Brentwood's Ryan Terry is first-round leader at Tennessee State Open
photo by Tennessee Golf Association
Ryan Terry has discovered that his golf game travels pretty well wherever he goes. Over the past year, the Brentwood resident has competed in tournaments stretching from Alaska to the Dominican Republic, sprinkling in competitions in California, Florida and Canada for good measure.
The former Lipscomb golfer had a pair of wins – the Mexican Mid-Amateur and the Spirit of America Golf Classic in Alabama – and placed second in the Canadian Mid-Amateur and four other top 10s.
Expectations were high entering 2024, and Terry hasn’t disappointed. He tied for sixth at the Tennessee State Amateur, won the Signal Mountain Invitational and qualified for the U.S. Open. So, it should come as no surprise that he finds himself atop the leaderboard after the first of three rounds at the 75th Tennessee State Open Championship.
Terry navigated the GreyStone Golf Club in Dickson with a 7-under 64, leading fellow amateur Jeff Reuter of Humboldt and professional Trevor Johnson of Brentwood Country Club by one shot after posting four consecutive birdies during his round.
Hixson’s Hayden Hunneke, who prepped at Baylor School and played collegiately at Carson-Newman, is among four golfers tied for fourth at 5-under 66. The Council Fire Club member and 2022 Tennessee Men’s Match Play champion overcame a rough start with a double-bogey on his opening hole to string together a seven-hole stretch at 7-under midway through his round.
Hunneke birdied holes 7 thru 10, then after a par on No. 11, he eagled the par-5 12th before capping his dynamic stretch of play with another birdie on 13.
Also knotted at 5-under are Dickson’s Ben Wolcott – last year’s runner-up on his home course where his brother, Hunter won, and his father is the course CEO - along with amateur Scotty Hudson of Nashville and Billy Tom Sargent of Dickson.
Sitting three shots out of the lead at 4-under 67 are amateurs Avery Stansell of Memphis and Coleman Jones of Franklin as well as professionals Zac Radford of Brentwood and Tre Mullins of Knoxville.
Keoni Vidrine of Ooltewah is tied for 12th at 3-under 68, while former Baylor golfers Blake Maum (2-under 69), Dalton Chuba (1-under 70), and Haden Maxwell (1-under 70) are all in red figures among Chattanooga area participants. Braedon Wear, who is teammates with Chuba at the University at Tennessee at Chattanooga, is also 1-under.
For complete results, go to Tennessee State Open results
Former Baylor School golfer Hayden Hunneke is tied for fourth after a seven-hole stretch played in 7-under par
photo by Tennessee Golf Association