Franklin, TENN –

The Tennessee Senior State Open returns for its 16th anniversary in 2025, once again hosted at the stunning Stonehenge Golf Club in Crossville, TN—its home since the tournament’s inception. This celebrated 36-hole championship brings together 126 of the state’s best senior golfers, split between a 102-player Championship Division and a 24-player Super Senior Division.

The event has become a cornerstone of senior golf in the Volunteer State, annually attracting top PGA professionals and elite amateurs. Past winners include legends and Tennessee Golf Hall of Famers.

As the 2025 edition approaches, here’s a look at the standout players and storylines shaping this year’s highly anticipated field:

Bill Breen, PGA: A four-time champion of the Senior State Open (2013, 2016, 2020, 2022), Bill Breen of Nashville returns to Stonehenge with one of the most decorated resumes in the field. A PGA Teaching Professional at Harpeth Valley Golf Center, Breen has also earned the 2020 Tennessee Senior PGA Professional title and been named Senior Player of the Year twice by the Tennessee PGA. Few have dominated senior competition in Tennessee like Breen.

 

Joe Markham (a): Amateur standout Joe Markham, of Cleveland, won the 2024 edition of the Senior State Open and shows no signs of slowing down. With additional victories in events like the Signal Mountain Invitational and Willow Creek Invitational, Markham has become a consistent presence atop leaderboards across the state.

 

Gibby Gilbert III, PGA: With three consecutive titles (2016, 2017, 2018), Gibby Gilbert III is a name synonymous with success at the Senior State Open. A current PGA TOUR and Champions TOUR competitor, Gilbert has earned over $600,000 in professional winnings and brings a calm, experienced edge to every tournament he enters.

 

Kip Henley (a): Crossville’s own Kip Henley is no stranger to the winner’s circle. He won the 2023 Senior State Open, the 1997 Tennessee State Open, and boasts four Tennessee PGA Professional titles. His recent T2 finish in the 2024 City of Crossville Team Championship keeps his momentum strong heading into the event.

 

Jared Melson, PGA: The Head PGA Professional at Bear Trace at Tims Ford, Jared Melson brings exceptional form to the 2025 field. He’s won the 2024 Tennessee Senior PGA Professional Championship, tied for first in the 2023 Senior State Open, and is a five-time TN PGA Senior Player of the Year. 

 

Cliff Kresge, PGA: With $5.3 million in career PGA TOUR and Champions TOUR earnings and a 2021 Senior State Open title, Cliff Kresge of Knoxville enters with both pedigree and past success at Stonehenge. His ability to compete at the highest level remains unquestioned.

 

Buzz Fly (a): A dominant force in the Super Senior ranks, Buzz Fly of Memphis is a two-time Super Senior Division Champion at the Tennessee Senior State Open (2022, 2024). One of the Volunteer State’s most accomplished amateurs over 65, Fly boasts an impressive resume that includes four consecutive TGA Super Senior Amateur titles (2021–2024) and TGA Senior Four-Ball Championships in 2016 and 2019. He returns to Stonehenge in 2025 looking to defend his crown in what promises to be a fiercely competitive Super Senior Division.

 

Jeff Golliher (a): Jeff Golliher, a seasoned amateur from Knoxville, brings decades of competitive experience, highlighted by three State Four-Ball titles (1985, 1988, 1998) and the 2009 State Mid-Amateur Championship. He remains a steady force in the Championship Division.

 

Steve Golliher (a): Steve Golliher of Powell is a former Senior Amateur Champion (2018) and two-time Men’s Senior Amateur of the Year. He also holds multiple State Four-Ball titles and continues to be a tough competitor in senior play across Tennessee.

 

Other Names to Watch:

  • Glenn Hudson, PGA (La Follette): 2024 Goat Turf Players Champion (Senior Division), runner-up in the 2024 Senior PGA Professional Championship.
  • Audie Johnson, PGA (Mount Juliet): 2023 Goat Turf Players Champion, 3rd in 2023 Senior PGA Professional Championship, T1 in 2021 Senior State Open.
  • Henrik Simonsen, PGA (Ooltewah): 2nd in the 2024 Senior State Open, T3 in the 2023 Senior PGA Professional Championship.
  • Mike Poe (a) (Loudon): 2023 TGA Senior Player of the Year, 2023 Senior & Super Senior Four-Ball Champion, T3 in 2022 Senior State Open.
  • Loren Personett, PGA (Mount Juliet): Winner of the 53rd Tennessee PGA Professional Championship. Tennessee PGA Player of the Year in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017
  • Jake Reeves, PGA (Knoxville): 2014 TN PGA Players Champion, qualified for the 2024 Senior PGA Championship.
  • Harry Taylor, PGA (Old Hickory): Two-time Senior State Open Champion (2010, 2012), T2 in 2019.

 

Past Champions of the Tennessee Senior State Open

  • 2024 – Joe Markham (a)
  • 2023 – Kip Henley (a)
  • 2022 – Bill Breen, PGA
  • 2021 – Cliff Kresge, PGA
  • 2020 – Bill Breen, PGA
  • 2019 – Walt Chapman, PGA
  • 2018 – Gibby Gilbert III, PGA
  • 2017 – Gibby Gilbert III, PGA
  • 2016 – Bill Breen, PGA & Gibby Gilbert III, PGA
  • 2015 – Doug Harris (a)
  • 2014 – Randy Helton, PGA
  • 2013 – Bill Breen, PGA
  • 2012 – Harry Taylor, PGA & Danny Green (a)
  • 2011 – Tim Jackson (a)
  • 2010 – Harry Taylor, PGA

 

Thank You to Our Sponsors

The Tennessee PGA would like to express sincere gratitude to the sponsors who help make the Tennessee Senior State Open possible:

  • Fairfield Glade
  • Antigua Apparel
  • Bobby Jones Links
  • Sterling Cut Glass

Your continued support ensures the success and tradition of this premier event for senior golf in Tennessee. For live scoring, tee times, and more information on the 2025 Tennessee Senior State Open, visit the tournament page:
🔗 TNPGA Senior State Open Tournament Page

Kelsey Ludwigsen, Communications Manager