It took an extra hole but Chris Jenkins wasn't going to be denied a record-setting seventh Fourth of July Classic championship Sunday at War Memorial Golf Course.
Jenkins defeated Beau Glover with a tap-in par on the first playoff hole to secure back-to-back titles and break the record of six Classic championships by Arkansas State Golf Association Executive Director Jay Fox.
"It was a privilege watching Jay play this place all these years," Jenkins, 45, said. "I learned a lot from him. He played it the way it was supposed to be played."
Jenkins first won the tournament in 1995. He won it again in 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2012 before defeating Glover and Ryan Reynolds by a stroke last year.
"Records are made to be broken," said Fox who greeted Jenkins just off the No. 1 green where the playoff was won. "It wasn't a question of if, but a question of when. If courses are for horses, this is it. He's got great hands. The best hands ever on a golf course belong to Christon Roy Jenkins."
Jenkins began Sunday's second round tied for the lead with Tyler Reynolds and Ryan Turner and a stroke advantage over Glover and two-time champion Wes McNulty. A 35-foot birdie putt gave him a two-stroke lead at the turn, but Glover made consecutive birdies on the 10th through 12th to briefly take a one-shot advantage.
Jenkins made a two-putt birdie on No. 12 and a 15-foot birdie on the 13th to regain the lead at 9 under, but Glover pulled even again with birdie on the uphill par-4 15th. They parred out, but not without drama on the 18th. Glover, playing a group ahead, used deft touch when he putted through 6 feet of fringe on his third shot to get within tap-in range to finish off a 6-under 58.
Jenkins' tee shot on the 18th went left similar to Saturday's opening round when he got up and down from the trees. This time, Jenkins had to punch under a tree and ended up in front of the green. His hard 52-degree chip shot to the back right pin placement nearly went in, thus forcing the playoff.
The sky darkened and the wind picked up while the two gathered on the No. 1 tee box to prepare for the playoff. With the wind blowing right to left, Jenkins managed to keep a 5-iron just left of the flag to within 12 feet of the hole. Glover, though, pulled his 4-iron just enough for the wind to grab it and send it to the bottom of the hill left.
"It really felt like a hurricane was coming in there on the tee box," Jenkins said. "My goal was to aim right edge and swing hard. Fortunately, I found the green."
Glover pitched past the flag by 20 feet with his second shot then saw his par attempt break at the hole, leaving Jenkins only needing a two-putt for the victory.
"It's frustrating, but I had fun," said Glover, 30, who has finished second now in both Fourth of July Classics he has entered. "It doesn't get any better than Chris Jenkins. He is definitely a mentor and someone I enjoy competing against."
Jenkins, a three-time ASGA player of the year, won the Rebsamen Invitational in May, but didn't make the cut two weeks ago at the state stroke play championship the Country Club of Little Rock.
"I always feel a little scared going into a tournament and I was going into the state am," Jenkins said. "I played about as bad as I could during those two rounds. Coming back here gives me a lot of confidence. I know what the secret of War Memorial is and I was able to regain my confidence. It is really hard for some of these guys to adjust, but Beau played fabulous today. On the last day at War Memorial to shoot a 58 that's outstanding golf.
"I don't know when I was going to get other opportunities to win here. They've dwindled through the years. I've been able to convert most of them and I thought this one was one I could convert. Last year I didn't play that well and was fortunate. This year the course played different. It played soft. I've played it in about every kind of condition. There's something that can be said for experience I guess."
Sports on 07/06/2015