By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

CHINA GROVE — Chris Owen has the parking place at Warrior Golf Club that is reserved for the club champion, and he won the Rowan Masters at the course earlier this summer.

With a qualifier being held for the North Carolina Mid-Amateur at Warrior on Wednesday, Owen felt the urge, almost an obligation, to sign up for the event.

“I’d never tried to qualify for the Mid-Amateur, but with it being at Warrior, and with me playing pretty well lately, I figured why not,” Owen said. “(Warrior pro) Brian Lee helped talk me into it, and I got signed up, kind of a last-minute thing. Now I’m glad I did.”

It was a tougher than usual day at Warrior for Owen and for most of the competition. He shot 2-over 73, not a brilliant day for him, but the cut line fell at 73, so Owen made it.

“The greens were fast today and there were some tricky pin placements,” Owen said. “Some placements I haven’t ever seen before. I believe one guy shot 4-under, but that was the only low score. There were a lot of golfers around 73.”

Owen rescued his round on No. 15, a 365-yard par 4 that may be the least forgiving hole on the course. Owen hit his worst tee shot of the day, then found a hazard for a stroke penalty. After a drop, Owen put his shot on the green, but he still had a 30-foot putt. He made that putt.

“A 30-foot putt for a bogey, but that bogey saved the round,” Owen said. “That made the difference for me.”

William Little, a strong contender in the all the local tournaments, also qualified for the N.C. Mid-Amateur on Wednesday with a 73.

Little also saved his round on 15. Like Owen he had a penalty stroke for hitting into a hazard, but he holed a chip for a miraculous par.

“I’ve played in the Carolina Amateur before, but this was my first time trying to qualify for the Mid-Amateur,” Little said. “The deciding factor was qualifying being held at Warrior. When a qualifier is being held locally like that, you want to be in it.”

Owen explained that the “Mid-Amateur” designation means that golfers 25 and older are eligible to play in the event. Owen is 48, but he’s looking forward to sampling a new golfing experience and a fresh course.

The tournament will be played at River Landing, starting on Sept. 8. The format is three days of stroke play. River Landing is in Wallace, about 40 miles north of Wilmington.

Before they head to River Landing, Owen and Little will be competing in the Labor Day Four-Ball event at the Country Club of Salisbury. Little will be paired with Derek Lipe. That team won the championship in 2020.

Owen will be playing in the Labor Day with his son, McGwire, a former West Rowan golfer who is now a student at N.C. State.

A third well-known Rowan golfer came close to qualifying for the North Carolina Mid-Amateur on Wednesday.

Shane Benfield, runner-up in the recent Horace Billings Rowan Amateur and the 2023 Rowan Amateur champ, couldn’t overcome a bad start. Benfield was four over after three holes. He turned it around and was even on the back nine, but he finished at 76.