Brainerd Invitational champion Mike Dunn celebrates with his wife, Jenna, and son, Caleb
Mike Dunn found himself in an unfamiliar position Sunday afternoon at Brainerd Golf Course, even though the surroundings were at a place he knew intimately from having spent many years as an employee at the course.
Dunn pretty much knows every square inch of the Donald Ross layout, having mowed every fairway and edged around every tree on the property when he was in college in the late ‘90s. He later worked in the golf shop as an assistant, and has logged more rounds at Brainerd than he can even remember.
But the one thing Dunn had not accomplished over the course of his golf career was to be named individual champion of a tournament. He had collected a handful of runner-up prizes over the years, and had partnered to win the Chattanooga District Golf Association Four-Ball title back in 2012.
In short, he was always the bridesmaid, but never the bride.
But that all changed Sunday in the 78th playing of the Brainerd Invitational. After starting the day five shots off the lead and playing with six groups behind him, Dunn put together a masterful bogey-free 6-under 66 to finish at 6-under 138 for his first solo win.
Despite having many years to prepare for this opportunity, the magnitude of the moment left the 45-year-old Dunn at a loss for words.
“I don't know how I’m supposed to react and I don't know what to do with myself,” Dunn said. “To be honest with you, until I walked off 18 green, I didn't even know what I shot today. The only thing I knew I didn't do today was make a bogey.”
Dunn has posted plenty of low rounds at Brainerd, shooting a career-best 61 from the white tees one time. He also placed third in last year’s tournament, but never had he put together a more meaningful round of golf on the venerable layout.
His goal for the day was to win the 40 & Over Flight, where he trailed by three entering Sunday’s play. Much to his surprise, his round that featured six birdies had an even bigger prize at stake. But he purposely remained in the dark as to where he stood throughout the afternoon.
“I was completely oblivious to the score and what was going on around me,” Dunn said. “I was having fun with one of my best friends, Jeff Greeson, riding in the cart. After I made a couple of birdies on the back, and Jeff was like, ‘Get your crap together and make something happen’.”
Their other playing partner, Matt Crowder, was entering the scores electronically and saw where Dunn was rising up the leaderboard.
“Matt asked me ‘Do you want to know?’ I said, ‘I don't want to know nothing’, but it kind of gave me an idea that I was in the hunt,” Dunn said. “I was just playing golf trying to shoot the best score I could possibly shoot. When we got done after I birdied 18, somebody told me I was 2-up at that point in time.”
Dunn shot 34 on the front, but still trailed Saturday co-leader Case White by four strokes. But he birdied 10, then was joined by his wife, Jenna, and their five-year-old son, Caleb, to accompany him over the final eight holes.
With his family along for the ride, Dunn promptly birdied 12 and 13 to take the lead as the groups behind him ran into trouble. But a pair of golfers who have proven their competitive mettle this summer remained on the golf course well within striking distance.
Defending champion Keoni Vidrine was positioned for the win after a birdie at No. 16 brought him even with Dunn at 6-under. But a bogey at 17 dropped him one behind, needing a birdie at the par 5 closing hole to force a playoff.
Vidrine landed on the green in two shots, then suffered an untimely three-putt to miss his opportunity to win or force a playoff.
One bullet dodged, but another still lurked.
Andrew Weathers, whose 67 on Saturday earned a share of the lead, opened with three bogeys over his first seven holes before birdies on 8 and 9 moved him back to 4-under. Weathers was two behind but drove the par 5 18th in two shots, before narrowly missing an eight-foot eagle putt that would have forced a playoff.
“I was getting ready to go to No. 1 for the playoff when both of them missed,” Dunn said. “When that happened, I didn’t know how to react. I was in disbelief. I’m just glad I was able to enjoy the moment with my wife and son, because having them there meant the world to me.”
Vidrine and Weathers finished tied for second at 5-under 139, while four golfers – John Thomas McKenzie, Beck Lewis, Gavin Greeson and Wes Spillers – tied for fourth at 4-under 140.
White closed at 3-under 141 in a tie for eighth with Taylor Lewis.
Having recently returned to Chattanooga after living away four years while his wife worked as a traveling nurse, Dunn is thrilled to have his first win take place at Brainerd.
“This is the place where I fell in love with golf when I was working on the maintenance crew,” Dunn said. “I shot 117 when I played my first round here, but I’ve been addicted to the game ever since. This is just a special day for me and my family.”
Senior Division
Tullahoma’s Jay Potter captured the Senior Division, withstanding a final-round charge from Brent Henley to win by three shots. Potter posted a two-day total of 14-under 130 after shooting 66 on Sunday.
Potter entered the day with a one-shot lead over Zeb Patten and two clear of Henley. Patten was unable to mount a charge thanks to a front-nine 37, ultimately placing third with a final score of 6-under 138
But Henley made things interesting, recording three birdies in four holes on his opening nine to make the turn even with Potter at 10-under. But Potter birdied No. 11 to regain the lead, then doubled his advantage with another birdie at the par-3 14th.
Henley again pulled within a single shot with his first birdie on the back at No. 15, but a bogey at 17 following Potter’s birdie on 16 sealed the outcome.
A trio of golfers tied for fourth at 5-under 139 including defending champion Joe Markham Jr., Chris Hall and Jeff Cox.
Playing in his first competitive round since undergoing a six-way heart bypass in May, five-time Regular Division champion Richard Keene made a solid showing with rounds of 73-74 to finish tied for 12th at 3-over 147.
Super Senior Flight
Richard Brame won his fifth title this year in the Super Senior flight, posting his second straight round of even par 72 to finish the tournament at 144.
Brame had a lone bogey on No. 9 that was offset by a birdie on No. 16 to accompany 16 pars on his workmanlike round.
Jerry Burrell finished second at 2-over 146 after closing with a 71, the lone member of his flight to break par on the day. Tom Baird, Jim Brett and Mike Jenkins finished in a tie for third with an aggregate score of 4-over 148.
For complete results go to Brainerd Invitational results.
Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com