Payne Denman seeks to defend his Tennessee State Amateur title after winning at Tennessee National last year
photo by Tennessee Golf Association
The 110th Tennessee State Amateur will return to one of the state’s most revered golf courses this week as Holston Hills Country Club will provide the setting as play begins on Tuesday. The par-71 layout will provide a stern test for competitors playing at 7,137 yards in the tournament scheduled to conclude on Friday.
In addition to hosting the State Amateur for a tenth time, Holston Hills has a storied tournament history. From Byron Nelson’s victory at the 1945 Knoxville Open to the 1982 PGA Cup Matches and more recently, the annual Visit Knoxville Open on the Korn Ferry Tour, the club has long been a host to notable events.
Founded in 1927, Holston Hills is a celebrated fixture in the Knoxville golf community and home to one of the most authentic Donald Ross designs in the country. Situated on 180 acres of rolling terrain along the Holston River, the course remains consistently ranked among Tennessee’s top layouts. Its design — virtually unchanged for nearly a century — continues to challenge and inspire players of all levels.
The tournament provides an opportunity to showcase a landmark bunker renovation undertaken over the past year. Using Ross’ original course drawings, aerial photographs, and architectural insights, the team carefully reshaped, repositioned, and rebuilt bunkers to better align with today’s play without compromising the course’s classic character.
Holston Hills first hosted the Tennessee State Amateur in 1931. The last time the event was held at the venerable club was in 2015 when Lee University senior Peyton Sliger parlayed a second-round 8-under-par 62 to take control of the tournament in the early going. But Wes Gosselin, a junior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga who would win the 2016 title, led by two shots during the final round before Sliger rallied to secure the victory with a three-foot birdie on the last hole.
University of Tennessee assistant golf coach Payne Denman is the defending champion, winning by four shots last year at Tennessee National Golf Club by shooting 18-under par.
The tournament will also take on special significance given the fact Jordan Thomas, who lost both legs 20 years ago at the age of 16 in a boating accident, will be the first double amputee to compete in the Tennessee State Amateur’s storied history.
For pairings and live scoring, go to TN State Amateur.
Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com