WLF Regional Series June Recap

This past weekend featured not one but TWO WLF Regional Series Tournaments. For the first time in its history, there were two separate official WLF tournaments happening in different parts of the country during the same weekend.  The North Carolina Open was held at Kerr Lake Country Club in Henderson, NC and hosted by David "Mighty Mouse" Norton, while the Fox Den PRO-AM was held in Las Vegas, NM and hosted by Johnny "Sabotage" Sandoval.   These WLF regional series events are important tournaments to supplement the New Swarm Pro Series Tour, with regionally focused competitions that are meant to encourage amateur players to attend.   

The North Carolina Open featured a mix of pros and amateurs, including a lot of familiar pros from that region.  Starting with the Doubles Tournament on Friday afternoon,  the Hardcore Harveys - Jeff and Taylor - won the WCE (co-ed) Doubles Tournament, while Mark "SkyPilot" Thompson and "Papa John" Fernandez won in Men's Doubles, holding off a late rally by Sam "Scantron" Scannell and John "J-Hawk" Wood.  The core 36-hole individual tournament took place over the weekend, with players competing across the three divisions - Men's, Womens and Masters (55+). 

There were interesting storylines from each, starting with "The La La", Carla Christian, winning her first WLF Tournament.  As the #3 ranked Women's Pro Player, Carla has no shortage of top finishes, including 2nd place at the last five New Swarm Tour events.  After jumping out to a commanding eight stroke lead on Saturday, she had a rocky start on Sunday with three bogeys to start her round.  But La La regained her form and held off #6 ranked Women's player "Somerfling", Christina Sommerfield who finished second.  Britanny "Cup O' Tee" Marroquin, the #4 ranked Women's player, rounded out the top 3. 

In the Masters Division, #1 ranked player Jeff "Hardcore" Harvey found himself in an unfamiliar position, tied for the lead after Day 1 and down a stroke to #6 ranked "SkyPilot" Mark Thompson after 3 holes on Sunday.    After battling with Thompson all day, Hardcore ultimately regained the lead and pulled away on the back nine, although SkyPilot made it interesting by birdieing 2 of the last 3 holes to finish three strokes back in second.  That win continued Harvey's personal streak of 7 straight WLF Individual Tournament wins across both New Swarm Tour and Regional Series events. 

Rounding things out, current #2 ranked Men's player, Sam "Scantron" Scannell, was too much for the field and cruised to a victory setting the Kerr Lake course record with his rounds on both Saturday and Sunday, finishing the tournament at -2.     #7th ranked Men's player, Robert "Big Mac" Maclay finished in second, while Papa John Fernandez and Michael "Chowdah" Arndt tied for third.  The winners received the coveted Kerr Lake Squirrel Trophy pictured below.

Click here for full results of the 2026 North Carolina Open

Meanwhile in Las Vegas, New Mexico, the Fox Den Pro-Am provided plenty of drama and excitement on Sunday.  The 36-hole individual tournament featured competitions across 4 divisions, with Men's and Women's Pro divisions and Men and Masters Amateur divisions.  Within the Women's division, #5 ranked player, Rosie "Mamacita" Flores finished first, besting Leslie "Roadrunner" Harlacker, who won closest to the pin within that division.  In the Masters Division, Morgan Mantano dominated the field, shooting under par the first day and cruised to victory, while also winning closest to the pin.  Leo "Rule 62" Wideman finished second, while Aaron "The Assassin" Gallegos finished third.

The Men's Pro and Amateur divisions both came down to the last hole on Sunday.  In the Men's Amateur division, by Sunday it turned into a two-player competition between Richard "Shugzzz" Baca and Derek "Lucky" Rodriguez.  Rodriguez shot a 78 on Saturday to open up a three stroke lead on Baca, but "Shugzzz" fought back on Sunday and picked up 4 strokes on Lucky to take the lead after a Reggie-Birdie on Hole #3.  The two went back and forth, and traded the lead several times, finding themselves tied heading into the 17th hole.  In a dramatic turn, Rodriguez birdied the 17th hole and took a two stroke lead after Baca bogeyed the hole.  But Baca made it interesting on the last hole by making a Reggie on the Par 3, requiring Rodriguez to make his par putt for the one-stroke win.

In the Men's Pro division, it also turned into a two horse race by Sunday morning and then became something epic by the end of the day.  #3 Ranked Men's player Jacob "The Hootman" Hooter shot a 4-under 68 to take a 3 stroke lead over "The Texas GunFlinger", Todd Naff as they entered the final round.  Things turned dramatically on the front nine when the Hootman bogeyed 4 of the first 6 holes, while Naff made 4 birdies and flipped the three stroke deficit into a three stroke lead.  That lead stretched to 4 strokes after Hooter bogeyed the 11th.  Although most might have thought the tournament over with only 7 holes left, the Hootman dug deep and birdied 5 of the next 6 holes to amazingly take a one stroke lead into the final hole.  Although the storyline had shifted to Hooter's amazing comeback, Naff had another plot in mind.  On the Par 3 18th he put his tee shot 3 feet from the cup and made birdie, while Hooter's tee shot was off the side of the green.  When Hooter just missed his par putt to force a playoff, the tournament win went to the Texas GunFlinger.  Jake "Island Hopper Anderson" took third place, besting Andy "Mountain Man" Bowen by a stroke on the 36th hole, while  and Johnny "Sabotage" Sandoval rounded out the top 5 in the Pros Division.        

Click here for complete results from the 2026 Fox Den PRO-AM

Overall, an unforgettable FlingGolf weekend across the country.