The gate at The Honors Course - feels like it should be a capitalized "G" in gate, no? - was lifted and accommodating Thursday morning.
Everything else about the renowned, world-class golf facility in Ooltewah that is hosting the Tennessee State Amateur this week was far less hospitable.
The trio of leaders in the final group slogged and slugged through the humid air around the Honors to the collective score of 10 over par in Thursday's third round. College golfers Nolan Ray (1-over 73 Thursday) and Tanner Owens (2-over 74), will be in the final group for Friday's final round.
Ray, a Lipscomb University transfer from the University of Tennessee who has led after each round, is at 6 under, two shots clear of Owens. UT golfer Tyler Johnson fired a tournament-low 66 Thursday to move to 2 under and will be part of that final group putting pegs in the ground at 9:20 this morning on No. 1.
"The course was fair, but the pressure is starting to get tougher," Honors head professional Henrik Simonsen said. "Tomorrow should be a really good test."
Other than Johnson, who had a top-20 finish at the Tennessee State Open and played in the Southern Amateur earlier this summer, the big mover Thursday was a homegrown name familiar to area golf fans.
The scorecard read "Michael Feher, 67" on Thursday, but to those keen on the local golf scene, everyone knows him by a different name.
"Yeah, I still go by 'Mikey,'" Feher said between congratulations and back-slaps for making a 25-footer to save par on 18 for a bogey-free round. "I just use 'Michael' for the big tournaments."
Another round like Thursday, and Feher could be a big factor in the biggest amateur tournament in the state.
Playing beautifully from tee to green - he said the par putt on 18 after a less than good chip was his most stressful shot - Feher was done with 18 about the time the leaders made the turn in the third round.
Maybe it was the lowered expectations - "I was really patient today," Feher said, "compared to yesterday when I made a couple of doubles, and those are really tough to shake off" - or maybe it was the familiarity of the local venue.
As the collection of the best amateurs in the state are searching for red numbers, there is no denying the collection of Red Raiders in the field.
Yes, there were 11 current or former players for Baylor School - Seth Brandon, Winston Brown, Matt Emery, Ricky Honeycutt, Hayden Hunneke, Matt McKinney, Sheldon McKnight, Chase Roswall, Oliver Simonsen, Richard Spangler and Feher - among those entered in this State Am.
And considering that there are four Baylor grads - Keith Mitchell and Luke List, each of whom is in the Northern Trust field this weekend as well as Harris English and Stephen Jaeger - among the 125 card-carrying PGA Tour professionals, well, is anyone surprised?
"It really is a tribute to the legacy of what (former Baylor coach) King (Oehmig) started and what Coach (Gary) Partrick has continued," Baylor headmaster Scott Wilson said. "The truly amazing thing is all of those guys are great golfers, but they are true gentlemen and great people chasing their dreams.
"We're really proud of all their accomplishments, and we keep up with all of them. I think it is such a great testament of the legacy that has been built by those guys and the stars to come."
A star-studded final round will take aim at the most-decorated course in the state.
That's the way it should be. And with an overwhelming local feel from the Baylor contingent as well as other area players such as Ben Rebne (tied for 10th at 3 over after a 79 Thursday) and Lake Johnson (tied for 12th at 4 over after a 72), well, who knows.
Yet, of that local group chasing the leaders, Feher's scorecard of 67 has put him in the hunt.
But if anyone is going to catch Ray's newly minted purple banner or the orange-clad Johnson or Owens, an MTSU Blue Raider, then Red numbers will have to be the color of the final round.
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com.