The Lupton Memorial golf tournament is growing in popularity across the nation. More than 20 players in the field of 120 will have their wives along for the nationally recognized tournament that starts Friday at The Honors Course.
The field includes some of the best mid-amateur, senior and super-senior players from the Southeast and across the country, including five-time senior champion Paul Simson from Raleigh, N.C.
Lupton Memorial senior-division winner Paul Simson.
Brooke Pancake tees off in this July 20, 2014, file photo."He plays his golf and he does his fishing, and I think he really enjoys his time when he's here," Honors Course head professional Henrik Simonsen said. "To have him back is important for the tournament, and he draws a bunch of other good players with him."
Simson won the senior division -- scored by the Stableford system -- by eight points over Bill Leonard last year. Mike McCoy, the 2014 mid-amateur champion from Iowa, will not return due to a graduation. And reigning super-senior champion Ted Smith from Indiana will not participate because of an injury.
The field will include past champions and past contenders such as Carlton Forrester and Kris Mikkelson, as well as reigning Tennessee Mid-Amateur champion Ryan Greer of Knoxville, who won his title last year at the Honors.
Danny Green of Jackson, Tenn., and Doug Hanzel of Savannah, Ga., highlight the senior field along with Simson and Chattanoogan Neil Spitalny.
Simonsen said the wet spring has not been a detriment to course conditions.
"It's in great shape. The greens have been fine, but they hadn't been as fast as we'd like them until this past weekend," Simonsen said. "They were finally almost a 12 (on the stimpmeter)m and the goal is to keep them between 12 and 12 1/2."
Pancake in U.S. Open
Former Baylor School and Alabama standout Brooke Pancake qualified for the U.S. Women's Open set for July 9-12 in Lancaster, Pa., with a 36-hole 138 this week at Druid Hills in Atlanta. The second round had to be finished Tuesday because of severe weather in the area Monday.
Pancake advanced along with Jane Park of Woodstock, Ga., who had a 136 in the sectional qualifier. Chattanooga's Blakesley Warren and UTC golfer Emily McLennan from Australia tied for 11th at 146, and Jenna Burris from Manchester, Tenn., and St. Andrew's-Sewanee School shot 149.
Elliott NAIA finalist
Dalton State began play in the NAIA men's national tournament Tuesday at Daytona Beach, Fla., with Roadrunners sophomore Sean Elliott one of the five finalists for the NAIA Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award presented by Barbasol. Nicklaus himself will present the award at the upcoming Memorial tournament.
Elliott has won two tournaments this season, including the Southern States Athletic Conference event. He has had four runner-up finishes and nine top-10s in all.
NGI taking entries
Entries for the North Georgia Invitational are available at Dalton Golf and Country Club and at www.IfYouLikeGolf.com The entry fee for the May 30-31 tournament is $150 and includes a practice round, cart fees and lunch both days.
Area aces
Two guys had holes-in-one Sunday at Creeks Bend during its member-guest tournament. Fred Simmons nailed his seventh ace with an 8 iron on No. 4, playing 152 yards, with George Wright, Harry Woods and Ronnie McClister watching. Adam Hughes posted his first hole-in-one with a gap wedge on No. 6, 115 yards, as Jon Goff, Wade Curvin and Jake Gray looked on.
Ryan Cox made his first hole-in-one Tuesday at Cleveland Country Club. Colby Roach and Logan Perkins witnessed the 9 iron shot that covered 176 yards to the cup on No. 17.
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP.