Nelms Wins Templeton Open In Playoff Against Gilliland, Black

When Josh Nelms made a birdie putt on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the first Ira Templeton Chattanooga Open championship, it set off a neat chain reaction on Tuesday afternoon.

Creeks Bend owner Buddy Templeton raced into the clubhouse past club pro Mike Nelms, Josh's uncle, and straight to the telephone.

Templeton picked up the phone to call his mother, Dorothy, to tell her the news. Buddy wanted her to know that Josh, who practically grew up on the Creeks Bend course and is a club member, was the first champion since the event was renamed for Ira Templeton, his father and her late husband, this year. Ira Templeton passed away on April 13, 2003.

"Buddy was so excited,'' said Mike Nelms, who is Josh's teacher and the winner of the Chattanooga Open in 1980. "And it was emotional for me. Josh has worked so hard. He's a good kid, and he's a good player.

"He's been so close before. This is his first victory other than in a junior event, and that's a big hurdle to get over. And it came against such a quality field. It was time. And it made me feel really good to see how happy it made Buddy. Mr. Templeton always said that anything that Josh needs, to get it for him.''

Nelms, who will be a junior next year at Middle Tennessee State University, shot the low round of the day—a 6-under 64. He had to sit in the clubhouse for more than an hour to wait on the first-day leaders to finish. When they did, Nelms found himself in a showdown against former University of Tennessee golfer Andrew Black and Chris Gilliland, who will be a red-shirt freshman next year at Furman University.

Nelms, Gilliland and Black each finished at 7-under 133. Gilliland shot a 67 on Tuesday, and Black came in at 68.

All three golfers made short birdie putts on No. 1 of the playoff. On No. 2, Black was eliminated when he made bogey.

On No. 3, Nelms hit his second shot to the par 4 about eight feet behind the pin. He sank the putt for the championship.

"This is especially nice since they renamed this for Mr. Templeton this year,'' Josh Nelms said. "Ira and Buddy have been so good to me. And it was my first tournament victory ever that wasn't a junior tournament.''

Nelms' parents and Gilliland's parents were there to witness the playoff. It was a storybook ending, and reminded some of days when Mike Nelms and Hunt Gilliland, Chris' dad and the Council Fire pro, used to battle it out in junior events.

"It was all fun,'' Josh Nelms said. " All the families involved go way back.''

Nelms remembered a story from six years ago when he shot a 67 at Brainerd and shared the first-round lead in the City Junior with Ricky Honeycutt. On the next day, Nelms made 17 straight birdies, but then bogeyed No. 18 to lose.

"The next time I saw Ira, he said, 'All you had to do was shoot another 67 and you win.' I'll never forget that.

"The Templetons have been real supporters of mine. They have treated me real well.''

When presented the first Ira Templeton Chattanooga Open championship trophy by tournament director Danny Tribble, Nelms smiled and got a big hug from his uncle Mike. "That's the best one ever,'' Mike said. "I'm proud of you.''

Nelms shot a 69 on Monday and was five shots out of the lead. He made six birdies, chipped in for a par on No. 17, and finished at 64 Tuesday to force the playoff.

"I just played better today,'' he said. "I get more nervous for this tournament than anything else. I wanted to win it so bad. I just hacked it around on Monday, just didn't play well.

"I really wasn't thinking win this morning when I was on the first tee. I didn't hit but two or three fairways yesterday, but today could have been even lower.''

On the second hole of the playoff, Nelms and Black each went left on their drives and Gilliland's 7-wood was down the middle. Black wasn’t able to reach the green, and bogeyed. Nelms punched out to the front of the green and made a par to continue the playoff.

"I've been over there so many times because I play here all the time,'' Nelms said. "And I knew exactly what the read would be on No. 3. It was right center at most. It was an advantage to know this course.''

GILLILAND PLEASED WITH EFFORT: Although Chris Gilliland lost in the three-way playoff, he was pleased with his performance.

"I hit the ball a lot better today,'' said Gilliland, who red-shirted as a freshman this year at Furman University. "I had four or five putts that didn't go in. I had one do a 180 on me on No. 12, then I missed a 12-footer on No. 18 when I played too much break.

"Still, I made no bogeys in 39 holes in this tournament. I was a little rusty, but I thought I could play good and I did. And that's very good. I'm pleased.''

BLACK HAS SHOT OF DAY: Andrew Black may have lost the tournament when he three-putted on No. 15 for a bogey. However, on the par 5 No. 16 hole, he hit his second shot five feet from the pin and made an eagle 3.

"It was an incredible shot,'' said playing partner Jeff Golliher. "I thought it was going in the hole.''

GUHNE TAKES LOW PRO HONORS: UTC assistant golf coach Mark Guhne took the $3,000 low pro money by shooting a 2-under 68. He finished at 134, one shot ahead of Zeb Patten.

"Winning low pro is big for me,'' Guhne said. "I'm playing better and better and wanted to prove I could get it done. I felt good about my finish, with birdies at 13 and 14. To win this is something because there are so many great players, like my bosses at Chattanooga Golf Center (Zeb Patten and Mike "Bobcat'' Bennett).

Guhne made 16 pars and the two birdies on Tuesday. He made one bogey the entire tournament.

"I'm driving it in play and that makes it a lot easier,'' Guhne said. "And my lucky charm, David McKenna, came through. Every time he shows up I make a birdie. I missed only one green today. Hey, this is getting to be a lot of fun.''

GOLLIHER ENJOYS TOURNAMENT: Jeff Golliher, who shared the first-round lead with Patten at 6-under 64, said he enjoyed the tournament. Golliher and Patten each shot 71 on Tuesday and finished in a tie for sixth at 135.

"Last year was the first time I played this tournament, but I won't ever miss it again,'' he said. "I just got off to a bad start today, and you can't back up in a field like this. I got over par early, and it just wasn't a good day. But I enjoyed my company (threesome with Patten and Andrew Black).''

SENIOR DIVISION: Neil Spitalny finished at 140 (70-70) and won the Senior Amateur Division.

Spitalny was also the winner in the 50-59 group. Gary Pierce (69-72--141) was first in 60-67, while Ed Cannon (72-73--145) took the 68-up division.

In the Senior Professional Division, Bobby Bray (67-72--139) was the overall and 50-59 division winner. James Paschal (71-69--140) was second overall.

Bobby Nichols (68-73--141) was first in 60-67 and Fred Brown (92-79--171) took top honors in 68-up.

(E-mail Stan Crawley at wscrawley@earthlink.net)