Garretson wins Ira Templeton Open at Creeks Bend

Garretson closes well to win Ira Templeton Open

Staff Photo by Angela Lewis Foster/ The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 6/16/15
Joshua Wheeler watches the ball during the final-round action of the Ira Templeton Open Tuesday at Creeks Bend Golf Club.
Staff Photo by Angela Lewis Foster/ The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 6/16/15 Joshua Wheeler watches the ball during the final-round action of the Ira Templeton Open Tuesday at Creeks Bend Golf Club.
photo Staff Photo by Angela Lewis Foster/ The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 6/16/15 Nick Garretson watches his shot from the fairway during the final round of the Ira Templeton Open Tuesday at Creeks Bend Golf Club. Garretson finished 3-under par.

Nick Garretson had opportunites to walk on and play college golf, first at Belmont and then at Tennessee Tech.

He passed on both chances.

The best golf of his life laid years ahead of the now 31-year-old Garretson, who is a building materials sales representative.

"I was a late bloomer," he said. "I went to Belmont for a year, then Tennessee Tech, and I wasn't sure what to do with my life. Family and friends encouraged me to play on the team, but it never came to fruition.

"When I got out of college, I started playing in some bigger tournaments."

Garretson's perseverance earned him medalist honors Tuesday in the Ira Templeton Open at Creeks Bend Golf Club. He closed with a 70 to finish the two-day tournament at 3-under-par 137, which clipped The Honors Course assistant professional Joshua Webb by two strokes, as well as Heritage High School rising senior Sport Allmond of Ringgold, Ga. - a future Dalton State College golfer - and Joshua Wheeler of Athens, Tenn.

"Anytime you win, it's a big event," Garretson said. "Right now, this is probably the biggest win of my career considering the difficulty of the golf course. It's the most difficult 6,500 yards that you'll ever play.

"The new Bermuda greens are an incredible asset to Creeks Bend."

Garretson made birdie on the final hole. From a few feet off the green, he curled in a putt of some 25 feet, then raised his putter in triumph as the ball dropped in the hole.

"I never really pursued playing college golf despite everybody telling me to walk on," Garretson said. "I didn't have that burning desire. But then after college, when I could play on my own terms, I continued to play."

Kingsport's Mark Houser won the overall senior division, while Randy Wylie was the runner-up.

Webb was pleased despite finishing second at the course manicured by superintendent Patrick Shutters.

"I played phenomenal the last two days, and I never hit my driver," Webb said. "I was very strategic playing this awesome course."

Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-648. Follow him on Twitter @UchiyamaCTFP

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