Local golf success

Thomas duo No. 2 in state

Farragut High School alumni golf stars Chip Thomas, left, and older brother, Mitchell Thomas.
LOUDON COUNTY — Thanks in large part to Mitchell Thomas’ 30-foot birdie putt on No. 17 to square the championship match of 48th Annual Tennessee Four-Ball, this showdown at Toqua Golf Course in Tellico Village required extra holes.

Team Thomas, comprised of former Farragut High School standouts — and brothers — Mitchell Thomas (former Tennessee Tech standout) and Chip Thomas (a rising junior at Middle Tennessee State) played 19 holes of break-even golf versus Cayman Ratliff and Brandon Worley Saturday, June 23.

However, thanks to Ratliff’s 7-foot birdie on the 20th hole, Team Thomas settled for second.

Mitchell Thomas fired a sizzling 61 during the18 holes of regulation, including three straight birdies to begin the day as Team Thomas jumped ahead early.

Trailing by a stroke after 14 holes, Chip Thomas pulled he and his brother even again with a birdie on No. 15.

“That match was truly amazing. Chip played unbelievable. Mitch played amazing,” said Worley, a former Sullivan South High School standout. “We were lucky to keep up with them and pull it through in the playoff.”

Ratliff, an East Tennessee State University standout, was 2013 Tennessee Junior Amateur champion.

“It’s been a blast,” Mitchell Thomas stated in a press release about the state Four Ball. “… We’ve played with a lot of friends. We’ve known everyone we played. It’s been good competition, good matches … it’s been a blast.”

Winning four match play showdowns Thursday and Friday, June 21-22, to reach the title round, Team Thomas scored a 3 & 2 quarterfinal win Friday versus fellow FHS alumni Tyler Johnson (MTSU) and Brian Clark (Lee University).