The 18^th hole at Council Fire didn’t get a lot of action in the quarterfinals of the Chattanooga TPC on Saturday.

Only one of the day’s four matches advanced to the final hole. Two others were decided on the 15^th, and the fourth ended at No. 14.

If the quarterfinals didn’t produce much drama, they did set up some interesting match-ups in the semifinals. By virtue of their victories, Tom Schreiner (4 and 3 over John Lambert) and Patrick Williams (4 and 3 over Richard Keene), perhaps the most consistent players all season long on the Chattanooga amateur circuit, have a chance to take home city Player of the Year honors.

But before either can think about that, they’ll have to play well to advance to the finals. On Sunday, Schreiner will play Matt Mathis, the former UTC golfer who defeated Kevin Law, 1-up, on Saturday. Williams has to tangle with Aon Miller, arguably the hottest golfer in the tournament.

On Friday, Miller dispatched Jimmy Watkins, 7 and 5. Saturday, Greg Privette was a 6 and 4 victim. Miller made seven birdies Friday, and four more Saturday. That’s 11 birdies in 27 holes.

Schreiner made a few birdies himself on Saturday, when they counted the most. Battling a sore neck, Schreiner nevertheless managed four front-nine birdies en route to a 4-under-par 32. Lambert, who played well all week, could only watch in amazement as Schreiner sank long putts at Nos. 8 and 9 to take a 3-up lead to the back nine.

The match was close until Schreiner’s putter got hot. At No. 8, Schreiner drained a 30-footer for birdie. On the next hole, he made a 25-footer with four feet of break.

"You’re saying to yourself, ‘Two in a row?’ " Schreiner said. "You go a whole tournament and don’t make two of those."

Schreiner went 4-up with a par at No. 10, but lost No. 11 and 12. Lambert was back in the match, but when his tee shot found the water at No. 13 and Schreiner went 3-up, the outcome was all but decided. Schreiner closed out Lambert with a par at No. 15 after pulling his tee shot into the left hazard.

"I ran into a buzz saw today," Lambert said. "He’s the best in town (Schreiner won the Chattanooga Metro in July) and today he played like it."

Like Schreiner did against Lambert, Williams was able to pull away from two-time TPC champion Keene with some momentum gained from the final two holes on the front nine.

Keene, who led 1-up after a birdie at No. 6, drove his ball into the right rough at No. 8 and Williams won the hole with a par. Then, after Keene hit his approach at No. 9 to about six feet, Williams hit a great wedge to within a foot and a half. Keene didn’t make him putt.

"From where I was, it looked like Richard had hit his shot close, maybe three feet," Williams said. "When I got to my ball, I saw I had 110 yards to the hole. I said to myself, ‘You’ve hit this shot to three feet before, do it again.’ "

When Keene’s putt rolled past the hole, Williams took a 1-up lead to the back nine. Williams won 10 and 12 with pars to go three-up, then closed out Keene with a 35-foot birdie putt from just off the green at No. 14 and a 40-footer for birdie at 15.

"I hadn’t putted well all week," Williams said. "Then to make two in a row like that… I haven’t been able to read my putts that well. I think I’ve been reading too much into them. But I’ve been rolling the ball well. I hope it continues."

Saturday’s Matches

Matt Mathis def. Kevin Law, 1-up

Tom Schreiner def. John Lambert, 4 and 3

Patrick Williams def. Richard Keene, 4 and 3

Aon Miller def. Greg Privette, 6 and 4

Sunday’s Matches

Semifinals

8:00 a.m.—Mathis vs. Schreiner

8:10 a.m.—Williams vs. Miller

Finals

1 p.m.—Mathis-Schreiner winner vs. Williams-Miller winner