The Nashville chapter of the Amateur Players Tour travelled to Old Fort Golf Course in Murfreesboro, TN this past Saturday. 79 players spanning 5 divisions competed for trophies and VISA gift card prizes. Overnight showers hampered playing conditions and forced the competition to be under lift, clean and place rules as well as playing all bunker as Ground Under Repair. A rain delay halted play for 45 minutes during the round, as well. The completion level was high and the scores reflected it as two divisions were decided in playoffs.

In Division One, Tennessee East’s Tim Saunders and Robert Sain finished the round tied, both with excellent rounds of even par. Saunders held the lead through 13 holes until a bogey on the par 5 14th caused him to fall back into a tie with Sain. He regained the lead following Sain’s bogey on the par 4 15th, but Sain birdied the par 3 17th to tie Saunders once again.

In the playoff, Sain survived the 1st hole with a par-saving putt from 20 feet, but was defeated by Saunders with an eagle on the par 5 2nd to capture the trophy and 1st place.

In Division Two, Michael Massey started his round by hitting his opening tee shot left, immediately stopped play due to the rain delay and made double bogey on his 1st hole, once play resumed. Things did not start well, but they sure did not finish that way as he made two birdies on his outward nine and made two more birdies on the inward half to finish at even par and take the victory. Mike Driscoll was step-for-step with Massey all round until a pair of bogeys late in the round pushed him out of the tie for 1st. Driscoll went on to finish in 2nd place outright. A host of players finished at 3-over 75 to finish in a tie for 3rd place: Jordan Craighead, Tim Ehret and Dan Estes.

In Division Three, 18 holes were not enough to decide the champion. Jonathan Little closed his round with a birdie on the par 4 18th and was the leader in the clubhouse with a 3-over 75. Aaron Smith held the lead for majority of the round until a double-bogey on his last hole landed him in a tie for first with Little. Both players waited on Austin Stacey to finish his round as he lurked one stroke back and had a birdie chance on the last to force a three-way playoff. Stacey’s attempt fell short and he finish with 4-over 76 to take 3rd place. Two players, Timothy Knox and Bryan Harwell finished in a tie for 4th place.

In the playoff, Little makes par on the first playoff hole to best Smith, who made bogey.

In Division Four, Larry Sumner captured his 1st victory on tour with a one-stroke win over David Smith. Sumner tried to make it interesting on the 18th, but was able to survive! Smith takes home 2nd place winnings as two other players bogeyed the 18th to fall out of the tie.

In Division Five, Hutson Smith and Brian Green ran away with the competition, finishing in 1st and 2nd place respectively. Based on their excellent play, both players will be moved up to Division 4. David McDow and Paul Clark share 3rd place honors.