When David Noll Jr. left for Johns Creek on Wednesday to play in a Georgia State Golf Associated event, he was already in a good mood.
The amateur golfer from Dalton, who was on his way to Rivermont Golf and Country Club to defend his 2008 Atlanta Amateur Match Play Championship title, had just been invited to play at the historic Augusta National Golf Club later next month.
“That kind of set the tone for me,” said Noll, who will play at Augusta for the second time.
He spent the rest of the week giving bad news to the rest of the field at Rivermont.
On Sunday, Noll not only defended his title with a 3-and-2 win in the final match of 16 holes over Christian Raynor, he also joined select GSGA company as the sixth golfer to win the event at least three times. Noll, who also won the championship in 2005, is now on a list with Charles Black Jr. (1927, ‘30, ‘41), Gene Dahlbender, Jr. (six titles from 1946-62), Charles Hanson (10 titles from 1952-77), Jerry Greenbaum (1960, ‘63, ‘67) and Bob Young of Dunwoody (1974, ‘84, ‘85).
“It’s nice to have my place in Georgia golf history,” Noll said. “All the work is starting to pay off. To be in the same category with those folks is an honor and it means a lot to me.”
Noll said the key to playing at Rivermont — he described the course as difficult with long, undulating greens — was staying consistent and conservative. As demonstrated by the fact Noll never trailed in the final match, he was able to accomplish both of those tasks.
His steady play also put pressure on Raynor, who bogeyed No. 3 and doubled-bogeyed No. 5 to give Noll an early three-shot lead.
“If you become too aggressive, you’ll hurt yourself quick,” Noll said. “It’s a par course. You’re not going to run up 10 birdies there. You have to be patient and stay steady. The guy who plays the most steady round of golf is going to win. Ever since they put the new greens in, it’s been one of the toughest courses I’ve had to play on.”
Next to the one at Augusta National, which may have been what he was preparing for at Rivermont.
This latest accomplishment is just one of many for Noll in what is becoming a rather storied amateur golf career. Including his three match play titles, Noll has won five GSGA state championship events and is a four-time GSGA Player of the Year (2003, ‘05, ‘07, ‘08).
Noll’s win on Sunday catapulted him from third place to first in the 2009 Men’s Player of the Year standings in the season’s final individual event, meaning Noll has earned the honor for a third consecutive year.
“I just kind of had it this week, for a lack of a better way to describe it,” Noll said. “I did really well. I won here last year and have good memories from that experience and I was just comfortable.”
Adam Krohn is a sports writer for The Daily Citizen. You can write him at adamkrohn@daltoncitizen.com or follow him on Twitter @adamkrohn.
