David McKenzie figured to have a nice homecoming waiting for him at his new apartment in Raleigh following the Knoxville Open.
He owned a three-shot lead and birdied the first hole. But McKenzie tossed it away on the fifth hole and three-putted No. 18 to miss a playoff by a stroke in the Nationwide Tour event at Fox Den Country Club .
Kevin Johnson and Bradley Iles each shot 20 -under 268 to force the playoff that Johnson won on the second hole. Iles tied the course record with a 9-under 63 on Sunday.
McKenzie, an Australian who previously claimed Hixson as his American hometown, shot even-par 72 on Sunday after playing the first three rounds at 19 under.
His tee shot on No. 5, a par-5, sailed out of bounds and Johnson made a birdie there to pull even with McKenzie.
"I let everybody back in it at that point," McKenzie told a tour official.
McKenzie tied for third with America Blake Adams. McKenzie earned more than $30,000 for the win and moved up to No. 34 on the money list. The top 25 at the end of the season earn PGA Tour cards for the next year.
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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