Mix solid putting, hitting greens in regulation and a little Hotty Toddy and Roll Tide! and you have the 2016 Swing Ding Golf Champions in Adam Thomas (Ole Miss grad) and Mark Harrell (Alabama grad).
The winning duo defeated Jay Walston (2015 champion) and Matt Wages, 3-and-2 Sunday at the Lookout Mountain Golf Club Course for the coveted red jackets.
“We played steady golf, didn’t beat ourselves and the other guys would have to make birdies to beat us,” said Harrell who played golf for the Tide, plus has competed in U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open events
In the championship match, Harrell-Thomas won the opening hole with a par and went 2-up with a biridie at No.2 and were never headed. A winning birdie at No.14 made it 3-up and the teams halved Nos. 15 and 16 with pars to end the match.
“We were consistent all weekend and never trailed in our three matches,” said Harrell.
The champs, who earned the No.1 seed with a qualifying 64 Friday, defeated No.8 Winston Brown-Fletcher Thompson 3-and-2 in the quarterfinals and No.4 seed Heath Haley-Tim Mahla, 4-and-2 in the semis Saturday.
What’s Next: The winners will compete in the Chattanooga Golf and Country Club’s Member-Guest event this weekend. Harrell looks for his third title of 2016 as he and Steve Johnson shot 20-under 194 to win the Pine Needles (N.C.) Invite in March.
Championship Flight
Finals
No.1 Mark Harrell-Adam Thomas def. No.2 Jay Walston-Matt Wages, 3-and-2
Lupton Consolation Winner: No.8 Winston Brown-Fletcher Thompson
Semfinals
No.1 Mark Harrell-Adam Thomas def. No.4 Heath Haley-Tim Mahla, 4-and-2
No.2 Jay Walston-Matt Wages def. No.3 Steve Johnson-Rusty Baxley, 1-up
Quarterfinals
No.1 Mark Harrell-Adam Thomas def. No.8 Winston Brown-Fletcher Thompson, 3-2
No.2 Jay Walston-Matt Wages def, Wes Robbins-Jim Ferguson, 5-and-4
No. 3 Steve Johnson-Rusty Baxley def. No. 6 Pat McDonald-Bryan Fryar, 5-and-4
No.4 Heath Haley-Tim Mahla def. No.5 Robby Jones-Rickly Taliaferro, 1-up
Flight Champions
#1 Scott Smith (2015 champion)-Chas Torrence
#2 Lex Tarumianz-Lex Tarumianz, Jr.
#3 Jim Markley-Max Markley
#4 David Bennett-David Cornell
#5 Patten Smith-Brian Kopet
#6 Michael Corley-Hamp Johnston
#7 Kurt Smith-Kip Smith
#8 Tom Jones-David Patten
#9 Grant Caldwell-Billy Caldwell
#10 Nelson Williams-Charles Muller
#11 Michael Wakefield-Camp Craig
#12 Jay Hildebrand-Ben Reese
#13 David Lightholder-Pat Ryan
#14 Ben Brown-Alex Estes
#15 Fred Moore-Ben Brock
#16 Chris Maclellan-Morgan Maclellan
#17 Tim Kelly-George Smith
#18 Doug Elkins-John Edwards
P.K. Brock Most Fun Award: Dr. Trey Carico
Kudos Once Again:
Food and Plenty of It: head chef Margaret Thompson and staff served excellent food throughout the four days
Course Superintendent Mark Hearn, assistant Elda Culpepper and their staff kept the course in championship shape throughout the weekend despite the rain.
Thanks also to Pro Golf Staff headed by Adam Campbell and the Swing Ding Committee chaired by David Bennett for another great Swing Ding event … one of the best in the South.
contact B.B. Brabton at william.branton@comcast.net