If we have a shot of David Noll Jr., please attach it to the web version of this. Thanks, Ron
David Noll Jr. missed two of the biggest events of his golf season after the tip of his left thumb had to be reattached in April.
It was an accident.
The toolbox on the back of his truck slammed down and left the digit hanging by a few shreds of skin and a hair of muscle.
“I thought I just slammed it,” Noll said. “Then I looked down and saw the bone and blood squirting.”
An emergency room doctor fixed his thumb – which still bears scars – that morning. But the injury essentially ended his summer golf season.
He couldn’t play in the U.S. Four-Ball championship held at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. He couldn’t defend his titles in Georgia amateur events or play in the North Georgia Invitational.
The season seemed lost, with one exception. He could qualify for the U.S. Mid-Amateur by shooting one of the five lowest scores Thursday at Chattanooga Golf and Country Club.
Noll beat all competitors. He shot a 2-under-par 68 to earn medalist honors and an invitation to play for a national championship Oct. 3-8 at John’s Island Club in Vero Beach, Fla.
“I put all of my eggs into this basket, to make the U.S. Mid-Am,” Noll said. “I’m trying to make hay at the end of my season.”
Noll and his thumb, which looks pretty normal except for a huge scar across the nail, will be joined at the national event by four others who qualified on Thursday.
Chattanooga resident Walt Moffitt tied for second at 1-under 69 with Nashville resident Kyle Simmons.
Chattanooga’s Jay Potter and Mark Harrell of Lookout Mountain claimed the last two spots by shooting even-par 70s.
“I’m loving this,” Potter said after kissing the envelope with his official USGA invitation. “Listen, once you play in one USGA event, all you try to do is get back because they treat you like royalty. And if you can catch lightning in a bottle, you can be in the Masters, the U.S. Open and British Open.”
Those are big dreams.
Noll has played in USGA events before, including nine of the last 12 U.S. Mid-Amateur events. He missed the last two, but he’ll be back this year with a reattached thumb.
“The Mid-Am is the greatest because it’s low-key, the competition is good and it’s an even playing field,” Noll said. “It’s working-class guys like me.”
Moffitt and Potter certainly will take vacations from their jobs to participate in the U.S. Mid-Am. They’re very likely to play practice rounds together.
It will be Moffitt’s first experience in a USGA event.
“I haven’t even been to one as a spectator,” Moffitt said. “I’m glad I made it and Im glad that (CGCC head professional) Bruce Etter helped me get my clubs in confirmation with USGA regulations and shored up my short game.”
Potter has participated in three USGA events, including the 2012 U.S. Mid-Am in Chicago. This trip to Florida, he said, will be much more businesslike.
“I should have concentrated a little more on golf for that tournament, because me and some buddies rented a flat and had a party,” Potter said. “I’m going to try and prepare and play a little better this time.”
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP