Carter Henderson Wins James Fyke Municipal Amateur
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July 19, 2005
From the Nashville Tennessean
July 19, 2005
By JEFF LOCKRIDGEStaff Writer
NASHVILLE- Carter Henderson had his golf clubs stolen when he was 8 years old.
So what did he do? He borrowed his father’s clubs, choked way up on the grips and won his first tournament at Percy Warner Golf Course.
Fourteen years later, Henderson is still finding ways to win.
Tied at 9-under with one hole to play, the University of Virginia rising senior came up with his two best shots of the day to make par and win the James H. Fyke Municipal Amateur Golf Championship yesterday at Harpeth Hills.
“I was a nervous wreck,” Henderson said. “That’s the most pressure I’ve ever felt.”
Henderson hit his drive 295 yards down the middle of the fairway, then put his approach in the center of the green. His approach shot stopped 15 feet below the cup on the 427-yard, par-4 18th hole.
Dickson’s Shane Matthews, who was tied for the lead after starting the day three strokes back, faded his tee shot into the woods.
It took him two shots to punch into the fairway, resulting in a double bogey.
“I was 2-under for the round when I got to 18, but I hit my tee shot in the trees and then I hit the trees trying to get out of the trees,” said Matthews, a Metro Parks employee.
“You could tell (Henderson) was a little nervous after I hit my chip shot close at 17 for birdie. But he deserved to win.”
Henderson safely left his putt a foot short and tapped in for a final-round 1-over 73.
His three-day total of 207 was good for a two-shot victory over Matthews, Roy Matlock Jr. and 2004 Municipal champion Brandon Weaver.
Weaver shot a final-round 67, the low score of the day by four strokes. He was awarded second place by way of a scorecard playoff.
“It was one of the best rounds I’ve had,” Weaver said. “It was a good way to cap off the tournament.”
Matlock slipped four shots off the pace through 14 holes after starting the day 10-under with Henderson and Joey Nacarato. But Matlock picked up a stroke after Henderson’s bogey at No. 15, and then he birdied Nos. 16 and 17 to pull within one.
“I just never gave up,” said Matlock, a financial expert and co-founder of The Money Game radio program with Dave Ramsey.
“I got in a groove. I had to have some help on the last hole and didn’t get it.”
Matlock had a tough chip shot for birdie at 18 that could have forced a playoff, but it trickled right of the hole and he wound up making bogey.
Billy Joe Green finished three shots back to take fifth place. Nacarato finished in a three-way tie for sixth after shooting 77.
The golf world is likely to remember yesterday for another dominating final round by Tiger Woods at a major championship. Tiger has to share the stage, according to Henderson.
“It’s definitely my big day,” said Henderson, grinning ear to ear. “Tiger’s win was a done deal. Mine wasn’t.”