2012 Atlanta Amateur Match Play Championship

Noll Wins Atlanta Amateur Match Play Championship
Dalton native secures fourth win on 19th hole

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – David Noll, Jr., of Dalton won the 94th annual Atlanta Amateur Match Play Championship, 19 holes, over Tripp H’Doubler of Atlanta at Rivermont Golf and Country Club on Sunday.

To start the final match, H’Doubler won the first hole of the day to take a quick and early 1up advantage over Noll. That would be the 18-year-old’s only lead of the day. Noll made par on the par 5, second hole, while H’Doubler bogeyed, to bring the match to all square, where it would remain for the next two holes (three and four). Noll then birdied the par 4, fifth hole to take a 1 up lead until H’Doubler claimed hole seven to bring the match back to all square.

 

Making the turn at all square, Noll reclaimed the lead with a birdie on the par 4, 11th. Noll’s lead would climb to 2 up through 13 holes, but would drop back to 1 up with a H’Doubler par and a Noll bogey on 14. Going into the 16th hole all square, H’Doubler hit his second over the green out of bounds, so Noll took advantage and took back the lead with two to play. Both players made par on 17, so Noll then walked to 18 with a 1 up lead. On Noll’s second shot, he hit it in the water, so H’Doubler would take advantage of Noll’s mistake and would bring the match back to all square. With the match knotted up, the two players went back to the first tee, the 19th hole, where Noll would then win the match over H’Doubler.

Noll’s road to the finals came with wins over Danny Whigham of Atlanta (2 and 1), Jackson Bishop of Gainesville (4 and 3), Justin Johnson of Canton (6 and 4) and Billy Mitchell of Roswell (5 and 3). H’Doubler moved through the bracket by defeating Greg Hamilton of Atlanta (4 and 2), Scott Weeks of Savannah (1 up), David Henion of Atlanta (withdrawal) and defending champion Brandon Nelson of Roswell on his home course (2 and 1).

Noll’s win marks the fourth time he has won this event in its 94-year history. He earned his first victory in 2005 at Laurel Springs Golf Club in Suwanee and then went back-to-back in 2008 and 2009, both at Rivermont Golf and Country Club. H’Doubler, an 18-year-old senior at Westminster in Atlanta, will head to the University of Missouri next fall to begin his collegiate golf career.

Nelson, the defending champion entering this week, reached the semifinals before falling to the runner-up, H’Doubler, 2 and 1. Nelson reached the final four with wins over Blake Burnette of Atlanta (2 and 1), David Brown of Atlanta (4 and 2) and Tevis Upton of Acworth (4 and 3).

Entries were open to male amateur golfers who are GSGA members. The stroke-play qualifying field consisted of the 120 entrants with the lowest USGA Handicap Indexes. Notable former champions include Perry Adair (1916), Charlie Yates (1931), Tommy Barnes (1936), Dan Yates (1942), Gene Dahlbender (1946-47, 1957-59, 1962), Bobby Jones’ son, Robert T. Jones III, (1948), Charles Harrison (1952-54, 1961, 1965, 1967-1969, 1973, 1977), Larry Mize (1979) and Danny Yates (1981-82).