Ben Reeves (right) and Caddie Brooks Sandlin (left), Lupton Memorial Champions

OOLTEWAH, Tenn. -- There was a unique storyline that served as a backdrop to the sudden-death playoff needed to decide the Mid-Amateur champion in Sunday’s John T. Lupton Memorial.

The pairing featured a duo of Tennessee natives who played collegiately in the Volunteer State before moving to neighboring states to complete their educational pursuits in chasing their career dreams.

Both are reigning state mid-amateur champions in their current states - Ben Reeves in Alabama, and Brett Patterson in Mississippi – and they share a passion for Tennessee football despite now living behind enemy lines.

It was almost fitting that these two golfers in their early 30s who are playing the best golf of their lives should decide the ultimate victor at The Honors Course given all of their points of connection.

But at the end of a grueling day on the Pete Dye-designed layout in the Chattanooga suburb of Ooltewah, Reeves was able to overcome a six-stroke deficit entering the day to defeat Patterson on the first playoff hole to earn the prestigious Lupton title in his first try.

Reeves, who will be completing his medical residency in radiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham next month, closed with a final round of 3-under 69, finishing deadlocked with Patterson at even par 216.

The native of Knoxville was able to make up five shots after shooting 34 on his opening nine while Patterson, two groups behind him, had a costly double bogey on No. 9 to post 39 on his front side.

Consecutive birdies at 13 and 14 coupled with a clutch par save from 15 feet on after flying the green on the par-3 16th gave Reeves a one-shot advantage, and he parred his way home to secure the clubhouse lead.

Patterson, who lives in Oxford, Miss., where he’s working on his Ph.D. in accountancy at Ole Miss, remained locked in a three-way showdown along with playing partner Ty Capps of Palm Coast, Fla. Both players bogeyed the par-3 14th to fall a shot behind Reeves, and pars on the next three holes brought them to the 18th in need of a birdie to force a playoff.

Both golfers had makeable birdie tries on the last, with Patterson draining his clutch 12-footer punctuated with a fist pump while Capps’ attempt lipped out from 20 feet.

In the playoff staged on No. 18, Patterson’s approach trickled off the back of the green and he was unable to get up-and-down for par. Reeves secured the win with two putts from ten feet.

“I’m definitely a late bloomer when it comes to golf,” Reeves said. “I had some late wins in junior golf before starting college at UT-Martin. But the timing was perfect, though, as it ended up being the perfect college for me because I met my wife, Tori, there. I'm 31 now, and I feel like I'm playing the best golf of my life. So, I'm excited to see what the future holds.”

Reeves was undeterred by being six shots behind entering the day because he’d found himself in a similar situation during his junior golf days that also had a favorable outcome.

“I had to shoot 67 that day and it got me into a playoff where I pulled it out, so it was very reminiscent of today,” Reeves said. “I knew that this was attainable today, but I needed to play good golf and get some help from the leaders to have a chance. Brett is a phenomenal golfer and I didn’t expect him to back up the way he did.”

What made day even more special for Reeves was the fact he shared the experience with his close friend, Brooks Sandlin, who served as his caddie for the weekend. The two met at church when Reeves moved to Birmingham for medical school, and their families have become inseparable ever since.

“To be able to accomplish this with one of my best buddies is amazing,” Reeves said. “When you’re new to town and in search of community for your family, Brooks and his wife Kelsey were there for us. So, to have his support and the fact he sacrificed his time to be with me, I can’t ask for more.”

Capps finished third after shooting 73 on Sunday for a 54-hole aggregate of 1-over 217, while Nick Maccario of Atlanta placed fourth at 2-over 218. Lucas Armstrong of Church Hill, Tenn. shot 71 over his final round to finish fifth at 4-over 220.

Larkin Claims Senior Title

Jack Larkin isolates himself into a cocoon void of leaderboard data when playing competitive golf. The Atlanta resident never checks his current standing during a round, unplugging from his phone to simply focus on his next shot.

That’s why he was surprised when playing partners Bob Royak and John Kemp offered their congratulations after sinking his par putt on his final hole, No. 9 at The Honors Course.

“I didn’t even know I had won, to be honest with you,” Larkin said. “After Bob and John came up to me and said ‘Good playing’, I turned to my caddie (Oliver Simonsen) and asked him, ‘Did we win?’”

Larkin shot 74 on Sunday to finish at 2-over 218 for the tournament, making it five straight Senior titles for Georgia residents in the Lupton Memorial.

Royak of Alpharetta, Ga. finished second at 3-over 219 after also posting a 74, while Doug Hanzel of Savannah, Ga. placed third at 5-over 221 following a final round 72.

Deadlocked with England’s Kemp as the Senior division opened on No. 10, a trio of bogeys over his first six holes dropped Larkin from the lead. But he managed to complete his final 12 holes in 1-under par that featured critical birdies at 2, 3 and 5.

Starting his day one shot behind, Royak overcame a double bogey on his second hole to string together three birdies in a five-hole stretch as he made the turn. But two more bogeys coming home kept him one back of Larkin, and his 15-foot birdie try to force a playoff slid past the hole on No. 9, leaving Larkin with a short tap-in for the win.

“It's huge for me to win this tournament,” said Larkin, who started his week losing in a playoff to advance to match play in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball where he competed with his son, Jack Jr. “I think because this is such a grand field and it’s an incredibly difficult golf course, it's really just about perseverance.”

Kemp posted a 79 on his final round to finish fourth at 7-over 223, while Robert Nelson of Fairhope, Ala. and Savannah’s Jack Hall placed fifth with matching scores of 10-over 226.