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Harris claims Chattanooga TPC win

By: David Uchiyama
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Tripp Harris

Tripp Harris zoomed out of Valleybrook Golf and Country Club after losing the Red Bud Invitational at the end of May.

He left feeling down, dejected, disappointed and in dire need of a boost.

Early in the summer he drove to Sea Island, Ga. to say with his uncle and completely rebuild his putting stroke.

Harris returned later in the summer as a different man. He returned confident, assured and secure while holding a putter from any distance on the green.

“Confidence is a big thing and he’s really starting to believe in himself,” said his college coach, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Mark Guhne. “He has all the tools and there’s no telling how far he might go.”

Harris’ confidence, ball-striking, and new putting stroke carried him to a 1-up victory in 21 holes over Lee University freshman Caleb Roberson in the 16th annual Chattanooga TPC tournament at Council Fire Golf Club on Sunday.

“This win is a result of all the work I did in the summer, even switching back to a short putter from a belly-putter,” said Harris who last week won the UTC team qualifier to play in the Brickyard Invitational this weekend which will be his first team competition since last fall.

“I’m have 100 percent more confidence,” he added. “My putting was terrible, so I left town and started from scratch and it’s helped me out so much.”

Harris made nearly every putt from inside 15 feet including the putt on No. 3 at Council Fire to win the championship.

But he had chances to end the tournament before Roberson won three of the final four holes with a combination of mistakes by Harris and a precise short-game.

“I didn’t hit it all that well, but my putter was there,” said Harris, who defeated Tom Baird 3 and 2 in the semifinals. “It was a good match, and we both made a bunch of birdies.

“It was a fight all day.”

Harris owned a 2-up lead after the first two holes before Roberson squared the match on No. 6 with a birdie. Roberson, a former Baylor golfer, lost the last two holes on the front and felt a little pressure while crossing the Council Fire parking lot from hole No. 9 to No. 10.

“I didn’t hit too many good shots on the front-nine, so I figured that if lost No. 10 or No. 11 I’d be in big trouble,” said Roberson who defeated Lee teammate Sam Bedwell 4 and 3 in the morning.

Roberson was 3-down with four holes to play. He won three of them to square the match, including No. 18 where he almost holed-out from 193 yards with a 5-iron for double-eagle. Harris conceded the putt and sent the match into a playofff.

They halved No. 1 with birdies and No. 2 with pars before they both hit errant tee shots on No. 3. Harris had a tree trunk directly between his ball and the green. Roberson was in the rough and hit his shot toward the green, but it came up short and landed in the front bunker.

Harris punched out and had his ball on the green in three strokes. Roberson hit from one bunker to another which meant Harris could win by sinking a 20-foot putt.

He did. He won.

“I figured that if I could get to my number that I could get up and down for par,” Harris said. “I thought I’d make par and go to the hole.”

It wasn’t necessary.

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