Branton runner-up at Georgia PGA Senior Open Championship

August 12, 2025

Chad Branton

Cartersville senior amateur golfer, Chad Branton, followed up his fourth-place finish at the GSGA Senior Amateur Championship last week with a runner-up finish Monday and Tuesday at the Georgia PGA Senior Open Championship held at Echelon Golf Club in Alpharetta.

Branton led the field of 50-and-over amateurs and professionals after firing an opening round 66 on the 6,670-yard, par-72 layout. He led eventual winner, amateur Bob Royak of Alpharetta, by three shots heading into Tuesday’s final round. Royak carded back-to-back rounds of 69, while Branton shot 72 in the final round, sending the pair to a sudden-death playoff.

Both players made par on the 420-yard, par-4 eighteenth hole during the first two holes of sudden death. They moved to the 370-yard, par-4 tenth hole for a third sudden-death hole where Royak won with a par.

Matt Russell, another amateur of Chamblee, finished third with rounds of 70-71. Stephen Keppler of Acworth was the low professional with rounds of 75-67. Keppler tied amateurs Billy Mitchell of Atlanta and Garry Lindsay of Woodstock for fourth place.

Other local representatives in the 122-player field included Charles Wilson of Cartersville, who tied for 42nd overall (80-75) and was 25th among amateurs in his final season in the Senior Division.

Randy Charles of Acworth finished 20th in the Super Senior (65+) Division. Craig Hartle of White was 22nd, and Steve Sheffield of White was 24th among Super Seniors.