Hawaii
Rumble in
Myrtle
Beach,
South
Carolina, February 27-28,
2023.
US
National
Mini Golf Team
member Gary
Hester
(+550
field) won
the
inaugural
World
Putting League Championship at
Hawaiian Rumble Minigolf in Myrtle Beach, S.C. after shooting a final round 31 for 5 under
par
to
defeat
Matt McCaslin
(33, 3 under par; +190 pre-tournament to win) and take home the $5,000 championship purse.
Hester finished the Day 1 qualifying rounds by shooting 32 (-4) and 31 (-5), respectively,
to
combine
for 9 under par
and the No. 2 seed heading into the Day 2 match play bracket. After Day 1, Hester’s odds to
win
moved to
+420.
Hester defeated Rick Alessi with a 35 (-1) in the quarterfinals before squeaking by Joey
Graybeal in
the
semifinals by
one stroke, 32 (-4) to 33 (-3). Graybeal entered the Day 2 quarterfinals as the top seed
(-350
to
win
after Day 1) after
pacing the field with a combined -9 in the two qualifying rounds.
Featuring:
Kaz Brown
On-Air Host From Pro League Network
Brian Katrek
Tournament Commentator And Host Of PGA TOUR Radio
Rob Pizzola
Featured Guest
Winner Of The Last WPL
Event
Gary Hester
North Carolina
Teeing
off his
Mini
Golf
career
in 1969, Gary has
over 50
years of
experience in the sport. He started at the Arnold
Palmer Mini Golf course in High Point, NC, where he took home four straight championships. In the
USPMGA Masters, he has
won multiple senior divisions and has registered 11 top ten and two second place finishes in the
main draw. Gary has
also represented the US National Mini Golf Team at the World Mini Golf Championships for the last
few years. In Sweden
he finished as the top American and finished third overall.
