James Monnerville could pass for a star high school fullback.
He’s built with thick and sturdy legs, strong and broad shoulders and a little extra baggage around the waist.
But the easygoing fellow with braces is a golfer — and a good one.
Monnerville won the Ringgold Telephone Company Junior Classic by three shots Thursday at WindStone Golf Club in his first American Junior Golf Association event.
“I’m overwhelmed,” he said. “I knew I had to shoot 2 or 3 under (par) to have any chance.”
The Vero Beach, Fla., resident remained patient early and shot a 4-under 66 to finish with a three-day total of 7-under 203.
Sam Straka of Valdosta, Ga., led the first two rounds but shot a 71 to tie for second with Payne Denman of Riverwatch, Tenn., who closed with a 67. Kelby Burton of Evans, Ga., finished fourth at 1-under 209.
“I’m a little disappointed because I couldn’t make any putts and I didn’t the ball as well today,” Straka said. “I hacked it around for a 71, and a second-place finish is OK because I’ll live.”
Keith Mitchell led the area contingent by shooting 71 and finishing at par for the tournament.
Mariah Stackhouse of Riverdale, Ga., won the girls’ division by shooting a 66 on Thursday and finishing at 3-under 207. Shannon Aubert, an eighth-grader from Championsgate, Fla., was second at 209.
The final round began at 8:30 a.m. in a shotgun start format with the lead boys’ group starting on No. 1 and the lead girls’ group starting on No. 10 because officials feared inclement weather early in the afternoon. Play suspended about 1:15 p.m., with most groups playing their 17th or 18th hole. The delay lasted more than an hour.
The names atop the leaderboard in the boys’ division switched several times before the stoppage.
Burton shot 4 under on the front and owned a two-shot lead over Straka and Monnerville when they made the turn. Burton and Monnerville birdied No. 10 to gain another stroke on Straka.
Monnerville birdied No. 12 and Burton bogeyed No. 13, which tied them at 6 under for the tournament with five holes to go.
Monnerville took the lead by one with a birdie on No. 15. The leaders parred No. 16.
Hole No. 17 is where the tournament turned, and when the horn sounded to stop play.
All four in the final group found the fairway off the tee as thunder rolled in the sky. Zach Estep and Burton tried to reach the green in two, but Burton’s shot sailed right into trees.
Then the horn echoed off the hills — a delay with kids killing time huddled in the cart barn.
Monnerville returned to his ball in the fairway and made a birdie. Burton made a bogey — a two-shot swing — and trailed by three shots, as did Straka, with one hole to play.
“On 18 I was three ahead and I figured that at worst I make a 5 and I still win, so I pulled out my trusty 3-wood,” Monnerville said. “That was good, but then the nerves set in, and I came up short with my approach.”
Monnerville chipped. He putted from 50 feet. He putted again from three feet.
And he won.
David Uchiyama is a sports writer at the Chattanooga Times Free Press who began his tenure here in May 2001. His primary beats are UTC athletics — specifically men’s basketball and athletic department administration — and golf, which includes coverage from the PGA Tour to youth events. He also covers other high school sports, outdoor adventures, and contributes to other sections of the newspaper when necessary. David grew up in Salinas, Calif., and began working ...
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