Andrew Weathers
Over the course of his illustrious amateur career, David Noll Jr. has made a habit of winning golf tournaments on the biggest of stages.
The 2020 Georgia Golf Hall of Fame inductee has compiled a gaudy resume’. The Dalton native has a trophy case full of hardware from winning numerous Georgia State Golf Association titles.
Noll Jr. is a four-time winner of both the GSGA Mid-Amateur and Match Play Championships, a pair of State Amateur trophies and a State Four-Ball victory. He has participated in numerous national USGA events and is a 10-time GSCA Men’s Player of the Year.
So, when the battle-tested veteran was paired with Andrew Weathers in a playoff on Sunday to determine the winner of the Championship Flight in the Nob North Invitational, the smart money was likely on Noll Jr. to add another win to his ledger as defending champion of this tournament.
But Weathers had other plans. He was more interested in building his own legacy on the heels of winning the Chattanooga TPC tournament last fall.
With both golfers tied at 6-under 138 at the end of regulation, they returned to the par 5 first hole that meanders left around a lake. Weathers found the green in two with a 3-hybrid from 227 yards, then saw his 14-foot eagle try come up short for a tap-in birdie. Noll Jr. then missed his birdie try from 10 feet.
“It feels great to get the win against a good field of players,” said Weathers, who prepped at McCallie School and played collegiately at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. “I hit it solid both days and left the ball in the right spots when I missed. I had a great hole in the playoff to come out on top against a great player.”
Weathers, a member of Council Fire Club, made the turn Sunday in 2-under, then recorded all pars on the back nine. Noll Jr. shot a final round 68 to force the playoff.
Toby Geren carded a 4-under 140 to finish third, while Gavin Clutts posted a final score of 3-under 141 to place fourth. A trio of golfers – Keoni Vidrine, Dylan Lillard and Dalton Sutton – finished at 2-under 142.
Shonn Weldon won the Senior Flight championship with an aggregate of 4-under 140, finishing a shot ahead of Mike Nance’s 3-under 141.
Jay Potter placed third at 2-under 142, Kip Henley finished at even par 144 to take fourth, and Brent Henley took fifth after posted a 1-over 145.
Richard Brame won the Super Senior Flight by six shots by carding a 2-under 142.
The next event on the Chattanooga District Golf Association slate will be next weekend at the Cleveland Country Club Invitational.
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Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com