by Gene Renfro

Star Correspondent

ELIZABETHTON – Ebby Calvin LaLoosh said in “Bull Durham” that “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.” That is what happened Friday in the first round of the Carter County Bank East Tennessee Amateur played at the Elizabethton Golf Course.

Rain halted play around 2:45 p.m. for the first delay that lasted roughly 45 minutes. Once players returned to the course around 3:30, players battled light sprinkles until a bolt of lighting stopped things again about 10 minutes later. The day’s second delay lasted over 90 minutes which sent the players back out to a wet course.

When play resumed three groups of senior play was left to play while the women’s groups had just started. In between were the 60 players of the championship flight.

Eventually play was called at 8:42 p.m. as the three women’s groups were finishing their front nine which will make their event a 45-hole tournament.

Jeff Scott, a Bushnell, Fla. native, was able to fire a 66 to take the clubhouse lead in the championship flight. Defending champion Cayman Ratliff ended the day with a 68 while Jack Rhea and James Beckner both carded rounds of 70. A group of seven golfers were a shot under par at 71.

Despite the lateness of the round, 48 of the 60 championship flight players finished their opening round. The final dozen players will finish their roundsSaturday.

The seniors’ division has co leaders including Jeff’s father Dwight Scott with an even-par 72 among the 55-59 age group. In addition Tony Gouge matched the 72 in the 50-54 division within the senior flight. Mike Poe and Dave Bellessa are a shot behind the leaders. Jeff Isaacs, Jimmy Whittenburg and Eddie Bailey all carded rounds of 74.

In the 60-plus age group Mike Seal leads with his 76, a shot better than Bob Ross and two in front of Steve Morton. Seal enters Saturday tied for 10th overall in the senior division.

The women’s division which teed off last battled the rain. Ann Sullivan finished with a 40 to own the day-one lead over Michaela Matheson who posted a 41. Lacie York and Marie Johnson tied for third with matching rounds of 43.

Earlier in the day, Brian Allen, Mitch Cabe, Carroll Deaton and Shannon Johnson all won their matches in the Titleist flight. The Bridgestone flight saw Larry Calhoun, Chris Tidwell, Josh Shaver and Greg Goulds win. Bucky Harris, Dylan Bailey, Mitch Nidiffer and Mark Dugger advanced in the Callaway flight. The Ping flight winners were Jerry White, Paul Johnson, Troy Baker and Wendell White.

Play resumes at 7 a.m. at the Elizabethton Golf Course.

 

Carter County Bank East Tennessee Amateur

 

Championship Division

Jeff Scott 66
Cayman Ratliff 68, Brandon Worley 68
Jack Rhea 70, James Beckner 70

Rick Mays 71, Alex Hutson 71, Zach Briggs 71, Joe Brooks 71, Kelly Lane 71, Nick York 71
Chris Wynne 71
Chris Guy 72, Tyler Lane 72
Bodie Bible 73, Eli Fagan 73, Cameron Dugger 73
Nick Cohen 74, Jake Goins 74, Joshua Gambrell 74, Jace Devault 74, Tommy Miller 74
Ben Harris 75, Nick Kyte 75, Mitchell Sutton 75, Ben Treadway 75, David Greer 75, Nick Sewell 75
Lucas Armstrong 76
Matt Bowers 77, Austin Carter 77, Tim Moore 77, Drake Crawford 77, Joseph Matherly 77, Seth Crawford 77
Chris Schaff 78, Dakota Norton 78, Jacob Davis 78
Cory Walker 80
Cameron Lane 81
Jacob Turner 83, Hunter Chandley 83, Jeremy Campbell 83
Douglas Fleenor 85
Gabe Turner 86, Les Craft 86
Tyler Justis 87
Josh Jones WD

DNF
Gavin McClellan, Heath Ratliff, Alex Bradford, Josh Taylor, Billy Haren, Leif Ratliff, Nathan Ballenberger, John Carpenter, John Cornett, Josh Wallace, Ben Kennard, Garrett Whitfield,

—

Seniors

50-54

Tony Gouge 72
Dave Bellessa 73
Jeff Isaacs 74
Greg Rodgers 75
James White 76
Jeff Andrews 77, James Fender 77, David Reynolds 77, Ronnie Breeden 77
Steve Wyatt 78
Mike Davis 83

—

55-59

Dwight Scott 72
Mike Poe 73
Jimmy Whittenburg 74, Eddie Bailey 74
Don Lester 75, Danny Jones 75
Lyman Fulton 76
Rick Rogers 82
Lewis Huettel 94

—

60-over

Mike Seal 76
Bob Ross 77
Steve Morton 78
James Love 80
Pat Kenney 81
Eddie Lewis 85
Ansley Bishop 89
Phil Powell 90
Phil Stephenson 95

—

Women’s Division

(Shortened to nine holes)

Ann Sullivan 40
Michaela Matheson 41
Lacie York 43, Marie Johnson 43
Jenny Brock 46
Felicia Nidiffer 48
Jamie Hinkle 50
Malisa Rader 52, Angie Grizzle 52

—

Match play groups

Titleist Flight

Brian Allen def. Casey Goetz, Mitch Cabe def. Harmon Duncan, Carroll Deaton def. Logan Whitt, Shannon Johnson def. Zach McCamey

Bridgestone Flight

Larry Calhoun def. Dylan Wyatt, Chris Tidwell def. Michael Hawk, Josh Shaver def. David Sellers, Greg Goulds def. Chad Napier

Callaway Flight

Bucky Harris def. Jon Whitson, Dylan Bailey def. Jamie Shipley, Mitch Nidiffer def Rick Eggers, Mark Dugger def. Ethan Mays

Ping Flight

Jerry Whitt def. Brian Scott, Paul Johnson def. Randy Gorzka, Troy Baker def. Garrett Rader, Wendell White def. Stephen Williams

—

SATURDAY’S TEE TIMES

7 a.m. — Brian Scott vs. Randy Gorzka
7:08 a.m. — Garrett Rader vs. Stephen Williams
7:16 a.m. — Jon Whitson vs. Jamie Shipley
7:24 a.m. — Rick Eggers vs. Ethan Mays
7:32 a.m. — Dylan Wyatt vs. Michael Hawk
7:40 a.m. — David Sellers vs. Chad Napier
7:48 a.m. — Casey Goetz vs. Harmon Duncan
7:56 a.m. — Logan Whtt vs. Zach McCamey
8:04 a.m. — Jerry Whitt vs. Paul Johnson
8:12 a.m. — Troy Baker vs. Wendell White
8:20 a.m. — Bucky Harris vs. Dylan Bailey
8:28 a.m. — Mitch Nidiffer vs. Mark Dugger
8:36 a.m. — Larry Calhoun vs. Chris Tidwell
8:44 a.m. — Josh Shaver vs. Greg Goulds
8:52 a.m. — Brian Allen vs. Mitch Cabe
9 a.m. — Carroll Deaton vs. Shannon Johnson

—

9:08 a.m. — Jenny Brock, Angie Grizzle, Malisa Rader
9:16 a.m. — Michaela Matheson, Felicia Nidiffer, Jamie Hinkle
9:24 a.m. — Ann Sullivan, Lacey York, Marie Johnson

—

9:25 a.m. — Lewis Huettel, Phil Stephenson
9:34 a.m. — Eddie Lewis, Ansley Bishop, Phil Powell
9:43 a.m. — Pat kenney, Rick Rogers, Mike Davis
9:52 a.m. — Steve Morton, Steve Wyatt, James Love
10:01 a.m. — Jeff Andrews, James Fender, Bob Ross
10:10 a.m. — Lyman Fulton, Ronnie Breeden, David Reynolds
10:19 a.m. — Greg Rodgers, James White, Mike Seal
10:28 a.m. — Jimmy Whittenburg, Danny Jones, Don Lester
10:37 a.m. — Mike Poe, Eddie Bailey, Jeff Isaacs
10:46 a.m. — Dwight Scott, Tony Gouge, Dave Bellessa
11:40 a.m. — Gavin McClellan, Brian Cartwright, Alex Bradford
11:50 a.m. — Josh Taylor, Billy Haren, Dustin Dugger
Noon — Nathan Ballenbergerm John Carpenter, John Cornett
12:10 p.m. — Josh Wallace, Ben Kennard, Garrett Whitfield
12:20 p.m. — Jack Rhea, Chris Schaff, Nick Cohen
12:30 p.m. — Bodie Bible, Chris Guy, Tommy Miller
12:40 p.m. — Cory Walker, Matt Bowers, Tyler Justis
12:50 p.m. — Jacob Turner, Josh Gambrell, Hunter Chandley
1 p.m. — Austin Carter, Douglas Fleenor
1:10 p.m. — Jace DeVault, Rick Mays, Tim Moore
1:20 p.m. — Gabe Turner,Alex Hutson, Zach Briggs
1:30 p.m. — Nick York, Lucas Armstrong, Cayman Ratliff
1:40 p.m. — Jeff Scott, Ben Harris, Drake Crawford
1:50 p.m. — Cameron Lane, Seth Crawford, Les Craft
2 p.m. — Tyler Lane, Joe Brooks, Cameron Dugger
2:10 p.m. — Mitchell Sutton, Kelly Lane, Brandon Worley
2:20 p.m. — Jake Goins, James Beckner, Joseph Matherly
2:30 p.m. — Dakota Norton, Chris Wynne, Nick Kyte
2:40 p.m. — Jacob Davis, David Greer, Ben Treadway
2:50 p.m. — Eli Fagan, Jeremy Campbell, Nick Sewell