Kresge Overcomes 7-Shot Deficit To Win Senior State Open

While warming up on the practice range prior to Tuesday’s final round of the Tennessee Senior State Open at Fairfield Glade’s Stonehenge Golf Course, Cliff Kresge had adjusted his expectations for the day given the fact he trailed leader Gibby Gilbert III by seven shots.

“I really didn't have a lot of confidence,” Kresge said. “I even told my wife, ‘It's not like I'm going to get a chance to win this thing. I'm just going to try and build some confidence for the Senior U.S. Open I have in a couple weeks.’”

Kresge sensed that something was askew with his golf swing, so he asked one of his playing partners to shoot a quick video of his motion. That momentary self-evaluation unlocked a needed adjustment.

“I saw what I needed to see in that video,” Kresge said. “I told myself, ‘Okay, I can go with that.’ And then I started to hit some more shots with that feeling, and they were all going pretty well. I thought I had a chance to play decently today. I still wasn't thinking about winning the golf tournament, but at least I felt like I could hit some good shots and maybe finish in the top four or five.”

Little did Kresge imagine the unlikely result his practice range epiphany would produce several hours later.

Kresge executed a flawless round of 65 that featured seven birdies, eventually chasing down Gilbert to win by two shots with a final score of 7-under 137. It was the Knoxville resident’s second time to win the event after capturing the 2021 title just months after undergoing triple-bypass surgery.

With a professional career that included five top 5 finishes in 212 PGA TOUR events and a trio of wins in 231 starts on what is today known as the Korn Ferry Tour, Kresge was hard-pressed to recall another tournament where he experienced such an unexpected outcome.

“I've never been seven shots down before and won a golf tournament,” Kresge said. “I don't know for sure how many shots I was down back when I won the Hershey Open (in 2002), but I remember I shot 4-under to win in a playoff. That’s the only thing I could compare to today.”

Playing three groups ahead of Gilbert, Kresge covered his opening nine holes in 33. He recognized he might be on the cusp of a special day when he drained a 28-foot putt from the fringe on the par-5 10^th for eagle to move to 5-under for his round.

“When I rolled in that eagle, I thought if I could make three more birdies that I might have a chance,” Kresge said.

Meanwhile, Gilbert held steady at 7-under over his opening nine after shooting 36, but a birdie at 12 gave the three-time champion a three-shot cushion with Kresge only having four holes remaining.

“When I was out there, I was the aggressor because I was behind,” Kresge said. “I kept telling myself, ‘I need one more. I need one more. I need one more.’ I just stayed on the gas the whole afternoon.”

Two more birdies from Kresge at 15 and 17 coupled with a three-putt bogey by Gilbert at 15 deadlocked the leaders at 7-under. Then with Kresge in the clubhouse after a par on the final hole, Gilbert encountered misfortune with a double-bogey on 17 that ultimately dictated the outcome.

“I hit what I thought was a great shot on 17 but it went over the green and was dead,” Gilbert said. “And then I three-putted. If I had just parred 17 and 18 and got into a playoff, you don’t know what would have happened. I’ve been there before and I’ve won before, so you’ve got to take the good with the bad.”

Gilbert won this tournament three straight years from 2016-18, but has experienced heartbreak two of the last three years. In 2023 he led by one on the final hole before champion Kip Henley rolled in a long putt for birdie to win by one as Gilbert closed with a bogey. His final round 74 on Tuesday to finish at 5-under 139 opened the door for Kresge’s comeback.

“I hadn't been playing a whole lot of golf, and I just didn't get the little things done,” Gilbert said. “If I had just gone out there and done what I was supposed to do, nobody could have caught me.”

The victory gives Kresge the confidence he had hoped to discover heading into the U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo. slated for June 26-29. Winning the tournament was simply an added bonus.

“We were laughing on the range about how sometimes when you’re struggling, you go through that Rolodex of swing thoughts throughout your life that you’ve accumulated,” Kresge said. “You go back to the memory box and see if you can find one that'll work for the day. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't. Today it worked to perfection.”

Winning this tournament for the second time, while unexpected earlier in the day, was something that the Holston Hills Country Club member values greatly.

“I don't take it for granted any time I can win a tournament,” Kresge said. “I'm proud of the fact that I'm the Senior Open champ. I beat some good players on a very challenging golf course where you’ve got to control your golf ball.”

Chattanooga’s Henley earned low amateur honors after closing with a final round of 71 to finish tied for third at 3-under 141 with Nashville’s Jeff Lyons. Amateurs Matt Mitchell of Burns and Steve Golliher of Powell tied for fifth with two-day totals of 1-under 143.

Fox Den Country Club Jake Reeves and Memphis amateur David Apperson shot even-par 144 to land in a tie for seventh, and four golfers tied for ninth at 1-over 145 that included amateurs Rick Mays of Riceville, Jeff Cranford of Morristown, Nashville’s Tim Hollahan and Bear Trace at Tims Ford professional Jared Melson.

In the Super Senior competition, Nashville amateur Stuart Smith was the last man standing in a roller coaster finish to close at 1-over 145, winning by a single shot over defending champion Buzz Fly of Memphis and Fred McCord of Collierville.

McCord entered the round owning a one-shot lead over Smith, and his margin remained intact after both golfers shot even par on their opening nine. After McCord birdied 13 coupled with a bogey from Smith, his advantage increased to three strokes with five holes to play.

But Smith rallied to birdie 14 and 15 to trim the deficit back to one, setting the stage for an unlikely finish.

McCord gave back four strokes over his final three holes with a double bogey on 16 followed by a pair bogeys. But Smith encountered bogeys of his own on 16 and 17 before finally securing the win with a short par putt on 18.

Playing in the group ahead, Fly had a chance to force a playoff in pursuing his third trophy in four years, but a bogey on 18 left him knotted with McCord at 2-over 146.

Mark Houser, a professional from Gallatin, finished fourth at 4-over 148, while amateurs Rob Long of Franklin and Rick Bumgarner of Hendersonville tied for fifth at 9-over 153.

For complete results, go to TN Senior and Super Senior State Open.

Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com