UNC Wilmington will attempt to defend its title when the Pinehurst Intercollegiate Invitational returns March 10-11.

The Seahawks beat a strong field last year, and this year’s competition is expected to be even stronger.

All of last year’s teams that placed are returning. Attempting to unseat the Seahawks will be Virginia Tech, Penn State, Virginia Commonwealth, UNC Greensboro, Richmond, Marshall, Old Dominion, Belmont, Eastern Kentucky, Villanova and Ball State.

The tournament will be played on the Pinehurst No. 6 Course, a Tom Fazio design that was renovated by Fazio in 2005. The changes increased shot values, installed new putting greens and rebunkered the entire course.

Practice rounds are scheduled for Friday, March 9, with the competition taking place on Saturday and Sunday. The event is open to the public with no admission charge. Spectator carts are not allowed, however.

Schedules, a list of the players and tee times, results and live scoring will be posted on the Pinehurst website www.pinehurst. com.

Luzar Repeats: It didn’t come easy, taking 20 holes for the decision, but Rick Luzar of Pinehurst defended the title he won last year in the combined Amateur Golf Tour event contested at Mid Pines Resort.

A field of 120 golfers competed in perfect weather on a course that was in prime-season form, according to tour director Bruce Hallenbeck.

Luzar, Senior Tour member in the championship flight, shot 76 and was tied with another Pinehurst resident, Chuck Taubersmith, at the end of regulation.

Luzar won the title with a par on the second playoff hole, while Taubersmith consoled himself by winning two of the three skins registered in the championship and A flights.

Gary Strickfaden of Southern Pines tied for fifth with 78.

Cecil Lockley of Creedmoor, also a Senior Tour member, shot 76 to win flight A. Randy Bunn of Zebulon was second with 77, followed by Ron Hockensmith with 78.

Randy Robbins of Smithfield won flight B with 80. Tom Kubla of Pinehurst tied for third with 84, and John Henely of Pinehurst tied for fifth with 85.

Elby Hatfield of Archdale shot 96 to win flight C. Marty Carpenter of Southern Pines tied for third with 94.

Graham Gurnee of Fayetteville shot 99 to win flight D, the only player in the division to break 100.

“The regular season starts the first week in March for both tours,” aid Hallenbeck. “The Seniors will play at Bentwinds Country Club in Fuquay-Varina on March 1, while the Golfweek Tour plays at Salem Glen Country Cub in Clemmons, March 3. There are openings available for both events.”

For information, call Hallenbeck at (336) 495-6556 or e-mail him at behgolf@aol.com.

eGolf Tour: Former PGA Tour player Brent Delahoussaye of Greenville, S.C., shot 71-67-70-70—278 to claim his first career eGolf Tour title in the Palmetto Hall Championship at Hilton Head Island.

Delahoussaye overtook third-round leader Zach Sucher of Birmingham, Ala., with three birdies in the first eight holes on the final day to win by a stroke over Roger Sloan of Canada and take the $28,000 first-place check.

Sloan, playing in his first eGolf event, earned $15,105. Sihwan Kim of Orlando, Fla., finished third with 279 and picked up $11,486.

The Palmetto Hall Championship was the first of 24 scheduled events on the 2012 eGolf Tour schedule, and was contested on both the Robert Cupp and Arthur Hills courses at Palmetto Hall Plantation.

Needing to save par in order to maintain his lead, Delahoussaye dropped in a clutch 15-foot par to maintain a one-shot lead.

Tin Whistles: The team of Ralph Cole, Bob White, Bruce Monteith and Tony Embrey posted 121 to win the Tin Whistles Club’s 1-2 -3 Flag event held on the Pinehurst No. 5 Course.

Hugh Menzies, Jon DeVault, Joel Shriberg and Bob Wood finished second with 123, followed by Jim Peterson, Dick Bock, Terry Daly and Chuck Butters with 124.

Boys & Girls: Golfers wanting to enjoy a great golf course and contribute to a great cause can still enter the Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina benefit tournament being played on Pinehurst Resort’s No. 8 Course on Monday, March 5.

The entry fee is $200 per player or $750 for a four-person team and includes carts, range balls, coffee and Danish, a bag lunch and a buffet awards dinner.

The tournament, which features a Pinehurst scramble format with a noon shotgun start, has generated more than $180,000 for the homes in its eight-year history.

For information, call Ron Jones at (910) 295-1819 or Carolyn Register at (910) 295-2352.