Fairchild takes 3rd at TOC

McMinnville’s Austin Fairchild entered last week’s TGA Junior Tour Wyndham Tournament of Champions as the No. 5 ranked player in the boys 14- to 15-year-old Masters division, and came away from the event with a third-place finish, missing the championship score by just three strokes.

Fairchild, who will begin his sophomore season with the Pioneer golf team this fall, carded a two-day total of 147, three strokes over the par total turned in by Kingston’s Mason Griffin, who entered the tournament ranked seventh in the division.

Fairchild was in his third-place tie for both days at Dickson’s Greystone Golf Club, after carding a 74 for his opening round on Tuesday. He made the turn at 1-over, after sandwiching a birdie on No. 8 between bogeys on the sixth and ninth holes, then double-bogeyed 13, birdied 14 and 16 and closed with a bogey on the par-4 18th.

Four strokes off the leader’s pace after Tuesday’s round, Fairchild turned up the heat on Wednesday, scoring three birdies against one bogey on the front side to make the turn at 2-under par. But three straight bogeys on holes 14, 15 and 16 proved costly, as he had to settle for the third-place tie.

Cody Phillips of Selmer, who came in ranked 21st, finished with a 2-over score for second place. Fairchild’s mark tied Cookeville’s Andrew Vanstratum, who had identical rounds of 74 and 73.

The Masters Division is designed for the lower handicapped players ages 12-18. These players should have a proven ability to compete at a high level or strong will to excel in tournament conditions. The Toyota TGA Junior Tour expects Masters Division players to be exemplary role models for all players. Players must be very knowledgeable of the USGA Rules of Golf and etiquette.