WILLIAMS HOLDS ON TO WIN SOUTHERN AMATEUR CROWN

Ryan Clark
The Atlanta Journal-Consititution

ATLANTA, Ga.- All Lee Williams needed was his scorecard.

Williams, a 20-year-old native of Alexander City, Ala., and a junior at Auburn, had just clinched the 96th Southern Amateur Championship at East Lake Golf Club with a 1-over-par 71.

But as he walked off the 18th green toward the scorer's table, he realized he'd forgotten something vital.

"Dad! Can you get my scorecard?" he shouted to his father, who doubled as his caddie Saturday. "I think it's in one of the pockets in my golf bag."

Like his son, Dad came through under pressure, producing the card so the scores could become official.

Williams entered Saturday's final round with a four-stroke lead over Austin Peay junior Matt Gallant, but both had trouble early.

Both double-bogeyed the first hole, a 424-yard par 4, and after nine holes Gallant was three shots back.

"I felt pretty good at that point," Gallant said. "The back nine was a little different, but that's how it goes sometimes. Today, the better player won."

Williams shot 4-under 276 for the tournament, seven ahead of Gallant, who finished with a 3-over 283.

After shooting 3-over through 10 holes, Williams was a little worried about his lead.

"I was like, 'What am I doing?' I needed to pull it together," Williams said.

East Lake's back nine, which challenged players throughout the tournament, provided little relief.

Williams' lead was still in doubt when he stepped into the teebox on No. 15, a 495-yard par 5. Williams drove the ball straight down the fairway and then used a 3-iron to reach the back of the green. He then chipped with a pitching wedge and watched as the ball rolled in for eagle.

"I knew I was safe after that," said Williams.

Andrew Black, a 22-year -old from Chattanooga, shot the round of the day -- a 3-under 67 -- to finish second with an even-par 280 over four days.

Colbert (Ga.) native Ryan Hybl finished seven shots off the pace with a 71, while Cortland Lowe of Augusta finished eight shots back with a 73.

Tennessee won the Bob Jones Team Trophy based on the four lowest scorers from each state after 36 holes. Contributing for Tennessee were Matt Gallant, Lebanon at 135, Andrew Black, Chattanooga at 141, Charles Gibson, Brentwood at 143 and Brandon Skeen, Jefferson City at 144 for a total score of 563 (+3). Florida and Alabama tied for second at 566 (+6).

Complete Results:

Lee Williams	Alexander City, Ala.	66-70-69-71--276
Andrew Black	Chattanooga, Tenn.	69-72-72-67--280
Jack Ferguson	High Point, NC.	69-73-73-68--283
Ryan Hybl	Colbert, Ga.	72-71-69-71--283
Matt Gallant	Lebanon, Tenn.	66-69-74-74--283
Scott Feaster	Columbia, S.C.	68-71-75-69--283
Adam Meyer	Woodway, Texas	69-74-72-69--284
Billy Lowry	Ada, Okla.	72-69-70-73--284
J.J. Killeen	Fort Worth, Texas	72-72-68-72--284
Ted Brown	Richmond, Va.	71-67-73-73--284
Cortland Lowe	Augusta, Ga.	72-69-70-73--284
Martin Flores	Mansfield, Texas	68-74-70-72--284
Erik Labitzke	Daytona Beach, Fla.	71-72-74-68--285
Tanner Ervin	Mount Pleasant, S.C.	72-68-71-75--286
Adam Gary	Bowling Green, Ky.	68-73-71-74--286
West Streib	Atlanta, Ga.	70-71-78-68--287
Chad Wilfong	Thomasville, NC.	71-74-73-69--287
Phil Eich	Altamonte Springs, Fla.	76-68-72-71--287
Ben Lowery	Jackson, Miss.	72-74-70-71--287
Michael Hodges	Belden, Miss.	70-72-72-73--287
Andrew Pratt	Memphis, Tenn.	72-73-72-70--287
Josh Teater	Lexington, Ky.	73-72-71-72--288
Richard Swift	Australia	72-70-76-70--288
Benjamin Friedell	Davidson, NC.	70-74-70-74--288
Ryan Baca	Richmond, Texas	75-71-71-71--288
John Kidwell	Dallas, Texas	69-73-73-73--288
Chris Cupit	Alpharetta, Ga.	70-77-71-70--288
Casey Wittenberg	Memphis, Tenn.	72-74-70-72--288
Jonathan Dismuke	Calhoun City, Miss.	73-73-70-72--288
Jeff Bell	Plano, Texas	70-72-73-74--289
Charlie Cornette	Greenville, Ky.	72-71-70-76--289
Drew Jones	Birmingham, Ala.	71-69-75-74--289
Zach Atkinson	Coppell, Texas	69-74-71-75--289
David Noll	Dalton, Ga.	71-73-70-76--290
Tyler McKeever	Auburn, Ala.	78-68-70-74--290
Andrew Medley	Jackson, Miss.	77-71-74-69--291
Chris Noel	Tulsa, Okla.	73-74-73-71--291
Jordan Dempsey	Kennesaw, Ga.	72-70-74-75--291
Matthew Rosenfeld	Plano, Texas	74-71-71-75--291
Ty Harris	Tampa, Fla.	68-78-78-69--293
Zack Robinson	Stillwater, Okla.	74-70-76-73--293
Trae Ely	Charlotte, NC.	74-68-78-73--293
Brad Tilley	Chappaqua, N.Y.	76-71-72-74--293
Jay Childs	Kennesaw, Ga.	72-74-72-75--293
Charles Gibson	Brentwood, Tenn.	72-71-71-79--293
Stephen Reed	Houston, Texas	75-73-70-75--293
Mark Van Hoose	Oklahoma City, Okla.	72-74-74-73--293
Matthew Hendrix	Aiken, S.C.	71-70-71-81--293
Steve Johnson	Signal Mountain, Tenn.	75-70-74-75--294
Jason McKenzie	Augusta, Ga.	74-68-76-76--294
Brad Moldin	Wilmington, NC.	73-74-72-75--294
John Rattan	Montgomery Village, Md.	76-71-77-72--296
Ryan Lagergren	Titusville, Fla.	74-74-73-75--296
Doug Ritter	Fort Lauderdale, Fla.	72-75-76-74--297
Ted Neville	Oklahoma City, Okla.	70-75-74-78--297
David Patterson	Fort Pierce, Fla.	70-76-76-75--297
Michael Wharton-Palmer	Ashdown, Ark.	75-71-74-77--297
Danny Yates	Atlanta, Ga.	73-72-74-78--297
Mark DiGiacomo	Lebanon, Pa.	74-71-72-80--297
Derek Abel	Plano, Texas	74-70-75-79--298
T. J. Washburn	McDonough, Ga.	78-70-76-75--299
Jason Vaughn	Decatur, Ala.	73-74-78-75--300
Brandon Skeen	Jefferson City, Tenn.	75-69-80-76--300
Earle Bidez	Birmingham, Ala.	73-71-78-78--300
Brock Mulder	Dallas, Texas	70-76-78-77--301
David Cothran	Selma, Ala.	71-75-79-76--301
Danny Whigham	Atlanta, Ga.	75-72-79-76--302
Tyler Garrett	Houston, Texas	73-74-79-79--305
Lance Walker	Tuscaloosa, Ala.	76-72-79-82--309
Failed to Make Cut:
Ryan Marshall	Marco Island, Fla.	76-73--149
Kip Estep	Rockwall, Texas	74-75--149
Austin Hynson	Mobile, Ala.	78-71--149
Ryan Abbate	Dallas, Texas	72-77--149
Chris Erickson	Humble, Texas	75-74--149
John Carr	Shreveport, La.	74-75--149
Jeremy Elliott	Chapel Hill, NC.	74-75--149
Vance Embry	Dalton, Ga.	76-73--149
J. C. DeLeon	Tulsa, Okla.	78-71--149
Doug Manor	Garland, Texas	76-73--149
Dan Kleckner	Spring, Texas	75-74--149
Titus Harris	Houston, Texas	76-73--149
Patrick Williams	Hixson, Tenn.	77-72--149
Emmett Turner	Greenwood, S.C.	76-73--149
Jeremy Hobson	Thonotosassa, Fla.	76-74--150
Bill Roach	Knoxville, Tenn.	73-77--150
Jack Hall	Macon, Ga.	74-76--150
Paul Simpson	Carrollton, Ga.	75-75--150
John-Gordon Beckett	Nicholasville, Ky.	69-81--150
Alexander Petrochko	Brentwood, Tenn.	74-76--150
Bev Hargraves	Helena, Ark.	74-76--150
Larry Dupree	Germantown, Tenn.	80-70--150
Danny Nelson	Savannah, Ga.	77-73--150
Parker Foster	Norman, Okla.	74-76--150
Ryan Blaum	Miami, Fla.	73-77--150
Ryan Greer	Knoxville, Tenn.	75-76--151
Andy Blanton	Moultrie, Ga.	80-71--151
Gregg Cox	Greensboro, NC.	75-76--151
Eric Beaty	Germantown, Tenn.	74-77--151
Luke Bakke	Little Rock, Ark.	77-74--151
Clay Kilgore	Nebo, NC.	72-79--151
Scott Weeks	Savannah, Ga.	74-77--151
Dayton Rose	Oklahoma City, Okla.	78-73--151
Darren Beck	,Australia	79-72--151
Tommy Clement	Mobile, Ala.	78-73--151
David Schultz	Richardson, Texas	76-75--151
Paul Sorel	Alpharetta, Ga.	75-77--152
Matt Vick	Franklin, Tenn.	75-77--152
Ross Cox	Knoxville, Tenn.	79-73--152
Vern Spurlock	Fort Worth, Texas	76-76--152
Luke Doebele	Humble, Texas	77-75--152
Rob Manor	El Paso, Texas	75-77--152
Bob Young	Atlanta, Ga.	78-74--152
Tim Sanchez	Austin, Texas	75-77--152
John Brannen	Clarksville, Tenn.	75-77--152
Trip Long	Wichita Falls, Texas	75-78--153
John Coles	Birmingham, Ala.	76-77--153
Ron Waters	Alcoa, Tenn.	75-78--153
Brooks Kelly	Lubbock, Texas	80-74--154
Lee Wilson	Auburn, Ala.	81-73--154
Coleman Tidwell	Macon, Ga.	80-74--154
Seth Sargent	Birmingham, Ala.	78-76--154
Dan Dunkelberg	Fort Worth, Texas	75-79--154
Parker Briley	Bryan, Texas	78-76--154
Dave Bomar	Memphis, Tenn.	79-75--154
Richard LaPierre	New Braunfels, Texas	79-75--154
Trent Erb	Atlanta, Ga.	75-79--154
Mark Donnell	Mobile, Ala.	78-77--155
Jonathan Spann	Florence, Ala.	78-77--155
Todd Flanary	Tallahassee, Fla.	78-77--155
Doug Harris	Franklin, Tenn.	80-75--155
Patrick Williams	Richmond, Ky.	72-83--155
Peyton Gallagher	Charlotte, NC.	75-80--155
Jake Pasch	Milwaukee, Wis.	75-80--155
Craig McAlpine	Fort Worth, Texas	79-77--156
Tom Madden	Collierville, Tenn.	74-82--156
Andrew Saft	Cumming, Ga.	77-79--156
Evan Nash	Rowlett, Texas	76-80--156
Rhett Graham	Myrtle Beach, S.C.	78-78--156
Edward Kenny	Coral Springs, Fla.	74-83--157
Randy Lance	Lufkin, Texas	81-76--157
Chris Elliott	Plano, Texas	81-76--157
Max Weinstein	Fayetteville, NC.	81-76--157
Brent Northrop	Albany, Ga.	78-80--158
Zane Goldthorp	Tucker, Ga.	76-82--158
William Mellon	Nokesville, Va.	81-77--158
Robert Woodward	Dallas, Texas	82-77--159
Gregory Cottrell	Powder Springs, Ga.	79-80--159
Steve Davis	Ocoee, Fla.	81-79--160
Kevin Canada	Birmingham, Ala.	77-83--160
Matt Adcock	Apopka, Fla.	82-78--160
Ross Goodson	Cincinnati, Ohio	85-76--161
Brandon Aydlett	Monroe, La.	80-82--162
Chuck Massoud	Dallas, Texas	81-81--162
Kyle McAfee	Rosston, Ark.	77-85--162
Justin Bates	Allen, Texas	83-79--162
Jonathan Jenkins	Jonesboro, Ga.	81-81--162
Mike Givilancz	Weslaco, Texas	79-84--163
Jon Schultz	Richardson, Texas	84-80--164
J. Carl Sutton	Jonesboro, Ga.	83-83--166
Derek Oakey	LaGrange, Ga.	80-87--167
Rick Ruffin	Oklahoma City, Okla.	87-83--170
Blake Mozley	Horton, Ala.	80-NC--NC
Rocky Costa	Alpharetta, Ga.	79-NC--NC
Robbie Dew	Marietta, Ga.	81-NC--NC
Harold Wyatt	Atlanta, Ga.	71-NC--NC
Alan Burnett	Charlotte, NC.	WD
Luke Stephan	Kennesaw, Ga.	WD

A traditional part of the Southern Amateur, and of great import to the players, is the Team Championship, in which the four best 36 hole scores from each state represent that state as a team. The team with the lowest cumulative score earns the Bob Jones Team Trophy for each player. In the 2002 championship, Tennessee was the State Team Champion, represented by the following players:

Matt Gallant, Lebanon	135	Andrew Black, Chattanooga	141
Charles Gidson, Brentwood	143	Brandon Skeen, Jefferson City	144