June 12, 2009

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. -- After shooting an opening round five-under par 67, Kentucky senior golfer Jordan Blann shot a two-under par 70, totaling a 137 for the 36-hole tournament to claim the AT&T Kentucky State Amateur Championship, Friday afternoon at Champion Trace Golf Club.

The native of Bowling Green, Ky., Blann won the championship by two strokes over Thomas Reddick of Bardstown, Ky., who finished with a 139 and Lee Chaney of Morehead, Ky., who posted a 140. Fellow teammate Ben Fuqua, from Danville, Ky., shot a final round 71 and finished in a tie for fourth place.

Playing in the final group of the day, Blann headed into the final hole of the tournament not knowing where he stood in the field. It was only after the gallery started to cheer when he sank the decisive putt on the 18th green did the UK senior know he had won the championship.

“I really can’t describe what this championship means to me,” Blann said. “There are so many great names on this trophy and great players in the tournament, that it really means a lot for me to win this.”

Blann stroked the ball well all week but said it was his short game and putting that led the way for him to win the biggest amateur tournament in the state of Kentucky.

“Going into this tournament I had really struggled putting and it was one thing that I was concerned about,” said Blann, who made it through qualifying for the US Open last summer. “But earlier this week, Coach Craig gave me a really quick 15-minute lesson and that really got my putting game going and got me back on track.”

Kentucky men’s golf head coach Brian Craig was at the tournament Friday and was very impressed in the play of his senior golfer.

“Jordan has been steadily improving on his game for some time,” said Craig. “He is a great player and it is great to see him have success.”

Along with Blann and Fuqua, there were five other Kentucky natives that were on the Kentucky roster last year that made the cut and finished in the top-60 in the tournament. Senior Derek Oldham and sophomore Seth Blann, Jordan’s younger brother, finished in a tie for 14th with a combined score of 146. Senior Alex Volpenhein from Edgewood, Ky., posted a 36-hole total of 147 and finished in a tie for 20th. A native of Salyersville, Ky., Chase Carpenter posted a 149 in the tournament finishing in tie for 31st place and sophomore Joseph Barr finished in a tie for 58th place with a combined score of 154.