Jimmy Clay and Lurdy Stinespring have figured out how to win the Halifax Country Club Member-Member Golf Tournament, taking home their fourth straight title Sunday with a one-stroke win over David Meeks and Woody Clay. Jimmy Clay and Stinespring carded a two-day total of 64-66-130, while Woody Clay and Meeks finished with a 64-67-131, one stroke ahead of Bobby Wilborn and Mark Repokis (66-66-132) in the Championship Flight.

On the surface they appear to be an unlikely tandem, Clay, the serious shot maker on the golf course, and Stinespring, the gregarious clubhouse prankster, but together they’re tough to beat, especially at Halifax Country Club.

“He plays well with me, and I play pretty good with him, we just salt and pepper it real good,” acknowledged Clay.

“If I’m out of a hole he somehow comes through on the hole that I miss.

“It’s just good chemistry we have,” added Clay.

The top two teams were tied at the top of the leader board heading into the final day of play, each with an opening round 64, and they were still tied as they made the clubhouse turn on Sunday.

That’s when things really got interesting, according to Clay.

“We turned the front nine three under and I knew they had shot three under earlier,” Clay explained.  “I knew we needed to have one more birdie, but we bogeyed No. 12.

“We missed a short one on No. 15, and I made a bomb on No. 16 for birdie that got us even with them.

“Lurdy made a huge putt on 17 from about 15 feet for par, and I told him on 18 I didn’t want this to go to a playoff, so I hit a big drive and made birdie.

“I told him no way the way I played today did I want it to go to extra holes.”

A casual golf fan may not believe Clay based on his overall success this season, but Clay admitted to this year not being one of his more consistent when it comes to golf, and the member-member tourney was just another example.

“I’ve been fooling a little bit with my swing,” Clay noted.  “It’s been an off and on summer for me, I’ve been completely on or completely off.

“This weekend was one of those…yesterday I was on, today I was completely off, clueless in some spots.

“I changed a few things and worked on my short game, and you make a few changes you think will work out.

“Sometimes it helps you when you need it.”

“Words of my demise are greatly exaggerated,” quipped Stinespring.

“I know how to play with Jimmy.  He has his ways and I know those ways, and the best thing is to back up and get out of his way,” he added with his trademark grin.

“It was more fun this year because it was closer.  It makes you a little nervous, nervous creates adrenaline, and that’s where the fun is.”

The match came down to a pair of crucial holes, including No. 12, according to Stinespring.

“Jimmy had a real bad hole on 12, and I made a bogey, not a par, but we needed it.

“A bogey five beats a six or seven, so that was as much a sense of accomplishment as a par, because we had to have it.
“I just had a few moments of glory, but he played all the golf.”

Results
Championship Flight
Jimmy Clay-Lurdy Stinespring (1st)    64-66-130
David Meeks-Woody Clay (2nd)    64-67-131
Bobby Wilborn-Mark Repokis (3rd)    66-66-132
Dennis Witt-Mike Hailey    65-68-133
Brad Thomasson-Robert Fallen    66-70-136

First Flight
Drew Lewis-Phil Payne (1st)*    69-67-136
W.J. Long-Bobby Long (2nd)    69-67-136
James Lewis-Nookie Green (3rd)     69-68-137
Gary Gupton-Phil Rinker    69-69-138
Cody Spencer-Craig Spencer    69-69-138
Jeff Barger-Rodney Watts    69-70-139
Scott Bosiger-
Grayson Throckmorton    70-70-140
Greg Meeks-Tommy Spencer    69-74-143
Eric Arthur Jr.-Reed Edwards    70-73-143
Leon Plaster-Paul Butler    72-71-143
*Awarded first-place after match of cards

Second Flight
Jay Burnett-Mark Dickerson (1st)    73-67-140
Mike Dunn-Brad Mele (2nd)    73-69-142
Joe Gasperini-Stacy Tingen (3rd)    76-69-145
Mike Rand-Joe Barkley    73-73-146
Jerry Burnett-Coleman Speece    75-71-146
Wayne Roller-Richard Bradley    73-74-147
Joel Cunningham Jr.-
Joel Cunningham Sr.     75-72-147
Tommy Daniel-T.J. Daniel    76-71-147
Sammy Fisher-Kevin Fisher    75-73-148
Roy Bradley-Jackie Caldwell    74-75-149
Grayson Francis-Brandon Scearce    76-74-150
Bob Tysinger-Charlie Payne    76-74-150
Teddy Holt-Tyler Holt    76-75-151
Bristol Martin-Wayne Adams    75-76-151
Jimmy Allen-Mike Lindley    75-78-153
Charlie Baskervill-Jeff Grant    76-78-154
John Hayes-Chris Lumsden    74-82-156
Wendell Hite-Tommy Elliott    74-83-157

Third Flight
Bob Lewis-J.E. Tuck (1st)    78-77-155
Sam Lewis-Len Ferrell (2nd)    79-78-157
Herbert Gee-Jim Burgess (3rd)    79-80-159
Fred Palmore-John Courtney    82-78-160
Gray Ramsey-Colt Wickermyer    83-79-162
Nelson Baskervill-Ned Covington    86-77-163
Walter Powell-Eddie Powell    80-84-164
Charles Thompson-Daniel Ivey    83-83-166
Buddy Ferrell-Dale Compton    82-89-171