Borrowed Putter Aids Harry Hill As Top Seed In State Super Senior Match Play

Harry Hill felt like he needed to make a change entering this week’s 8^th Tennessee Super Senior Match Play championship, so he borrowed a friend’s putter the night before the event started.

Two days into this experiment, Hill’s buddy is going to have a hard time reclaiming his flatstick.

Hill, a member of Council Fire Club in Chattanooga, rode the confidence discovered in his borrowed putter to a sparkling round of 3-under-par 69 to win medalist honors with his two-day total of 1-under 143.

The 2020 Tennessee State Open Super Senior champion converted three straight birdies starting at No. 6 and parred the remaining holes to earn the top seed in Thursday’s match play quarterfinals.

“I decided to make an overnight change with my putter starting yesterday, and I felt confident rolling the ball these past two days,” Hill said. “The guy that loaned it to me said, ‘I'm not getting it back, am I?’ I said, ‘Well, not without a fight.’”

Hill was a model of consistency in missing only one fairway the entire day at Shelbyville’s RiverBend Country Club.

“I didn't take out a driver the last two days,” Hill said. “I played 3-wood off the tee and kept everything in play. I had a couple of errant shots, but I was able to recover and cozy some long putts to make pars.”

Hill has served as a volunteer coach with Chattanooga’s First Tee program for the past 13 years, an experience that has been both rewarding and beneficial.

“About 10 years ago I kind of figured out how to play the game a little smarter,” Hill said. “A lot of that is related to my time at First Tee. Quite frankly, I’m using a little bit of what I teach. Being there has been good for me. I enjoy working with the kids, but it hasn’t been a one-way ticket. I’ve grown, too.”

Hill is competing this week with a heavy heart, dedicating his efforts to a close friend who recently lost a child.

“It hit me pretty hard. I was looking for a way to encourage my buddy and I took a picture of my ball that had his son’s initials on it,” Hill said. “I send it to him and told him, ‘I’m playing for you this week.’”

Sporting his trademark wide-brimmed hat that has become a fixture for the past 20 years after a warning from his dermatologist, Hill was able to win by two shots over runner-up Jerry Ishee of Nashville who closed with a total of 1-over 145.

Jackson’s Danny Green posted second straight 73 to finish 3rd at 2-over-par 146, while three-time defending champion Tom Baird of Signal Mountain completed a solid round of 1-under-par 71 to place 4th at 3-over-par 147.

First-round leader Richard Smith of Springville, who captured the Tennessee State Open in 1998 and the Tennessee Mid-Amateur the following year, struggled to a 79 on Wednesday to finish 5^th at 5-over-par 149.

Other qualifiers into match play are Ed Link of Memphis, who won the inaugural year of this event in 2017, at 6-over-par 150, while Chattanooga’s Neil Spitalny and Nashville’s Van Fletcher secured the final two spots at 7-over-par 151.

Thursday morning will feature the Super Senior quarterfinals followed by the semifinals in the afternoon. The championship final is slated for Friday.

In the 20^th Tennessee Senior Match Play competition, Powell’s Todd Burgan parlayed a blistering start to his round to earn the stroke play medalist honors at 10-under-par 134 after posting a gaudy 8-under 64 on Wednesday.

Burgan, 55, birdied his first three holes on his way to shooting 30 on his opening nine, finishing his flawless day with eight birdies and no blemishes. Over the two days of stroke play, Burgan was 7-under on the first three holes alone.

Tullahoma’s Jay Potter had an impressive showing as well, carding his own bogey-free round with six birdies to sign for a 6-under 66, his total of 5-under-par 139 five shots behind Burgan.

Steven Mann of Franklin continued his steady play, backing up his first round 71 with a 2-under-par 70 on Wednesday. His total of 3-under 141 was good for 3^rd place.

Two golfers – Cleveland’s Joe Markham Jr. and Ray Morton of Lenoir City - tied for fourth at 1-over par 145.

The Senior Match Play will commence with the Round of 16 on Thursday morning, followed by the afternoon quarterfinals. The semifinals will take place Friday morning, and the championship final will be played that afternoon.

For complete results and live scoring, go to TN Senior/Super Senior Match Play.

Thursday’s Super Senior Quarterfinal pairings:

Harry Hill, Chattanooga vs. Van Fletcher, Nashville

Tom Baird, Signal Mountain vs. Richard Smith, Springville

Jerry Ishee, Nashville vs. Neil Spitalny, Chattanooga

Danny Green, Jackson vs. Ed Link, Memphis

Thursday’s Senior Round of 16 pairings:

Todd Burgan, Powell vs. Keith Woodall, Springfield

Arnold Cunningham, Nashville vs. Alan Jones, Tullahoma

Joe Markham Jr., Cleveland vs. Tim Roop, Hernando

Ray Morton, Lenoir City vs. Zeb Patten, Lookout Mountain

Jay Potter, Tullahoma vs. Gary Davis, Cleveland

Bill Oliver, Sevierville vs. Mike Albonetti, Williston

Steven Mann, Franklin vs. Steve Golliher, Powell

Brad Kuester, Knoxville vs. Pat Chisholm, Franklin

Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com