TSSAA golf state tournament what to know: Golfers to watch, storylines for 2024 championships

Posted by Admin October 6, 2024 Golf

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The TSSAA boys and girls golf state tournaments will start Monday at the Sevierville Golf Club in Sevierville.

Here’s your guide to the events, from fan information to storylines and players to watch.

Admission

Tickets are $12 per day if purchased in advance on GoFan. They are $15 per day if purchased at the gate. Everyone school-age and older must purchase a ticket.

Tournament dates/locations

Division I boys: Class A (October 7-8 at Sevierville Golf Club); Class AA (October 10-11 at Sevierville Golf Club)

Division II boys: DII-A (October 7-8 at Sevierville Golf Club); DII-AA (October 10-11 at Sevierville Golf Club).

Division I girls: Class A (October 7-8 at Sevierville Golf Club); Class AA (Oct. 10-11 at Sevierville Golf Club).

Division II girls: DII-A (October 7-8 at Sevierville Golf Club); DII-AA (October 10-11 at Sevierville Golf Club).

TSSAA state championship possibilities

Brentwood High’s depth: The Bruins captured the boys Region 6-AA tournament in impressive fashion. Four of its five golfers scored below par, each finishing with a 68 or lower. Jack Doyle led the Bruins with a 6-under, 65. Graham O’Neal and Bennett Lynd finished with 66’s and Sam Johnson carded a 68. Brentwood is the defending AA champs and look poised for the program’s fourth state championship and third in four years. But 2023 state runner-up Clarksville and third-place finisher, Collierville, return to make a run at the Bruins’ title.

Can Page girls get over the hump? The Lady Patriots were just two strokes from winning the program’s first AA state title last year. They return this season, but won’t have to worry about defending state champs Dobyns-Bennett who failed to make this year’s field. Four-time state champs, Clarksville returns after finishing fifth last year.

No Blades Brown. Who steps to title? The Brentwood Academy legend, and three-time defending state champ, is now being homeschooled and is on his way to a professional career. So who wins the Division II-AA boys title? MUS’ Cooper Solberg returns as the highest place finisher from 2023, tying for third place. Ensworth girls are looking for its third straight DII-AA championship while Providence Christian girls are looking for a fourth straight in DII-A.

Players to watch

Girls

Justine Emond, Baylor: Emond finished tied for fourth in last year’s DII-AA state tournament carding a two-day total of 147.

Carlee Rogers, Baylor: Rogers also tied for fourth last year and returns to lead Baylor’s team that finished state runner-up.

Jackie Henderson, BGA: Henderson took home the DII-A District 3 title with a 69 and finished second in the Middle Region tournament with a 75. It’s the senior’s fifth trip to the state tournament.

Emery Mitchell, Central Magnet: The sophomore took first place in both the District 10-AA tournament (75) and the Region 5-AA tournament (73).

Isabella Coughlin, CAK: Coughlin returns with CAK’s team after she finished fifth overall in the 2023 state tournament.

Zoe Phillips, Clarksville: The senior has a scoring average of 73. She captured the District 13-AA title with a 70, and the Region 7-AA title with a 69.

Hayden Cherry, Ensworth: The junior has a 75 scoring average and was the co-medalist in the DII-AA Middle Region tournament. She is part of Ensworth’s back to back state titles teams in 2022 and ‘23.

Claire Todd, ECS: Todd shot a blistering 6-under, 65, to capture the DII-A West Region title. She finished fourth overall at state last year.

Teagan Walker, Knoxville Catholic: Walker guides Catholic to its fifth DII-AA state team tournament. She finished 11th overall last year with a two-day 157.

Brooke Bennett, Page: After finishing fourth overall at last year’s Class AA state, she returns with the Lady Patriots after take the Region 6-AA title with a 71.

Gabby Diaz, Page: Diaz finished seventh last year in Sevierville and comes into this week’s state competition after tying for fourth (75) in the region tournament.

Isabella Johnson, PCA: The Tennessee commit fired a low-medalist round of 66 in the DII-A Middle Region tournament.

Reagan Warren, PCA: Warren placed ninth overall at last year’s state competition after a pair of 76s in the two-day event.

Shelby Smith, Stewart County: The junior has a nine-hole scoring average of 39.1. She took third (82) in the District 10-A tournament and captured the Region 5-A title with a 76.

Natalee Wyatt, Stewart County: The sophomore has a nine-hole 39.3 average. She captured th district with a 74 and third at region with an 80.

Boys

Leo Froio, BGA: Forio carded a 69 in the DII-A Middle Region tournament. He was the state runner-up last year finishing with a two-day 141.

Carson Daniel, Bolivar Central: Daniel finished state runner-up in 2023 with a two-day 139. He’ll compete as an individual this week.

Jack Doyle, Brentwood: The senior helped the Bruins capture last year’s state title after his 12th-place finish. He shot a 65 in the Region 6-AA tournament.

Cooper Jones, Clarksville: Jones was one of five golfers who tied for fourth at last year’s Class AA state tournament. He guided his team back to state this week after capturing the District 13-AA title with a 68 and the region title with a 75.

Jackson Whaley, Collierville: Whaley led Collierville to third straight District 15-AA and Region 8-AA titles. He returns to state after finishing tied for fourth last year.

Tucker Wick, East Hamilton: Wick shot a 70, good enough for the Region 3-AA title. Wick finished state runner-up last year.

Will Pinson, Franklin: Pinson shot a 67 in the Region 6-AA tournament. He returns to state after taking third place overall last year.

Nolan Smith, Jackson Christian: Smith fired a 77th, tied for second on the team in the DII-A West Region tournament. He finished tied for third last year at state.

Hayden Howell, Stewart County: The junior has a nine-hole average of 37.4. He finished fourth in the district tournament (73) and was region runner-up (73). He finished fourth last year at state.

Michael Shivers, MBA: Shivers finished first in the DII-AA Middle Region tournament with a 71. He finished tied for 15th at last year’s state tournament.

Brantley Moore, MUS: Moore tied for 12th at last year’s state tournament and returns with his team as the Owls look for an eight state title in program history.

Jason Cole Campbell, Summertown: Campbell fired a two-day 143 last year to finish third in the Class A state tournament in 2023.

Maddox Butler, Waverly: He has a nine-hole average of 34 and captured the District 10-A title (69) and the Region 5 title (70). He finished fifth at last year’s state tournament.

Thatsakon Phothong, Webb School – Bell Buckle: The defending DII-A state champion shot a 4-under to take the title and returns for his chance to repeat.

Reach sports writer George Robinson at georgerobinsontheleafchronicle.com and on the X platform (formerly Twitter) @Cville_Sports.