Bryce Ledford’s ascension to the top of the Chattanooga amateur golf ranks was completed in the Chattanooga TPC at Council Fire on Sunday.

By dispatching old guard stalwarts Neil Spitalny in the semifinals and Pat Corey in the finals, both by 3 and 2 scores, the UTC sophomore ended any dispute about which area golfer had the best year and served notice for the future.

Two days before, Ledford secured city player-of-the-year honors when his closest pursuer, Ricky Honeycutt, was bumped out of the TPC in the first round of match play. The TPC title just seals the deal for Ledford, who won four Chattanooga amateur tournaments in 2004.

"This really helps my confidence," Ledford said as he hoisted the crystal TPC trophy. "I’d been working hard on my game and really learned a lot this summer. [Winning] has made me more confident [as the season progressed]. It’s great to see all the work I’ve put in paying off."

Ledford, whose length off the tee gives him an intimidating weapon in match play, won the tournament with his mastery of the closing holes.

In the semifinal victory over Spitalny, Ledford started slow, but made four back-nine birdies at No. 11, 14, 15 and 16.

Like Spitalny, Corey—a three-time winner of the TPC who has played in a tournament-record four championship matches—also made Ledford work, keeping things close until midway through the back nine.

Ledford took a 3-up lead with a par at the par-5 11^th, gave back a hole when Corey made a 15-foot par putt at No. 12, then went 3-up again with a birdie at the par-3 14^th hole. Hitting first, Corey hit a great shot to about eight feet, and Ledford came behind him with an even better shot, his ball coming to rest about four feet from the cup.

When Corey missed his birdie putt and Ledford converted his, Ledford was 3-up again with just four holes left.

Things got a bit more interesting when Ledford three-putted the 15^th, a hole he had four-putted in Saturday’s quarterfinals. Corey made par to trim the deficit to 2-up, but another of Ledford’s favorite back-nine holes was next.

Ledford stepped up to the 16^th tee and smashed a drive 320 yards down the middle, leaving him with just 106 yards to the hole. He hit a sand wedge to about 15 feet and coaxed in the putt for a birdie that ended the match.

"I really like those [closing] holes," Ledford said. "They set up well for me."

Corey, long one of the city’s best players and putters, got as far as he could with a balky swing. Fortunately for him, his morning opponent, Mathis, struggled, too. Corey shot 43 on the front nine of his first match but still managed to take a 4-up lead. After the match, which he won 5 and 4, Corey asked Council Fire director of golf Hunt Gilliland to take a look at his swing.

"I told him, 'just give me something I can use,’ " Corey said.

Gilliland noticed Corey had been picking the club straight up. He concentrated on making a full turn in the afternoon match, but still wasn’t confident with his swing.

"I’m just lucky I made it this far," Corey said. "I’d been struggling with my swing. But give credit to Bryce. He’s a really talented player. He’s got a great future ahead of him."

Pat Corey def. Matt Mathis, 5 and 4.

Bryce Ledford def. Neil Spitalny, 3 and 2.

Finals

Ledford def. Corey, 3 and 2.