Trey Gray, left, and Jake Narro pose with the trophy Sunday, July 4, 2021, after winning the championship flight of the annual Bill Davis Northwood Invitational Tournament.

A year ago, Trey Gray and Jake Narro qualified for the championship flight at Northwood Country Club’s annual Bill Davis Invitational but didn’t have the strongest finish.

This past weekend, the pair more than made up for that showing, edging out 2020 Bill Davis Invitational champions Jarrod Moulds and John Rea in Sunday’s final round to be crowned this year’s winner. 

“Last year we finished last in the flight, so that made it a little sweeter,” Narro said. 

Said Gray, “There was a little bit of redemption. We went from worst to first.”

The match-play tournament featured three rounds Friday-Sunday after Friday’s qualifying round, and Narro said the two of them played well the entire weekend, picking each other up when the other was in the midst of a rough stretch.

“I started out nervous and shaky, and Trey kind of settled in a little quicker than I did,” Narro said of Sunday’s final round. “Then from there he kind of messed up a couple of times, and I picked him up a little bit. That’s how you win a partner event; you can’t do it on your own. We helped each other at the right time all weekend.”

Gray said having Narro next to him allowed him to relax and never put too much pressure on himself, even when there was a championship at stake Sunday.

“My secret was I had a really good partner,” Gray said. “He’s been playing for a long time. I know I’m going to miss some holes, and he’ll be in there on all of them. He drives and putts well — he does everything well.”

Those are the same strengths Narro noticed in Gray’s game.

“He hits it long, and it may not be super-duper long, but it’s pretty darn straight, and he’s a good putter,” Narro said. “He’s also fun. When we were having tough stretches, Trey was a positive influence, and that was a tremendous help.”

Improving on last year’s showing was nice, but Gray said that wasn’t the only thing about Sunday’s win that was sweet.

“I’ve been playing golf for 25 years, and this is the first tournament I’ve ever won,” Gray said. “It felt good.”

Bill Davis Northwood Invitational Results

Bill Davis Northwood Invitational

Final Results

Nicklaus Flight

Round 1

Lagendyk and Lagendyk def. Whitehead and Sanford

Gray and Narro def. Covich and Bounds

Morgan and Swain def. Weddington and Ray

Semifinals

Rea and Moulds def. Lagendyk and Lagendyk

Gray and Narro def. Morgan and Swain

Consolation Final

Weddington and Ray def. Whitehead and Sanford

Finals

Gray and Narro def. Rea and Moulds

Palmer Flight

Round 1

Rogers and Ranager def. Tew and Floyd

Jackson and Null def. Hart and Ferguson

Rosenbaum and Ridout def. Hinson and Hinson

Semifinals

Rogers and Ranager def. Pool and Combest

Jackson and Null def. Rosenbaum and Ridout

Consolation Final

Hart and Ferguson def. New and Floyd

Finals

Rogers and Ranager def. Jackson and Null 

Woods Flight

Round 1

Kendall and Arrington def. Hinson and Douglas

Holmes and Terry def. Alcock and Mims

Hannah and Watson def. Gayden and Follett

Semifinals

Kendall and Arrington def. Warden and Warden

Hannah and Watson def. Holmes and Terry

Consolation Final

Gayden and Follett def. Hinson and Douglass

Finals

Kendall and Arrington def. Hannah and Watson

Snead Flight

Round 1

McBride and Temple def. DeWeese and Wilson

Murray and McWilliams def. Davis and Mayatt

Everett and Stubbs def. Williams and Dick

Semifinals

McBride and Temple def. Arrington and Arrington

Murray and McWilliams def. Everett and Stubbs

Consolation Final

Davis and Mayatt def. DeWeese and Wilson

Finals

Murray and McWilliams def. McBride and Temple 

Hogan Flight

Round 1

Blackledge and Goodman def. Hinson and Pinson

Mitchell and Mitchell def. Hudson and Coffin

Semifinals

Blackledge and Goodman def. Vick and Miley

Rogers and Piedmont def. Mitchell and Mitchell

Consolation Final

Pinson and Pinson def. Hudson and Coffin

Finals

Blackledge and Goodman def. Rogers and Piedmont