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Golliher, Patten Share
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Knoxville amateur Jeff Golliher has been working on his putting stroke in recent weeks, changing his alignment and his set-up. Golliher, however, didn't change his putter. "It wasn't the arrows that were the problem,'' he said. "It was the indian.''
Meanhile, Chattanooga professional Zeb Patten recently spent some quality time with his swing coach, former college roommate Charlie Long, working on "some stuff that needed to be done.''
The changes paid dividends for Golliher and Patten on Monday as they each fired a 6-under-par 64 and took the lead in the Ira Templeton Chattanooga Open at the Creeks Bend Golf Club.
Golliher and Patten lead former University of Tennessee golfer Andrew Black by one stroke in the two-day tournament. Black also made an adjustment in his putting set-up for Monday's round.
Two strokes back at 66 are pros Mark Houser, Mark Guhne and Craig Lee and amateurs Chris Gilliland and Bob Rice.
Golliher started on the back and made birdies on Nos. 11, 12 and 16. He bogeyed No. 15, however, and made the turn at 2-under. On the front, Golliher birdied Nos. 1, 2, 7 and 9. He made a two-footer on No. 7, then capped his round by making a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 9.
"I hit the ball crummy at the start, but made some putts and got lucky,'' Golliher said. "Then I hit it really good the last seven holes.''
Golliher's last win came last year at the Greater Knoxville Amateur, an event he has won nine times.
"This is my best round in a while,'' Golliher said. "I haven't been getting it up-and-down, so that's why I had been working on my putting stroke.
"These greens today and this course were phenomenal. I didn't have a bad lie all day, and that's pretty good because I hit it in a few faraway places.''
Patten, owner of the Chattanooga Golf Center, made no bogeys on Monday, with birdies on Nos. 11, 12, 13, 16, 1 and 4.
"Even at the Federal Express St. Jude Classic in Memphis I was working on some things with Charlie,'' Patten said. "I started seeing some things coming around. I putted beautifully today and hit the ball well. I could easily have gone lower.''
BLACK MAKES SIX BIRDIES: Andrew Black, who won a pro-am in Morristown recently by shooting 62-68, was one shot out of the lead Monday at 5-under 65.
Black said he made a change in his putting stroke for Monday's round.
"I thought I was a little far away from the ball,'' Black said. "I just moved closer today. I had good speed and good line all day. The only ones I missed were the ones that I mis-read.''
Black birdied Nos. 2, 3, 4, 11, 12 and 13, and made a bogey on No. 7.
"I pulled it to the left and was stymied by a tree,'' Black said. "I hit a limb on the way out. Still, I got it up there and missed a six-footer.
"I played a good, solid round. I hit the ball well and putted well. I could have had a few more, and I only birdied one par 5 all day (No. 11). If I can play better on the other two par 5s tomorrow, I should have a good chance.''
GILLILAND HOME FROM FURMAN: Chris Gilliland, who has only been home a week from Furman University, shot a 4-under 66. Gilliland red-shirted last season.
"I made no bogeys today and that was good,'' Gilliland said. "I scrambled extremely well, with two really good saves on 16 and 17. I'm looking forward to being home and playing some golf this summer.''
GUHNE PLEASED WITH 66: UTC assistant golf coach Mark Guhne was pleased with his 4-under 66, but even more excited about the freshman class signed for next year.
"I'm really pumped about the kids we signed,'' Guhne said.
On Monday, Guhne missed only two greens and had birdies on Nos. 2, 4, 9, 10 and 15. He bogeyed No. 6.
NELMS DOWN TO 180: MTSU's Josh Nelms shot a 1-under 69 on Monday. The 6-foot-2 rising junior has lost 10 pounds since last summer and is down to 180 pounds.
"I was always around 190 when I played basketball at Baylor, then got up to about 205,'' Nelms said. "I've been losing by cutting out the candy and snacks. I feel a lot better. It makes those 36-hole days a lot easier.''
CRAIG, MORTON EARLY LEADERS IN CLUBHOUSE: Mike Craig and Lenoir City's Ray Morton were the early leaders in the clubhouse at 3-under 67.
Craig, who had been struggling with his chipping, missed only two greens.
"When you do that, you don't have to chip much,'' Craig said. "But my chipping has started to come around, with help from Lee Cantrell and my brother, Jeff Craig.
"I had been playing bad, played horrible last weekend in Dalton. But today I had only one bad drive all day. I've always been able to punt well, and made two really long putts today.''
Morton, who finished second in the Signal Mountain Invitational in 2001, made birdies on Nos. 7, 13 and 15.
"And I had two good saves,'' he said. "I hit my drive in the middle of the fairway, but it hit something on No. 8 and flew to the side. I was able to get up-and-down from 70 yards. Then I was in the bunker on No. 17 and was able to save par with a 10-footer.
"I haven't been playing much. In fact, it had been over a week since I took a swing. I did chip some last night, but it was with my 2- and 4-year-old, and I didn't get much accomplished.''
SENIOR DIVISION LEADERS: Bobby Bray took the lead in the Seniors Division with a 3-under 67. Bobby Nichols shot a 68, while Gary Pierce, Jack Ramsey and Gary Robinson came in at 69.
At par 70 were Ben Long, C.W. Mayes, Harold McGowan and Neil Spitalny.
(E-mail Stan Crawley at wscrawley@earthlink.net)
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