Has the torch been passed to a new generation of amateur golfers in Chattanooga?

If the semifinals pairings in the Chattanooga TPC are any indication, the torch has indeed been passed.

When the four semifinalists convene at Council Fire next Saturday, the elder statesman in the group will be Andrew Black, who turned all of 23 on Sept. 28. He’ll be joined by opponent Nick Bailes, a Cleveland High School senior who turns 18 on Oct. 1. In the other match, 17-year-old Notre Dame senior Chris Gilliland takes on Matt Brock, a 20-year-old junior who plays for UTC.

That youthful quartet reached the semis after a full day of golf on Sunday, which normally would have been the championship round. Heavy rains and the funeral of Chattanooga golfing legend Lew Oehmig postponed the start of stroke-play qualifying to Saturday, so the 16 players who advanced to match play had a lot of ground to make up on Sunday.

Thus, the semifinalists all had to win two matches.

Black, who just finished a successful four-year career at Tennessee, got the most out of his two victories, virtually wrapping up Chattanooga Player-of-the-Year honors. He was 1-2 with former UT teammate Kevin Law heading into the day’s play.

Black dispatched his friend, 2 and 1, with a clutch medium-range birdie putt at the par-3 17^th hole. Earlier in the day, Black defeated Clint Wolford, 5 and 4.

"You always hate to play your friends," Black said. "But in tournaments like this, sometimes you have to."

Black took a 2-up lead on Law after birdies at No. 8 and No. 9, and held that margin until the 16^th, when he lost his drive right and couldn’t reach the green in regulation. Black bogeyed the par-4 hole as Law two-putted from 30 feet for par.

On the 17^th, Law hit his tee shot to about 15 feet, causing Black to reach back.

"I saw he’d hit a good shot, so I knew I had to hit it in there close," Black said.

Black chose a 6-iron and knocked his shot to within 10 feet. After watching Law miss his birdie putt, Black took aim.

"It was a pretty straight putt," Black said. "I knew the only way I could screw it up was to come out of the putt, so I focused on staying steady. It went right in the middle."

The shot of the day was pulled off by young Gilliland, who found himself all square with veteran Richard Keene heading to the 18^th hole. Keene drove into the left fairway bunker on the par-5 hole, but ripped a shot out to within wedge distance.

That influenced the decision of Gilliland, who was in the middle of the fairway, 250 yards from the flag.

"I was going to hit a 7-wood up close and try to play it safe," Gilliland said. "But when I saw Richard hit a good shot out of the bunker and could still make birdie, I decided to go for it."

Gilliland pulled out his 3-wood and lofted a towering shot that stopped within four feet of the hole. After Keene two-putted for par, Gilliland stepped up to his putt, but before he could pull back his putter, Keene playfully swatted at him with the flagstick. The putt and the match had been conceded, but Gilliland regrouped and made the eagle putt anyway.

"I’m usually aggressive," Gilliland said. "That’s the way I like to play."

The other two quarterfinal matches couldn’t have been more different. Bailes put his away early, taking a 5-up lead by winning holes 2 through 6. He won the latter with a 30-foot birdie putt. "After that, I just said, ‘wow,’ " Bailes said.

Craig came back to win hole No. 7, but the onslaught continued on the back side.

In the final match of the day, Brock needed extra holes to dispatch the pesky John Lambert. In the playoff, Brock reached the par-5 2^nd hole in two and two-putted for a birdie that put Lambert away.

Next Saturday at Council Fire, Black will play Bailes at 8:30, followed by the Brock-Gilliland match.  The final match will then begin between 12:00 noon and 12:30 pm.

2002 Chattanooga TPC

Sunday’s Matches

First Round

Kevin Law (1) def. Clint Wolford (16), 5 and 4.

Andrew Black (9) def. Neil Spitalny (8), 5 and 4.

Mike Craig (13) def. Matt Mathis (4), 1-up, 19 holes.

Nick Bailes (5) def. Ricky Honeycutt (12), 1-up 20 holes

Matt Brock (15) def. Ronnie Law (2), 2 and 1.

John Lambert (7) def. Chris Treadway (10), 1-up.

Richard Keene (3) def. Tom Schreiner (14), 4 and 3.

Chris Gilliland (11) def. Jimmy Watkins (6), 2 and 1.

Quarterfinals

Black def. Law, 2 and 1.

Bailes def. Craig, 6 and 5.

Brock def. Lambert, 1-up 20 holes.

Gilliland def. Keene, 1-up.