2010 Atlanta Amateur Match Play Championship

Albertson Upends Noll, 5 and 4, in Atlanta Amateur Match Play Final

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. --- High school senior Anders Albertson of Woodstock jumped out to a big early lead and never relinquished it, defeating two-time defending champion David Noll Jr. of Dalton, 5 and 4, in Atlanta Amateur Match Play Championship. The 92nd annual event took place at Rivermont Golf & Country Club, October 7-10.

Albertson, who turned 17 in June, is certainly among the youngest competitors to win the Atlanta Amateur Match Play Championship, and is believed to be the youngest champion since Charlie Yates of Atlanta won the 1931 event also at age 17. It is believed that the legendary Perry Adair of Atlanta is the youngest champion in event history. Adair, who was born in 1900, won the 1916 Championship at Atlanta's Druid Hills Golf Club.

Albertson, who attends Etowah High School, has verbally committed to play golf for Georgia Tech.

After both players parred the first and second holes, Noll then posted four straight bogeys to give Albertson a 4-up lead through six. Albertson pocketed a birdie on the 167-yard six.

Albertson posted his second birdie on the 550-yard 10th hole, and Noll bogeyed that one as well, pushing Albertson's lead to 5-up. Noll did come back with a birdie on No. 11, but another bogey at the 13th moved the match to dormie five in Albertson's favor. A par for both at the 148-yard 14th clinched the match for Albertson. Through 14 holes, he was playing at a 2-under clip with no bogeys.

After tying for 12th place in qualifying with a 73, Albertson faced some of the state's top mid-amateurs on his road to the Championship. In the first round he posted a 3-and-2 win over 1981 Georgia Amateur champion Bill Bergin of Atlanta; edged stroke-play medalist Greg Kennedy of Duluth, 1 up, in the round of 16; topped Tom Price Jr. of Marietta, 1 up, in the quarterfinals and outlasted recent Clayton State golfer Wade Binfield of Fayetteville, 2 and 1, in the semifinals before facing Noll.

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).