McCallie School senior Thad Whitfield poses with the trophy from his win at AJGA event in Alabama last weekend
photo by contributed
Thad Whitfield has enjoyed some impressive weeks in his young golf career, but the McCallie School senior will have a hard time topping his accomplishments from the past few days.
Whitfield won his first American Junior Golf Association tournament last weekend against a loaded field at Canebrake Club in Athens, Ala. by one shot, finishing at 12-under 204.
Whitfield shot 66 with six birdies – including four consecutive holes – with no blemishes on his opening round. An eagle on the 372-yard par 4 No. 4 highlighted his second round, closing with birdies on three of his last four holes to post a 69.
Entering the final round tied for the lead, Whitfield birdied No. 13 - a par 3 measuring 181 yards – to take a one-shot advantage over runner-up Giuseppe Puebla of Florida and parred his way in to earn the win with a final round 69.
“I would say the keys at Canebrake were to keep the ball in play and limit the bogeys,” Whitfield said. “The birdies were out there. It was about staying patient and knowing that they will come.”
After the win at Canebrake on Sunday, Whitfield continued his sterling play the next day at Knoxville’s Fox Den Country Club. The Middle Tennessee State University commit was the medalist in the first-stage qualifier for the U.S. Open, finishing with a round of 68.
“The U.S. Open qualifying was a really cool experience,” Whitfield said. “The course was very narrow with O.B. everywhere so it was all about hitting fairways. I just got some new PINGs that feel great off the tee, so that was a huge help.”
Whitfield will compete in the U.S. Open final qualifying on June 3 at The Golf Club of Georgia in Alpharetta, hoping to advance to the 124th U.S. Open Championship slated for June 13-16 at Pinehurst, N.C.
“That’s going to be a lot of fun,” Whitfield said. “It’s cool to know I’m 36 good holes away from playing in an event like the U.S. Open.”
In the meantime, Whitfield will seek to defend his title at the Signal Mountain Invitational in May.
“That tournament has always been one of my favorites with Signal being the course I grew up playing,” Whitfield said. “Every year I have gained distance off the tee and it’s fun to see it come in to play so much on a course like Signal where you can really go low.”
Jack McKenna Junior Golf Day This Saturday
The always popular Jack McKenna Junior Golf Day will take place this Saturday at the UTC Player Development Center.
Honoring the decades of contribution to junior golf instruction of the late McKenna, the free clinic will feature instruction from both men’s and women’s UTC golf teams along with local PGA professionals.
Registration begins at 8:30 Saturday morning, with the clinic running until noon with lunch provided. Participants from ages 6-17 are invited, with groupings arranged by age and skill level. There will be a new advanced skills clinic for ages 12-17 that will run from 12:30-1:30.
Those interested can register at McKenna Junior Clinic or at the clinic at 2452 Hickory Valley Road.
Drive, Chip & Putt Registration Open
Junior golfers who have always dreamed of competing on the same stage as the Masters Tournament get their opportunity in the Drive, Chip & Putt program.
Registration is now open for the local qualifier that will be held at McLemore Club on June 4. The event is open to boys and girls ages 7-15 competing in four separate age-based divisions.
Registration can be completed online at the link Drive Chip Putt McLemore.
Those advancing through local qualifying will compete in the sub-regional qualifier on July 18 at Cleveland Country Club, with an invitation to Augusta National Golf Club awaiting those who win the regional qualifier at The Golf Club of Tennessee on September 8.
PGA HOPE State Tournament at Council Fire
The Tennessee PGA Section will host the first PGA HOPE state championship at Council Fire Club next Monday.
The program honoring military veterans celebrates the growth of the program state-wide along with the PGA professionals whose tireless dedication has seen lives impacted through the initiative.
The teams from across the state comprised of four veterans who are PGA HOPE graduates and a PGA professional will compete in a nine-hole scramble at noon followed by an awards ceremony.
Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com