The Tennessee Tech sophomore golfer from Gate City shot a 4-under-par 67 on Sunday to claim his second straight Lonesome Pine Invitational championship at Lonesome Pine Country Club.
Taylor added six birdies to his eight-birdie total from Saturday on his way to a 9-under 133 total.
“That was pretty nice,” Taylor said of successfully defending his title.
Mike Damron also shot a 67 to finish three strokes back in second place.
Former Virginia Tech golfer Garland Green of Tazewell, Virginia, closed with a 68 for a 4-under 137 and a third-place finish. Hunter Lunsford was seven shots back in fourth and Robert England nine back in fifth.
Matt Love and Craig Winchell tied for sixth at 3 over, and Mike McCall, George Roat and Evan Sturgill completed the top 10 championship contenders.
Sunday’s round concluded the 88th straight year of the Lonesome Pine Invitational, the longest-running tournament in the region and on the Tri-Cities Amateur Tour.
HOT AT THE PINE
Taylor was playing in the event for the third straight year. He placed third in the invitational in 2017.
Despite have a better score on Saturday, Taylor said he felt like he played better in the final round.
“My score was one shot worse, obviously, but I feel like today’s 67 was actually better than the 66,” he said.
Damron and Green kept Taylor on his toes throughout play Sunday.
“I think at one time my lead got cut to one or two (strokes) and then I made a couple of birdies on back-to-back holes and I got my lead back,” Taylor said. “So, yeah, I was feeling a little pressure there for a while.”
ANOTHER ONE FOR THE CASE
The win was the second of the summer for Taylor, who won the Great Smoky Mountain Amateur at Gatlinburg Golf Course earlier this month.
Taylor also was runner-up in last month’s Tillinghast Invitational at Johnson City Country Club after losing a playoff with former Emory & Henry golfer Tanner Davis.
Taylor still has a couple of tournaments coming up this summer before returning for his second year at Tennessee Tech. He is scheduled to participate in a qualifier in North Carolina next week and to compete in the Tennessee State Amateur Championships in early August in Ooltewah.
SENIORS PLAY EXTRA HOLES
Both the senior and super senior divisions went into sudden-death playoffs to determine their winners.
Tony Green eagled the fourth hole to defeat Mike Haney for the senior championship after they completed the first 36 holes tied at 144. James White (146) and Pudge Vanhoose (153) followed.
In super seniors play, Allen Blanken and Bob Ross were tied at 139 after regulation play Sunday. Blanken claimed the title with a birdie on the third hole.
FLIGHT WINNERS
Charlie Green shot a two-day 144 to win the first flight, Walt Crace (149) won the second, Jimmy Taylor (155) the third, James Hughes (160) the fourth and Kevin Hughett (185) the fifth.
88th annual Lonesome Pine Invitational
At Lonesome Pine Country Club, Big Stone Gap
Sunday, July 21
Final
Championship Flight
Chance Taylor 66-67—133
Mike Damron 69-67—136
Garland Green 69-68—137
Hunter Lunsford 74-66—140
Robert England 72-70—142
Matt Love 70-75—145
Craig Winchell 72-73—145
Mike McCall 73-75—148
George Roat 75-74—149
Evan Sturgill 76-73—149
Matt Dotson 76-77—153
Bill Sergent III 75-78—153
Nate Clark 76-82—158
Lucas Lowe 80-81—161
Brett Richards 83-80—163
First Flight
Charlie Glenn 74-70—144
Jeff Gowder 76-71—147
Matt Ward 77-72—149
Justin Wilson 77-77—154
Andrew Horsman 74-82—156
Second Flight
Walt Crace 79-70—149
Rick Morgan 78-81—159
Mark Clendenon 79-81—160
Matt Smith 79-81—160
Steve Lockhart 78-84—162
Bill Damron 79-WD
Third Flight
Jimmy Taylor 81-74—155
Rick Meade 80-79—159
Landon Slone 82-81—163
Ben Sousa 82-83—165
Matt Horsman 80-86—166
Drew Adkins 84-91—175
Fourth Flight
James Hughes 87-73—160
Glen Pearson 85-80—165
Thomas Glenn 86-83—169
Elmon Walters 85-WD
Mike Fannon 87-WD
Fifth Flight
Kevin Hughett 95-90—185
Kevin Black 99-89—188
Robbie Carrico 92-109—201
Jason Deloney 104-99—203
Jim Caudill 102-103—205
Seniors
*Tony Green 72-72—144
Mike Haney 73-71—144
James White 72-74—146
Pudge Vanhoose 76-77—153
Super Seniors
*Allen Blanken 71-68—139
Bob Ross 67-72—139
Andy Black 74-76—150
Jim Hughes 80-72—152
Wayne Mahan 80-79—159
Oscar Neece 78-84—162
Johnny Black 82-82—164
Lester Bowman 90-92—182
Martin Stanley 91-93—184
*-Won sudden-death playoff.
