A busy month of June...

It is safe to say that our tournament season is in full swing. June tends to be an extremely busy month for the TGA and this year nothing has changed. Having traveled from one end of the state to the other the past couple of weeks, we find ourselves home once again preparing for 2 state championships that will take place next week in Middle TN.

On June 8th we found ourselves in Memphis running the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying which was held at Germantown and Ridgeway Country Clubs. It was a 36-hole single day event that awarded 13 players the chance to head to Bethpage Black as contestants of the 2009 U.S. Open. The event was a huge success and it was extremely exciting to witness some of the big names in golf competing for those much desired qualifying spots. The following day several of us headed over to Windyke Country Club to assist the TPGA with the St. Jude Open Qualifier. There we witnessed an amazing round by one of our local amateurs, Rob Garland, who carded a 65 and captured a spot into the St. Jude Classic which was being held at TPC Southwind.

Leaving Memphis, we pit-stopped back at the office for a couple of days to prepare for the Four-Ball/Senior-Four Ball Championship which was held at Toqua Golf Club in Loudon, TN on June 18-21. This was the first time hosting the Four-Ball Championship for Toqua Golf Club and I commend Jim West, Mark Wickendon, Lisa Vaught and their staff for an incredible job well done. The Four-Ball/Senior Four-Ball Championship began with two days of stroke play qualifying in which the top 16 teams (Regular Division) and top 8 teams (Senior Division) moved onto the weekends match play format. After four days of blistering heat and several weather delays the winners emerged. Grant Milner/Sam Pressley defeated Lexus Keoninh/Steven Fox 1up in the finals of the regular division, while Bill Liberato/Gene Lomax defeated David Hallford/Tim Thompson 2&1 in the senior division finals.

This week we find ourselves preparing for two state championships which take place next week. The Match Play Championship begins June 30th at the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, TN. Also beginning on June 30th is the 46th Annual Boy's Junior Amateur Championship which will be held at Champions Run in Rockvale, TN. The TGA is extremely excited about the upcoming championships and are waiting in anticipation to crown several state champions.

Off and Running...

Final preparations are being made as the TGA heads down to Memphis this weekend to run the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying. There will be 110 players fighting for 12 spots into this year's U.S. Open which will be held on June 15-21, 2009 at Bethpage State Park (Black Course) in Farmingdale, NY. Monday's Sectional Qualifying will be a 36-hole stroke play competiton in which players will play both Germantown and Ridgeway Country Club.

Tuesday finds several of the TGA staff serving as Rules Officials in the Stanford St. Jude Qualifier being held at Windyke Country Club. Qualifiers will compete in the Stanford St. Jude which will take place on June 11-14 at TPC Southwind, also located in Memphis. It is definitely a change of pace for us, working professional events, as we typically are involved with amateur
events.

The following week we will be headed up to Loudon, TN for the 2009 Four-Ball/Senior Four-Ball Championship which will be held at Toqua Golf Club. This years event includes 40 Regular Division teams and 30 Senior Division teams. The tournament format will be two days of stroke-play qualifying followed by team vs. team match play until a winner emerges. It is a favorite event of many of our players because of the atmosphere and team comraderie. We are excited for a great Championship and look forward to seeing all of you there.


*Please don't forget that the State Amateur Deadline is Wednesday, June 24th, at 5:00 p.m. CDT. This year's State Amateur Championship will be held on August 4-7, 2009, at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, TN.