Lupton Invitational begins today
27 May 2016
by Sam Dostaler of AmateurGolf.com
see also: John T. Lupton Memorial, The Honors Course
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Charlie Waddell looks to defend Lupton Invitational title
OOLTEWAH, TN (May 27, 2016) - For the 12th time the John L. Lupton Invitational will be contested on The Honors Course. Over the year's the course has hosted many significant events and this July it will host the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.
The event, named for club founder John T. Lupton, is played on the Pete Dye-designed course that hosted the 1991 U.S. Amateur and 1996 NCAA Championship won by Tiger Woods.
The 54-hole event, which begins today and runs through Sunday, includes a 36-hole cut and features mid-amateur, senior and super senior flights.
Once more the field includes many of the top player's in the country. Leading the field will be Chicago's Charles Waddell, the defending champion. Waddell won last year's event in a playoff over Joseph Deraney who is also in the field again this year. Deraney, from Lexington, KY, won the Timuquana Cup at the beginning of the month.
The mid-amateur field also includes Patrick Christovich fresh off his semifinal finish at the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. Christovich, of New Orleans, has showed well in big events this year finishing sixth at the Azalea Invitational and tied for 10th at the Coleman Invitational.
Other mid-amateur names to keep an eye on are Brad Wilder who recently finished second at the Walter Invitational, Aaron Hickman and Carlton Woods Invitational winner Colby Harwell.
Michael Mercier, the defending champion in the senior division is back as well this year. The Juno Beach, FL resident will be joined in a deep senior field by Randy Elliot and Jack Hall.
Elliot, from Winter Park, FL, has tied for third at the Florida Azalea Senior, tied for fifth at the Golfweek Senior National Championship and shared 12th at the Jones Cup Senior so far this year.
Jack Hall is presently the 5th ranked senior player in the country. Hall, of Savannah, GA, has won the Gasparilla Senior already this season and has placed top-five in three other major events, including a runner-up finish at the Timuquana Cup Senior.
The super senior division will be lead by returning champion Bob Kain of La Quinta, CA. Kain is off to a strong start this year, most notably finishing in sixth place at the Golfweek Senior Amateur. He will be joined in the field by among other's Timuquana Cup Senior winner Steve Melnyk of Jacksonville, FL.
ABOUT THE Lupton Memorial Invitational
This event, named after club founder John T.
Lupton,
debuted in 2005 on a spectacular Pete Dye
golf course
near Chatanooga. Mitch Voges won the 1991
U.S.
Amateur here, and Tiger Woods won the
1996
NCAA
Championship here despite a final round 80.
54
hole
individual event with a 36 hole cut. Stroke
play
format
for the Championship division and Stableford
format
for the Senior division. Committee will invite
72
mid
ams and 54 senior ams. The field will be cut to
approximately 75% in each division following the
2nd round.
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