FIRST TIME WINNERS SHINE THROUGH AT BRIGHT’S CREEK
Date: July 21, 2025
Venue: Brights Creek Golf Club
Tour Stop: Carolina Mountain Invitational
Weather: Postcard-perfect
Storyline: A day of breakthroughs.
The Carolina Mountain Invitational delivered in every way imaginable — pristine conditions, stunning mountain views, and a wave of first-time Tour winners that made this one of the most memorable events of the 2025 season.
A massive thank you to the team at Brights Creek for hosting us at one of the most scenic and well-kept venues we’ll see all year. Their hospitality and attention to detail helped make this a standout stop on the schedule.
Division A: The Breakthrough
Troy Kennedy has been knocking on the door all season, and on Sunday, it finally swung open. With the flat stick on fire — draining birdies from Steph Curry range — Troy put together a career round to earn his first-ever Tour win, positioning himself firmly in the Rookie of the Year conversation.
Right beside him, Aaron Black matched the moment, also picking up his first win on Tour as the new teammates made a statement about what’s coming down the stretch.
| POS | TEAM | SCORE | POINTS | EARNINGS |
| 1 | Troy Kennedy | 60 | 100 | $1000 |
| Aaron Black | ||||
| 2 | Nick Hughey | 65 | 75 | |
| BJ Humphries | ||||
| 3 | Stone Dyson | 68 | 55 | |
| Michael Rodriguez | ||||
| 4 | Zane Lewis | 70 | 50 | |
| Bobby Dabbs | ||||
| 5 | Brandon Jones | 73 | 48 | |
| Zack Martin |
Division B: Redemption and Rivalry
After a rocky start to the season and some early team drama, Levi Shelton and Joe Helmick reunited — and did it in style. The duo edged out Caleb Marsh and newcomer Keelan Roberton in a tense playoff battle.
Levi notched his first win of 2025, while Joe added his second of the year. Despite the tough loss, Caleb and Keelan didn’t leave empty-handed — they scooped up the lone skin of the day, thanks to the Rockbarn rollover. Not a bad consolation prize for the drive back down the mountain.
| POS | TEAM | SCORE | POINTS | EARNINGS |
| 1 | Levi Shelton | 64 | 100 | $1000 |
| Joe Helmick | ||||
| 2 | Caleb Marsh | 64 | 75 | $600 |
| Keelan Roberton | ||||
| 3 | Kevin Demeny | 66 | 55 | $400 |
| Brian Harris | ||||
| 4 | Dallas Honeycutt | 69 | 50 | |
| Corbin Bartruff | ||||
| 5 | Frank Garcia | 69 | 48 | |
| Dave Bornack | ||||
| 6 | Andrew Keene | 70 | 46 | |
| Jarrod Conard | ||||
| 7 | Adam Jolley | 70 | 44 | |
| Dylan Jones | ||||
| 8 | Will Dixon | 72 | 42 | |
| Patrick Carter |
Division C: Home Turf, Hard Work
Tanner Herndon showed up and showed out, defending his home turf at Brights Creek with the kind of confidence that comes from knowing every contour of the course. Alongside him, Daniel Barrett — a long-time grinder on Tour — finally broke through after five years of part-time competition to claim his first career Tour win.
Few wins mean more than the ones you’ve waited longest for.
| POS | TEAM | SCORE | POINTS | EARNINGS |
| 1 | Tanner Herndon | 71 | 100 | $1000 |
| Daniel Barrett | ||||
| 2 | Jake Faggart | 72 | 75 | $600 |
| Jay Papas | ||||
| 3 | Collin Fern | 72 | 55 | $400 |
| David Helms | ||||
| 4 | Landon Schlabach | 73 | 50 | |
| Leon Yoder | ||||
| 5 | AJ Allmendinger | 74 | 48 | |
| Chip Goode | ||||
| 6 | Andres Casaco | 74 | 46 | |
| Richard Fuller | ||||
| 7 | Chris Grindstaff | 74 | 44 | |
| Wayne Carver | ||||
| 8 | Fred Heintz | 75 | 42 | |
| Rob Gruendel | ||||
| 9 | Andy Ledford | 75 | 40 | |
| Ty Boyd | ||||
| 10 | Holden Straughan | 75 | 38 | |
| Todd Parker | ||||
| 11 | Dylan Hampton | 77 | 36 | |
| Clint Harris |
Division D: Legacy and Loyalty
This one was emotional. After multiple seasons of hard work, heartbreak, and close calls, the Johnson Brothers finally found their moment. Their chemistry and consistency paid off with a perfect round, earning them their first win as teammates.
It wasn’t easy — they held off a surging Cory and Callaway Lane, a father-son team who’ve quietly been building momentum. Keep an eye on the Lanes — we wouldn’t be surprised to see them raise a trophy of their own before the year ends.
| POS | TEAM | SCORE | POINTS | EARNINGS |
| 1 | Chris Johnson | 72 | 100 | $1000 |
| Aaron Johnson | ||||
| 2 | Cory Lane | 75 | 75 | |
| Callaway Lane | ||||
| 3 | Austin Ford | 82 | 55 | |
| Lou Meagher | ||||
| 4 | Caleb Hudson | 83 | 50 | |
| Colby Grindstaff |
Next Up: The Lake Norman Championship
And now, all roads lead to the biggest event of the year —
🏆 The Lake Norman Championship
📍 Hosted at The Peninsula Club
This marks the kickoff of the highly anticipated Outerlinks Golf Series — a brand new 4-event sprint packed with intensity, storylines, and a $1,000 bonus to the player who earns the most points across the next four tournaments.
If you’ve been waiting to join the Tour, now is the time. There’s no better stretch to jump in and make your mark. Four events. Four chances. One big prize.
Don’t miss your shot.
👉 Join the BAG Tour today.
