Ben Rebne coasts to Metro golf title

Ben Rebne, a graduate of Heritage High School in Ringgold, Ga., who is headed to Dalton State College this school year, won the Chattanooga Men's Metro Amateur tournament Sunday at Council Fire Golf Glub.
Ben Rebne, a graduate of Heritage High School in Ringgold, Ga., who is headed to Dalton State College this school year, won the Chattanooga Men's Metro Amateur tournament Sunday at Council Fire Golf Glub.

Over 54 holes at Council Fire Golf Club in the Chattanooga Men's Metro tournament, if there was one set of nine where first-day leader Ben Rebne showed the slightest bit of vulnerability, it was the way he played the front nine in his second round.

Rebne's front nine in Sunday's final round was a different story.

Despite shooting a 3-over-par 39 on the front nine Saturday, Rebne recovered and took a three-shot lead into Sunday's play. The 18-year-old Dalton State College commitment then went out and shaved seven strokes off the previous day's front-nine score, essentially coasting to a six-shot win with a 54-hole total of 201.

Take away his front-side round Saturday and Rebne played his other 45 holes in 18-under. And that even includes a 7 on the par-5 No. 18 on his final hole of the tournament.

"It's a good thing he double-bogeyed that last hole," said his father, Council Fire head professional Richard Rebne. "That'll keep him humble."

The younger Rebne's good work began when he shot a personal-best 62 Friday, two shots off the course record. He played the back nine Saturday in 3-under to get back to par for that day. Then his 32 on the front Sunday helped distance him from playing partners Steve Johnson and Cres Dodd, who were already three and four strokes behind him coming into the round.

Lake Johnson and David Watts played in the next-to-last threesome and ended up tied for second at 9-under 207. Runner-up went to Johnson in a scorecard playoff.

"When I made the turn I had heard that I had a six-shot lead," Rebne said. "I didn't know if that was right or not. I knew the two guys in my group weren't playing up to their capabilities. At that point I was just wanting to stay where I was. I didn't think I had to do anything on the back but make pars."

But that's not what happened. Instead, Rebne birdied the par-5 No. 11, then chipped in for birdie on the par-3 No. 14.

"I read it like a putt," Rebne said of his successful chip. "It was one of my favorites, right to left. I felt good about it, but I didn't think I'd make it. When it dropped, I felt like it was my time."

Like Johnson and Watts, P.J. Shields shot under par in every round of the tournament. He finished fourth at 209.

Taylor Lewis and Mark Harrell, who were in second and third after the first day but scuffled to over-par rounds while playing with Rebne on Saturday, rallied to finish fifth and sixth at 211 and 212.

"It feels good, really good," Rebne said of his championship. "This lets me know I can do it, especially sleeping on it two nights. Now I know I can play that well and come back and do it again."

Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.

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