 20. He is headed for the University of Georgia on scholarship. From 15 to 18 years of age, he won five major junior championships.

The top 40 and ties, or scores through 294, are exempt from qualifying for the 95^th Southern at Crown Colony in Lufkin, Texas, July 18-21, 2001. The 36-hole cut for the 168 player field fell at 150.

Even though the magnificently groomed and conditioned Atlanta Athletic Club had never hosted the Southern Amateur, its ties with the Southern Golf Association are strong. It permanently houses the Charles Adair trophy and is home to the Bobby Jones room. Jones won the Southern Amateur three times.

This was the first time the Southern Amateur has been played in the Atlanta area since 1956 when Arnold Blum of Macon, Georgia won at Druid Hills. However, the Southern Golf Association returns in 2002 for its 100^th anniversary, and 96^th Championship, at East Lake in Decatur, Georgia, July 17-20.

On the eve of the Southern Amateur, Billy Key of Columbus, Georgia, was inducted into the Southern Golf Association Hall of Fame. A long time director of the SGA, and currently an Emeritus Director, Key was more than a deserving inductee. More on his accomplishments in golf can be found in the Hall of Fame section of this website.

Ryan Hybl, Colbert, Ga.	71-68-66-72--277
Adam Groom, Sydney, Australia	69-66-74-70--279
Carl Pettersson, Raleigh, N.C.	68-70-75-68--281
Greg Kennedy, Duluth, Ga.	76-68-68-69--281
Drew Jones, Johnson City, Tenn.	78-71-69-65--283
Wes Latimer, Canton, Ga.	73-69-69-72--283
Martin Maritz, Tulsa, Okla.	72-71-68-72--283
Aaron Hickman, Fort Worth, Texas	72-70-68-73--283
Bryce Molder, Atlanta, Ga.	74-69-69-72--284
Andrew Pratt, Bartlett, Tenn.	73-72-69-70--284
Warwick Dews, Sydney, Australia	73-72-71-70--286
James Oh, Lakewood, Calif.	71-72-73-71--287
Kyle Thompson, Columbia, S.C.	73-71-72-71--287
Christian Newton, Lyons, Ga.	75-70-72-70--287
Jeff Knox, Augusta, Ga.	75-69-67-76--287
Chris Morris, Tyler, Texas	72-73-73-70--288
Carlton Forrester, Gainesville, Ga.	70-72-75-71--288
D. J. Trahan, Inman, S.C.	71-72-74-71--288
Alan Morgan, Lake Charles, La.	77-68-72-72--289
John Engler, Augusta, Ga.	71-73-70-75--289
Akio Sadakata, Melbourne, Fla.	68-75-77-70--290
Johnson Wagner, Garrison, N.Y.	75-74-69-72--290
Jason King, Sydney, Australia	75-71-73-71--290
Nash Elliott, Estill, S.C.	74-72-69-75--290
Jeff Belk, Marietta, Ga.	69-73-73-76--291
Matt Weibring, Plano, Texas	73-74-74-70--291
Charleton Dechert, Tulsa, Okla.	73-72-73-73--291
Chris Cureton, McKinney, Texas	76-72-71-73--292
David Miller, Daphne, Ala.	81-69-71-71--292
Nick Gilliam, Gainesville, Fla.	72-73-73-74--292
Ned Michaels, Atlanta, Ga.	75-69-72-76--292
Doug Green, Alpharetta, Ga.	76-71-70-75--292
Ryan Donovan, Yorba Linda, Calif.	74-74-75-70--293
Jack Hall, Savannah, Ga.	75-71-76-71--293
Adam Gary, Bowling Green, Ky.	78-71-73-71--293
Frank Leo, West Palm Bch, Fla.	79-70-69-75--293
Andrew Black, Chattanooga, Tenn.	75-75-70-73--293
Robert Godfrey, Salem, S.C.	73-72-72-76--293
Bryant Odom, Athens, Ga.	74-74-74-72--294
Andrew Medley, Jackson, Miss.	76-72-72-74--294
Erik Labitzke, Daytona Beach, Fla.	76-72-72-74--294
Danny Green, Jackson, Tenn.	75-69-73-77--294
Jason McKenzie, Augusta, Ga.	73-74-70-77--294
Jeff Curl, Ellington, Conn.	73-69-77-75--294
Brian Farrer, Mount Berry, Ga.	70-71-70-83--294
Johno Harris, Chapel Hill, N.C.	77-72-73-73--295
Payton Osborn, Birmingham, Ala.	77-69-72-77--295
Eric Willenbrink, Ashland, Ky.	70-75-80-72--297
William McGirt, Fairmont, N.C.	74-74-74-75--297
Geoff Nuwash, Louisville, Ky.	74-73-78-72--297
Kris Mikkelsen, Woodstock, Ga.	74-75-74-74--297
David Eger, Ponte Vedra Bch, Fla.	74-74-76-73--297
Andy Brimer, Knoxville, Tenn.	76-71-74-76--297
Bob Young, Atlanta, Ga.	73-74-74-76--297
Michael Barbosa, St. Petersburg, Fla.	73-68-79-77--297
David Apperson, Memphis, Tenn.	70-72-74-81--297
Allen Thompson, Stockbridge, Ga.	76-74-75-73--298
Whitten Meares, Fair Bluff, N.C.	79-70-79-70--298
Christopher Brown, Denton, Texas	74-75-73-76--298
Jack Croyle, Moultrie, Ga.	71-71-77-79--298
George Cestia, New Iberia, La.	74-76-70-78--298
Jimmy Walker, Cibolo, Texas	76-74-75-74--299
Ramon Bescansa, Sarasota, Fla.	73-73-77-76--299
Doug Ritter, Weston, Fla.	75-75-74-75--299
Scott Feaster, Columbia, S.C.	74-76-78-72--300
Bryan Clarke, Tampa, Fla.	74-74-77-75--300
Michael Parrott, Atlanta, Ga.	77-72-73-79--301
Nick Thompson, Pompano Bch, Fla.	70-75-78-78--301
D.J. Fiese, Woodstock, Ga.	74-69-75-83--301
Ron Schroeder, Pasadena, Texas	79-71-71-81--302
Tony Greco, Plano, Texas	73-76-80-74--303
Austin Hynson, Mobile, Ala.	76-74-76-77--303
Rhett Graham, Myrtle Beach, S.C.	78-72-79-75--304
Chris Connolly, Chevy Chase, Md.	75-72-81-76--304
Jason Powell, Loudon, Tenn.	73-74-76-81--304
Matthew Kilgo, Matthews, N.C.	72-75-77-80--304
Scott Dawley, Houston, Texas	75-75-76-79--305
James Vondra, Humble, Texas	75-73-76-85--309
Nathan DeVictor, Roswell, Ga.	76-72-80-81--309
Failed to make cut
Brad Schwartz, New Smyrna Bch, Fla.	76-75--151
Kevin Mock, Tampa, Fla.	74-77--151
Kevin O'Connell, Lexington, Va.	74-77--151
Ryan Hanratty, Plano, Texas	80-71--151
Jay Childs, Kennesaw, Ga.	78-73--151
John Pitt, Wilmington, N.C.	78-73--151
Dave Womack, McDonough, Ga.	77-74--151
Jack Ferguson, Seneca, S.C.	72-79--151
Lynn Barnett, Cumming, Ga.	76-75--151
Steven Hudson, Birmingham, Ala.	72-79--151
Cortland Lowe, Winston-Salem, N.C.	73-78--151
Brad Payne, Flower Mound, Texas	75-76--151
Ross Godwin, Raleigh, N.C.	72-79--151
Johan Kok, Peachtree City, Ga.	76-76--152
John Coles, Birmingham, Ala.	79-73--152
Kyle McAfee, Hope, Ark.	75-77--152
John-Gordon Beckett, N'cls'vle, Ky.	75-77--152
Adam Holowczak, Cleveland, Ohio	75-77--152
Ben Osbrach, Orlando, Fla.	74-78--152
Jason Henley, Duluth, Ga.	74-78--152
Guy Wuollet, Haverford, Pa.	72-80--152
Codie Mudd, Paris, Texas	73-79--152
Chris Mundorf, Raleigh, N.C.	76-76--152
Karl Mitchell, Rockwell, N.C.	78-75--153
Pete Abernathy, Athens, Ga.	77-76--153
James Kemp, Pensacola, Fla.	77-76--153
Brett Alexander, Richland, Mo.	78-75--153
Tevis Upton, Douglasville, Ga.	80-73--153
Marc Miller, Durham, N.C.	77-76--153
Doug Lacrosse, Tampa, Fla.	78-75--153
Thomas Baker, Canton, Ga.	76-77--153
Josh Teater, Lexington, Ky.	80-74--154
Joey Fortner, Birmingham, Ala.	79-75--154
David Burris, Jasper, Tenn.	81-73--154
Doug Harris, Franklin, Tenn.	78-76--154
Justin Emil, Hattiesburg, Miss.	75-79--154
Kenny Doerrer, Bowie, Md.	80-75--155
Jason Goble, Murrells Inlet, S.C.	77-78--155
Jeremy Elliott, Chapel Hill, N.C.	77-78--155
Russell Bennett, Alpharetta, Ga.	79-76--155
Don Hershfelt, Tupelo, Miss.	78-77--155
Allen Peake, Macon, Ga.	80-75--155
Jonathan Dismuke, Auburn, Ala.	78-78--156
Wes Pierce, Erwin, N.C.	77-79--156
Jon Goldberg, Jacksonville, Fla.	78-78--156
Max Weinstein, Fayetteville, N.C.	79-77--156
Brad Clark, Atlanta, Ga.	76-80--156
Danny Funk, Tulsa, Okla.	79-77--156
Josh Broadaway, Albany, Ga.	79-77--156
Michael Webb, Elberton, Ga.	78-78--156
Derek Ausherman, Middletown, Md.	80-76--156
Ben Lowery, Jackson, Miss.	79-77--156
Brendan Fisher, Augusta, Ga.	82-74--156
Michael Diprima, Marietta, Ga.	75-81--156
Bill Moor, Birmingham, Ala.	76-81--157
Derek Lamely, Conroe, Texas	77-80--157
Brandon Stengel, Calhoun, Ga.	79-78--157
Gabe Reynolds, Wildwood, Texas	80-77--157
Brad Golden, Oklahoma City, Okla.	78-79--157
John Humphries, Woodworth, La.	73-84--157
Ryan Abenante, Herndon, Va.	83-74--157
Doug Manor, Garland, Texas	77-81--158
Herb Lohr, Lexington, N.C.	72-86--158
James White, Chattanooga, Tenn.	82-76--158
Jim Milam, Richmond, Ky.	75-84--159
Adam Harris, Panama City, Fla.	81-79--160
Derek Cobb, Burlington, N.C.	79-81--160
Lynn Kilduff, Dallas, Pa.	78-82--160
Wes Bingham, Flowery Branch, Ga.	82-79--161
Ben Duncan, Greenville, S.C.	77-84--161
Justin Jeffers, Greeneville, Tenn.	85-77--162
Bart Garrett, Charlotte, N.C.	78-84--162
A. J. Walker, Ft Lauderdale, Fla.	81-85--166
Jonathan Spurgeon, Knoxville, Tenn.	81-85--166
Vince Cardone, Pelham, Ala.	81-86--167
Ben Cox, Russellville, Ark.	84-83--167
T. J. Ostrom, York, Pa.	82-85--167
Sam Sikes, Huntsville, Ala.	85-83--168
J. L. King, Zebulon, Ga.	78-91--169
Jason Sugg, Murphy, N.C.	88-83--171
Matthew Plant, Searcy, Ark.	86-86--172
Adam Seale, Columbiana, Ala.	83-90--173
David Pope, Chattanooga, Tenn.	91-88--179

Ryan Hybl, Colbert	139		Brian Farrer, Mt. Berry	141
Wes Latimer, Canton	142		Jeff Belk, Marietta	142