Chattanooga, TN – The E-Z-GO Pro-Pro Championship was loaded with talented teams this year. The beautiful Black Creek Club in Chattanooga was a great test of golf and added some great mountain views. Tipping out at just under 7,000 yards, the course played long with the soft conditions from the rain on both days of play. The new undulated, multitiered greens provided the defense and character for the course. Teams of two Professionals competed in a four-ball event to be named the 2019 E-Z-Go Pro-Pro Champions.
Round 1 was a shotgun start that was played in steady rain the whole day. The Pros powered their way through to an impressive average score of 68. Henrik Simonsen, PGA and Johan Kok, PGA led the way with an amazing 11-under (61). They started on hole 10 and got off to a steady start, sprinkling birdies in between pars before closing their front nine with two in a row. On their second nine, they started off with three pars before catching fire, making six birdies in a row on holes 4 through 9. The teams of Richard Rebne, PGA / Tyler Bailey, PGA, Ryan Botts / Lee Whitehead, and Jared Melson, PGA / Braxton Hunter, PGA fired 10-under 62’s to finish the day one shot behind.
The second round got started in the morning with a bit of cloudiness and mist covering the mountains. There would be a lot of excitement with several teams in the mix. As the final groups came in, the sun finally peaked through to provide a picturesque ending to the tournament. The round one leaders had the pressure on them as Melson and Hunter fired a strong 9-under (63) to get in the clubhouse at 19-under par. Simonsen and Kok were not phased as they backed up their Round 1 (61) with an impressive (62). They made 11 birdies, making four in a row on 3 through 6 and three in a row on 13 through 15. Things tightened up a little bit after their only bogey of the tournament on the 17th, but they would shut the door with a birdie on the 18th, to win by two shots.
A One Day Shootout was also awarded for the lowest second-round score between teams that did not cash in the primary purse. Chris Dibble, PGA, and Randy Helton, PGA took home that prize with their second-round 65 (7-under).
The Day 1 True Temper Skins Game was won by Ryan Botts / Lee Whitehead and Mike Vance, PGA / Mike Hutcherson. The Vance / Hutcherson team eagled the 10th hole and the Botts / Whitehead team eagled the 14th hole. On Day 2, Audie Johnson, PGA / Loren Personett, PGA took home the only skin with an eagle on the 4th hole.
The Tennessee PGA would like to thank Sean Rice, PGA and his staff at Black Creek Club for their hospitality and all their help. We would also like to thank Jim Newton, PGA of E-Z-GO for being the title sponsor. Thank you to our supporting partners, Frank Herbert of Greg Norman, Peter Bucci of Gentleman Jack, Brad Beck of Pukka and Fran Boone of AM&E.