Belmont senior Conner Brown clutches the Jackson Cup after winning the Tennessee Match Play Championship on Friday
photo by Tennessee Golf Association
The 18th hole at Vanderbilt Legends Club’s South Course had become a place of comfort for Conner Brown, the scene of some of his most memorable moments in this week’s 26th Tennessee Match Play Championship.
But he never got the chance to play the closing hole in his championship match with Trenton Johnson, a fact that elicited zero disappointment. The reason? Brown had already closed out his match three holes earlier, capturing his first Tennessee Golf Association title by a 4 & 3 verdict.
All of Brown’s three matches this week that reached 18 were ultimately decided at the downhill 522-yard par-5 finisher protected by out of bounds on the left and a water hazard down the right side, and he carded critical birdies all four times he played it with elimination on the line.
In Brown’s final pool play match with Chattanooga’s Seth Brandon, a birdie at the last hole earned him a tie to provide the critical half-point to advance into the match play bracket. Then in his Round of 16 match with Sewanee’s Taylor Mottern, it was a birdie at 18 that secured a 1-up win to remain alive.
Brown was 1-down to Nashville’s Will Jackson entering the final hole in Friday morning’s semifinals, but another birdie gave him a reprieve to extend the match. With the golfers returning to 18 to continue play, Brown birdied it again to win in 19 holes.
Needless to say, the 21-year-old Shelbyville native found a certain comfort level on that hole that helped propel him to the title.
“I actually was just thinking about it a minute ago,” Brown said. “I almost didn't make it out of pool play, and then my first match in the bracket play came down to the final hole, yeah. And then in my match this morning I had to play that hole twice. So, you remember those really close calls.”
With his final season at Belmont University just around the corner, Brown hopes this win will provide momentum headed into collegiate play.
“I've never won a big tournament like this,” Brown said. “I've always known that I can, so I'm really hoping that this can help build a lot of confidence.”
Brown relishes competing in match play format, and that point became evident based on the results from this week’s championship.
“I like the mindset where I’ve only got to beat one guy in these 18 holes,” Brown said. “That kind of fits my game pretty well. I've always been a big fan of match play format because one bad hole can't ruin your entire round.”
With his name being added to the Jackson Cup in honor of Tim Jackson, the TGA’s legendary all-time winningest golfer, Brown took a moment to let the moment sink in.
“Winning this means a lot,” Brown said. “I still can't really believe it's real because I didn’t really expect it to happen. Tennessee is probably one of the best golf states in the country. There's been so many good players that have come through here, and it's so hard to compete with everybody. It just feels really good to have my name up there with those men.”
Brown found himself in an early hole in the finals as Johnson birdied the first two holes to take a 2-up lead. But Brown responded to claim four wins in a five-hole span to take his own 2-up lead at the turn.
A birdie on the par 3 11th extended Brown’s cushion to 3-up. With three par-5 holes among the South Course’s last five holes, there was ample opportunity for Johnson to climb back into the match. However, Brown slammed the door with a birdie on 15 to secure the 4 & 3 conquest.
In Brown’s earlier semifinal match, Jackson also took an early 2-up lead with birdies at 3 and 5. After Brown birdied No. 6 to cut his margin in half, Jackson regained his 2-up cushion after an eagle at the 465-yard par-5 10th hole.
But Brown responded to win three straight holes starting at No. 11 with two pars and a birdie to take his first lead. Undaunted, Jackson captured the next two holes, winning 14 with a birdie and a par at 15 to go 1-up with three to play.
After halving 16 with a par and a birdie at 17, Brown pulled off his heroics at 18 with two birdies just minutes apart to earn his spot in the finals.
Johnson punched his ticket into the finals with a 2-up win over Nashville’s Ryan Ward. Neither golfer was able to make a mark on the front side, halving all nine holes with eight pars and a bogey on No. 3.
The first lead came when Ward birdied No. 10, but he promptly gave that right back with a bogey on 11 while Johnson earned par. After playing to a draw over the next three holes, Ward regained a 1-up margin with a birdie at the par-4 15th.
Needing to conjure up some late magic, Johnson responded. He won with a par on the 201-yard par-3 16th to draw even, made a birdie on the 576-yard par-5 17th to grab his second 1-up lead, then sealed the match with a final birdie on 18.
For complete results, go to Tennessee Match Play.
Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com