Mike Townsend had a tradition to uphold. Kelly Mitchum had the lead but couldn’t make enough putts to stave off the inevitable.

As a result, Townsend, who plays out of the exclusive Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington, overcame a three-stroke deficit in the final round to nip Mitchum by a shot in the Callaway Carolinas PGA Assistant Championship played at Beacon Ridge Country Club in West End.

Townsend, who shot 67-69—136, used an early birdie run in the final round to overtake Mitchum. He made birdies on four of the first eight holes and survived a scary double bogey on the par-4 13th to claim the win and earn a berth in the PGA Assistant National Championship at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla., Nov. 11-14.

Mitchum, a lead instructor with the Pinehurst Resort Golf Academy, who won his eighth Pine Crest Cup Match Play Championship against Sherrill Britt on Tuesday, opened with a tournament low 66, but slipped to 71 in the second round and ended in a tie for second with Nick Cannon, of the Country Club of Sapphire, at 137.

Mitchum, Cannon, Brian Stewart, of Old Chatham Golf Club, and Matt Vick, of Southern Pines Golf Club, also earned slots in the national championship.

“I started the week just wanting to make it to Florida,” Townsend said, “but I got off to great start and that changed my mindset a little bit.”

Townsend had a lot of history on his side. His co-workers at Eagle Point include Director of Golf Billy Anderson and assistant Curt Sanders, two former CPGA champions.

“Billy has won numerous section events and Curt’s won this tournament and been CPGA Player of the Year,” Townsend pointed out. “I always say I’m the third best player there.”

Townsend picked up $1,100 for the win, while Mitchum and Cannon earned $715 each.

Ian Milne, of Fort Bragg’s Stryker Golf Complex, tied for eighth with 141. Will Morgan, of Pinehurst No. 7, tied for 13th with 142, Rob Pilewski, of Pinehurst No. 6, tied for 22nd with Matt Kempe, of Pinewild Country Club, at 146, John Azzarelli, of Pinehurst Country Club, was at 147, and Mike Dooda, of Little River Golf Club, shot 164.

Mid-Amateur: Billy West, an assistant district attorney in Fayetteville, shot 66 to lead the North Carolina Mid-Amateur qualifier held at Hyland Golf Club Wednesday as 27 players advanced into the Sept. 17-19 event for players 30 and up to be held at Raleigh Country Club.

Jason Cox, of West End, Director of Junior Golf for the Carolinas Golf Association, shot 68 to finish second. Also among the qualifiers were Frank McBrayer, of Southern Pines, with 69, Keith Harris, of Southern Pines, 70, Kevin Whitaker, of West End, 72, William Carter, of Laurinburg, 73 and Ken Eichele, of Pinehurst, 74

Daniel Neveu, of Pinehurst, shot 77 to tie for 18th and earn a berth in a qualifier held at Willow Creek Golf Club.

Sr. Am Tour: Another Senior Amateur event and another victory for Craig Sturdivant of Sanford.

Sturdivant, who has now won a tour-record five straight Championship Flight titles, shot 74 to best Tony Griffin, of Cary, by a stroke in the event held at Anderson Creek Golf Club, one of the tour’s major championships. Chuck Taubersmith, of Pinehurst, was fifth with 77.

James McMillan, of Laurinburg, won Flight A with 74. Vic Robertson, of Greensboro, won Flight B with 80 as Wayne Ricks, of Pinehurst, was fifth with 82.

Dale Rucker, of Rockingham, won Flight C with 86.

Egolf Tour: Bryan Sepich, of Winston-Salem, shot 77 to win the Championship Flight of the final Egolf Amateur Tour major event of the year at Anderson Creek Golf Club.

Brad Morris, of Four Oaks, won Flight A with 78, Don Slenker, of High Point, won Flight B with 79, and Bill Bridges, of Sanford, won Flight C with 87.

With the win in any major, all four flight winners automatically qualify for the year-ending National Tour Championship to be held at Hilton Head in October. That event will draw an estimated 650-700 players from all over the nation.

Clinics: Three one-hour golf clinics for men and women will be conducted at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course on the N. C. State University centennial campus this month.

The sessions will be taught by PGA professionals and cover all phases of the game.

Clinics for men will be held Sept. 6, 13 and 20, while women’s classes will be Sept. 8, 15 and 22. The clinics will be from 5:30 until 6:30pm.

The cost is $30 player and classes will be limited to 16 participants who must be 12 or older. Register online by logging on to jwhitehurst@lonniepoolegolfcourse.com.