Chattanooga Golf and Country Club hosting State Am
Tennessee Golf Half of Famer Tim Jackson of Germantown is slated to begin defense of his Tennessee Amateur championship at 8:20 a.m. Tuesday off No. 10 at Chattanooga Golf and Country Club. Former Soddy-Daisy High and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga golfer Derek Rende was the last Chattanooga-area golfer to win the State Am when he did so in 2008 at Ridgeway Country Club. At least 35 area golfers will compete in the four-day event beside the Tennessee River. A full list of participants and tee times can be found at www.TNamateur.com.
Area aces
Harry Hartman scored a hole-in-one at Valleybrook on Saturday. He aced No. 5 from 125 yards with a 6-hybrid with Bob Waller and Ken Mara as witnesses.
Jerry Roberts followed with a Valleybrook hole-in-one Tuesday on No. 7, playing 141 yards. He used a 6-iron for the shot witnessed by his wife, Sonja Roberts.
Tony Cunningham made his first hole-in-one Tuesday at Brainerd, using a 4-iron for the 153-yard shot on No. 17. His playing partners were Tommy Williams, Dave Pierce and Brandon Farrow.
Kimbrough wins Drive, Chip and Putt
Jeremy Kimbrough won the inaugural Drive, Chip and Putt Junior Golf Skills challenge last week at Council Fire. He earned 116 points in the boys’ 14-15 age division to win by 15 points over Shaan Desai. Hope Traffanstedt won the girls’ 14-15 age group. Other winners were Tucker Windham in boys’ 11-13, Rheagan Hall in girls’ 11-13, Robert Alan Lyle in boys’ 8-10, Shelly Jan in girls’ 10-under and Tripp Hall in boys’ 7-under.
Hipp comes close to U.S. Am spot
Chatsworth’s Colby Hipp shot a 141 for 36 holes at Athens Country Club, leaving him two shots shy of the two alternates and three strokes behind the four U.S. Amateur qualifers Monday and Tuesday. Greyson Sigg of Augusta had a 135 to lead the four Georgians making the field for the Aug. 12-18 national event in Brookline, Mass.
Brainerd Invitational taking applications
Applications to play in the annual Brainerd Invitational are available in the pro shop as well as online at www.IfYouLikeGolf.com. The tournament will be held Aug. 17-18 at Brainerd Golf Course with an entry fee of $135; that covers two rounds of golf as well as lunch with prizes available for the flights.