SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. — Mother Nature loomed throughout the week at RiverBend Country Club with threats of storms all week. After two days of stroke play qualifying to the match play bracket, Thursday became a marathon day of golf with three matches played in both the Senior and Super Senior Championships.
Danny Green emerged victorious in the Super Senior, winning his three matches on Thursday in 19 holes, 3 and 2, and the final match 3 and 2 to earn his 20th Tennessee Golf Association title. The Tennessee Golf Hall of Famer is second all-time in TGA wins with 20, seven back of Tim Jackson.
With 16 players advancing out of stroke play into the Senior Match Play Championship, an extra round is needed. The Seniors also played three rounds of stroke play to get to the two finalists, Todd Burgan and Jay Potter. Overnight rain saturated the course and continued into Friday making the course unable to hold the championship match. Because of that, for the first time in the TGA’s 110-year history, Burgan and Potter were named co-champions of the Tennessee Senior Match Play Championship.
Burgan lit up qualifying with a record score of 10-under-par 134 to earn the number-one seed. The Powell resident has enjoyed an incredibly successful first senior season. Burgan turned 55 in April and has played exceptionally well throughout the year. He finished fourth at the Tennessee Senior State Open, tied for second at the Tennessee Mid-Amateur Four-Ball and advanced to the Round of 32 at the U.S. Senior Amateur.
Burgan won his three matches to earn his spot in the finals with wins of 5 and 4, 2 up and 1 up. After advancing to the finals and being named co-champion, he currently leads all Senior men in the Tennessee Golf Association Men’s Senior Player of the Year points.
Potter was not far behind Burgan in qualifying at the TGA Senior Match Play, finishing in second with a 5-under-par thanks to a second-round 66 at RiverBend. He advanced through the other side of the bracket with wins of 6 and 4, 2 and 1, and 1 up. Being declared co-champion meant Potter earned his very first TGA title.
The Tullahoma resident and Chattanooga native has played well in his first year in the Senior division. In May, Potter finished Runner-Up at the Senior Four-Ball Championship. He followed that up in June by qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open.
Potter needed to defeat 2023 Tennessee Senior Amateur Champion Steven Mann to earn his spot in the finals. Their match went to the 18th hole after Mann battled back from three down with four to play but Potter was able to hold on.
Burgan had a similar situation in his semifinal match against Tim Roop. Burgan led 4 up after 10 holes before Roop rattled off four wins over the next five holes to tie the match on 15. Burgan’s birdie on 17 gave him a 1-up advantage headed to 18 where they tied to finalize the match.
In the Super Senior Match Play, Green played his final match against two-time TGA Champion Richard Smith. The 66-year-old from Springville had the low round on day one in qualifying and battled his way to the finals. Smith was looking for his first win since winning the 1999 Tennessee Mid-Amateur. He and Green battled back and forth throughout the day before Green pulled away, winning on 16 to go three up and seal his 20th TGA victory.
For full results from the 2024 Tennessee Senior & Super Senior Match Play, click here.
