When Bryce Ledford stood over a three-foot birdie putt on the 18^th hole at Signal Mountain on Tuesday, he was just hoping to make it so he could finish in the top five of the Don Malarkey Open.

Little did Ledford know that by making that putt, it would put him into a playoff for the championship. Told on the 15^th tee that Justin Carter was 4-under-par for the tournament, Ledford knew that at 2-under-par, he needed to get busy. But bogeys at 15 and 17 left him thinking he’d tossed away the title.

Ledford couldn’t have known it at the time, but Carter was in the middle of a little slippage himself. As he stood over a three-foot birdie putt on the 14^th hole, Carter was 4-under par and seemingly in command. But that short putt stayed out of the hole, a harbinger of misfortune to come. Carter proceeded to bogey No. 15-17 to fall back to 1-under for the tournament.

That meant that Carter, who played for UTC last season but will take next year off, and Ledford, who has signed with the Mocs, would meet on the par-5 first hole for a sudden-death playoff. Ledford had the honors and bashed a driver and 8-iron onto the green, about 30 feet from the hole. Carter missed the green right in two and chipped up to about 10 feet. Carter missed his putt, leaving Ledford just a two-footer for the win. He wasn’t about to miss it.

The victory gave Ledford some measure of revenge against Signal. He didn’t finish well in the Signal Mountain Junior Invitational a week earlier. This time around, Ledford closed the deal.

"I don’t even want to talk about last week," Ledford said. "I knew I could play better out here. I drove the ball well [in the Malarkey] and I putted pretty well. That’s the key to this golf course."

Ledford has had a solid year in golf. In the fall, he helped lead McCallie to its first-ever state championship, finishing fourth overall as the Blue Tornado finally beat arch-rival Baylor. In the spring, Ledford finished second in the Cleveland Invitational. And just a month ago, he signed a scholarship with UTC.

"I think we’re going to have a good team," Ledford said. "Coach [Mark] Guhne has done a really good job recruiting some talented players."

Carter played last season for the Mocs, but a swing change left him struggling and searching for a way to return to his former game.

"I’m a feel player," Carter said. "I just wanted to get back to playing that way. I’m not a mechanical player by any means."

Carter sought out the services of Nashville-based Nancy Quarcelino, ranked among the top 100 teachers in the country by Golf Magazine. Quarcelino insisted that Carter forget mechanics and return to his old swing. So far, the results have been good.

"I’m pleased with my game right now," Carter said. "Obviously I would have wanted to win today. But I just didn’t get the job done down the stretch."

With the two amateurs battling it out for the championship, low professional honors went to Paul Brannon, who shot 69 for a two-day total of 142.

In the senior division, Sam Adams was low pro, adding a 72 to his opening 71 for a 143 total. Lex Tarumianz shot 70 on Tuesday, which, added to his opening 72, gave him the overall senior division championship.

Bobby Nichols won the 60-67 division after shooting 74 for a 144 total, four shots ahead of Gene Dixon, who shot 76 Tuesday. Pier Morgan rallied for the 68-up division title with a 75. He finished one shot ahead of Ed Brantly, who finished with an 83 for a 159 total.