DICKSON, Tenn. — The Wolcott name returns to the Curtis Person Sr. Trophy 40 years later as Hunter Wolcott joins his father Bob as a Tennessee State Open champion. With Hunter's win at the 2023 Tennessee State Open, he and Bob become the first father-son duo to win the same major Tennessee Golf Association championship.
It certainly didn’t come easy, as Wolcott needed every bit of his record-shattering 22-under-par 191 to secure his first Tennessee Golf Association title at GreyStone Golf Club. The record-shattering didn’t end there. Wolcott bested the last 36 hole score record by 9 strokes with his 122 over the final two rounds.
On the final day, the pressure wasn’t just coming from his own group, but his own family. Older brother Ben Wolcott was firing on all cylinders as well this week, finishing in sole possesion of second place with a 20-under-par 193. He and Hunter were paired together in the second-to-last group of the day, pushing each other to play their best.
In the Wolcott’s group was Tennessee Grassland’s Spencer Cross who also saved his best round for last. Cross finished with an 8-under-par 63 in the final round. Their group, Hunter, Ben and Spencer, finished -29 as a threesome.
The drama, however, didn’t stop there. The best final round performance didn’t come from anyone in the lead groups. Instead it came from the fifth to last group. Hendersonville’s Austin Lancaster set a Tennessee Golf Association record with a 12-under-par 59, the lowest score in any TGA event in the organization’s 109-year history.
“Everything was falling,” Lancaster said. “No matter where I hit my putt, it seemed to always find the bottom of the cup.”
Making the third-place finish even more impressive was the fact Lancaster finished the first round at even par. He finished the final two days 19-under-par to skyrocket up the leaderboard.
The lead group in the final round had a lot of eyes on them as the whole state of Tennessee seemed to watch what 16-year-old Blades Brown would do. While he didn’t finish as the overall champion, the Brentwood native fired an impressive 17-under-par 196 to finish as the Low Amateur.
Murfreesboro’s Payne Denman finished tied for seventh in the field and second amongst the amateurs. He only recorded two over-par holes for the entire tournament, both of them coming in the final round. Denman had a whole round’s worth of under-par holes during his three days at GreyStone, racking up 17 birdies and an eagle over 54 holes.
Profectus Golf’s Michael Nagy finished in sixth place with a final-round 66, which amongst professionals in the field, was fifth best.
The second round had a record and some near records that set up a dramatic final round. Brown held the lead after 36 holes with a 13-under-par 129, tying the “first 36 holes” record set by Nolan Ray at GreyStone just two years before. Hunter Wolcott stole the show during the second round though, tying the lowest 18 hole score at 10-under-par with Garrett Willis from the 2015 Tennessee State Open. Hunter jumped 24 spots by the end of day Wednesday, putting himself within two shots of the lead.
Denman climbed his way up through the leaderboard ending the day at 12-under-par, sticking right behind Brown. Starting the turn with 2 birdies, Denman finished the round with a birdie on the ninth hole to break a 3-way tie for that second place spot.
Neck and neck with his brother, Ben Wolcott remained in the top five just one stroke behind a tie for third. He finished out both of his first two days with a 66 on 18 holes.
Round one leader Eric Ansett kept his score steady throughout day two. Ansett ended the day in a 3-way tie with Jackson Skeen and Hunter Richardson at 9-under-par. Richardson, who was originally tied for 18th, moved 11 spots up the leaderboard and ended his round in a tie for 7th.
Ansett finished the even tied for seventh overall. Skeen had a quiet final round at even-par, finishing in a tie for 16th place. Richardson faired about the same, ending his State Open in a four-way tie for 32nd.
GreyStone Golf Club was in great condition as it hosted its ninth Tennessee State Open, a record in the tournament’s 74-year history. The course provided a strong test of the competitors’ golf game and creativity. For those taking risks on the course, the rewards were as great as the punishments were cruel.
For full results from the 74th Tennessee State Open, click here.
