Nate Nichols Wins 2007 Legends Classic

28-29 July 2007 - Columbus, IN - Twenty-one professionals, 12 amateurs and three novices convened for the annual Legends Classic on Course 2 at the beautiful, well-maintained Columbus, Ind. Putt-Putt. The tournament, created on the former Indiana Tour to honor the state's greats, is always held on an Indiana course, including the last three years in Columbus.

The eight-round tournament, the longest of the Northern Putting Tour season, would serve as good preparation for players who will participate in the PPA national events on the same 18 holes Aug. 25-26.

The most prepared at the end of the weekend was Columbus own Nate Nichols, who won the pro tourney to claim his second victory of the season. He shot 210, 78 under par, and won an 18-hole playoff over 1997 National Champion Randy Reeves.

The tournament began with damp carpets on Saturday after overnight rain. Nichols negotiated the first day with a 102 to take the lead into Sunday. Reeves, who made the 500-plus mile trek from Montgomery, Ala. to prepare for the nationals, was in at 104. Four-time 2007 NPT winner Kevin Lacey came in at 105 on the strength of a closing 22, the best round of the whole tournament. Those three comprised the final group for Sundays closing four rounds.

Sunday turned out to be hotter than Saturday. The carpets were dry, leading to a rise in scoring as the tourney progressed.

The opening action belonged to Dave Nutini, who began play six strokes behind Nichols. He opened the day with consecutive 24s to pull within a stroke of Reeves and Nichols, who were tied for first at 155. Reeves shot a 24 of his own in that sixth round, gaining on Nichols 25.

Meanwhile, Lacey began the day with a 26 and 27 to be in at 158, making it a four-player race to the finish as fifth place was 165.

Lacey shot a 25 in the next round to tie Nichols heading into the final 18, as Nichols shot 28. They were two behind Reeves after his seventh-round 26.

Nutini fell back after carding a 30, and could not mount a charge in the final round. He still tied Reeves for the best score of the day with 107 and finished in fourth overall at 215.

That left it up to the last group. Reeves led Nichols by two strokes with four holes to play, but Nichols aced 15 and 17, while Reeves missed the final four holes of regulation. Lacey never got it going the final round and finished three strokes back at 213 after a closing 30.

In the extra session, neither Reeves nor Nichols led by more than a stroke. Reeves had his final advantage after acing the 13th hole, but Nichols made the next two holes to claim a one-stroke lead of his own.

Nichols then bogeyed the challenging 16th, his first 3 of the entire weekend, and Reeves followed with a deuce to tie the match. Reeves then missed 17, and Nichols made it to take the lead into 18, an elevated plateau with a backdoor shot.

Nichols narrowly missed his ace attempt to clinch the match, but Reeves attempt to tie ended up less than a foot short, and Nichols had won his first Legends title.

In the amateur division, Louisvilles Anthony Russell shot a 216, 72 under par, to post a four-stroke win over Cambridge City, Ind. lefthander Kyle Poole. They were tied at 108 after the first day, and Jeff Brown was a stroke behind at 109.

Russell led by three strokes over Brown entering the final round, and Poole was four behind. Poole pulled within two strokes on the back nine, but Russell closed with an 11 on the inbound nine and a 26 for the round to hold him off.

Poole had carded a 24 in the seventh round, including a perfect 9 on the front, to get back in the hunt after a disastrous sixth round.

It was the second win of the year for Russell, the 2005 APA World Match Play Champion and 2006 NPT Medal Play champ. He is one of three amateurs with a pair of wins this season, joining Brandon Davis and Scott Copeland.

Local youngster Hunter Carlsen won the novice division with a 291, seven strokes ahead of Cincinnati kid Maxx Wooddell. Carlsen led Wooddell by 16 strokes after the first day, but Wooddell pulled within five entering the final round before Carlsen rebounded with a 35 to seal the win.

The NPT would like to thank Carl Miller and his staff for their always excellent hospitality and looks forward to the PPA Northern Open and Tournament Players Championship later this month.

Scores provided by Nate Nichols, Article by James Weber.