Knoxville, Tennessee-Pat Stephens of Richmond, Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky University was the winner of the 1983 Southern Amateur Championship. This was the 77th Annual Championship conducted by the Southern Golf Association and play was conducted over the great Donald Ross designed course at the Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville.

Stephens returned scores of 68-67-72-71-278, 10 under par, to gain the winner's spot by one stroke over Jay Townsend of Tequesta, Florida. Townsend had rounds of 72-70-66-71-279.

Third place was shared by two players, Billy Varn of Jacksonville, Florida and Jim Wilson of Oral Roberts University, at 281. Varn returned scores of 70-70-67-74 and Wilson had 72-69-68-72. Fifth place was a tie between Gene Sauers of Savannah, Georgia and Jeff Goettmann of Springfield, Ohio with scores of 283. Sauers had rounds of 66-74-72-71 and Goettman's rounds were 72-69-70-72.

Finishing in seventh place was Jeff Golliher of Knoxville, Tennessee at 284. Rounding out the top ten finishers (actually the top eleven) were 4 players tied at 286; Bob Wolcott, Dickson, Tennessee; Brandel Chamblee, Irving, Texas; Jim Gallagher, University of Tennessee; and Tommy Moore, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Throughout the entire period of the 72 hole competition, Stephens was either the leader or in a very challenging position. After the first round, he was 2 strokes behind the leader, Sauers, who had a very fine 6 under par 66 to lead the field. However, Stephens took over the lead at the conclusion of 36 holes, setting the remarkable pace of 9 under par for the 36 hole route. This was sufficient to place him in the lead by 4 strokes over Moore and Golliher.

Now things began to happen. The third round score of 67 by Varn put him in a tie for the lead with Stephens and the 66 by Townsend left him only one stroke behind the two leaders. Thus, the stage was set for the finishing round and their scores placed Stephens, Varn, and Townsend in the same grouping.

Stephens, Townsend, Varn, Goiliher and Wilson staged a your-turn-to-lead, my-turn-to-lead war until all but Stephens and Townsend began to slip on the final nine holes. Stephens made a bogey at the par-three 14 to fall into a two-way lead with Townsend at minus-eight. Wilson also made a bogey there to slip to minus-six while Golliher bogeyed 15 and 16 to slip to minus-five. Varn hung tough but missed birdie opportunities of six and twelve feet at 15 and 16.

Stephens and Townsend birdied 16 to go nine under par. So down the 17th marched Stephens and Townsend with two shots on the field. Both hit mighty tee-shots on the par-five. Townsend hit his second shot hole-high in the right rough and chipped to within four feet. Stephens put his second shot on the left fringe, about 13 feet from the hole. His eagle attempt lipped out and both made birdies to go 10 under par and remain tied.

At the par five 18th, Townsend's approach was over the green and Stephens' approach was 15 feet hole-high to the right. Townsend made a superb pitch from a very difficult above the hole situation, but the ball continued to roll and did not stop until it was some 3 1/2 feet beyond the hole and Stephens' birdie putt stopped 10 inches below the hole. Townsend missed his putt and Stephens tapped in his putt for the win.

In addition to being the winner of the Championship, Stephens was also the medalist with a 36 hole total of 68-67-135, which was 9 under par.

The Holston Hills Country Club has truly an outstanding course, and the lower than normal scoring in this Championship can be attributed to the outstanding play of the contestants as well as the help given to the playability of the course due to the extreme dry weather that had been encountered prior to the tournament. The assistance given by John Wylie and his most competent golf shop staff contributed immeasurably to the great success of this 77th Southern Golf Association Championship.

The Bob Jones Trophy, which is awarded annually to the low team of four players from the same state, based on the first 2 rounds of play, was won by Tennessee. Their 36 hole team score was 562, based on the performance of Jeff Golliher, Knoxville (139); Griff Rudolph, Clarksville (140) Bob Wolcott, Dickson (141) and Dickie Morgan, Morristown (142).