Published: October 24, 2009 10:36 pm      

Title on the line for Noll

JOHNS CREEK — Defending champion David Noll Jr. of Dalton and Christian Raynor of Kennesaw each won two matches on Saturday to advance to the final of the 91st annual Atlanta Amateur Match Play Championship, taking place at Rivermont Golf and Country Club, October 22-25.

Noll posted a 4-and-3 semifinal victory over another past champion, Jeff Belk of Marietta, who won this event in 2002 at Rivermont. Although both players made the turn at 3-over 39, Noll held a 1-up advantage. He then won three straight holes — 11, 12 and 13 — to go 4 up with five to play and held on for the win.

Raynor defeated Covington’s Bill Jones, who was the medalist during Thursday’s qualifying round. Raynor led for most of the match, moving to 4 up when Jones missed a short par save at the 12th. Jones came back with a long birdie putt on 15 to keep Raynor dormie with three holes to play, but Raynor clinched the match on the 16th with a tap-in for par.

In a battle between two past Georgia Amateur champions, Noll topped Bill Bergin of Atlanta, 4 and 3, in a quarterfinal match on Saturday. Also in the quarterfinals, Belk outlasted Michael Motz of Milton, 3 and 2, while Jones survived a late double bogey-bogey stretch at holes 15 and 16 to move past Jordan Mitchell of Atlanta, 2 and 1. Raynor also won by a 2-and-1 margin over Ryan Parnell of Atlanta.

The 18-hole championship match is scheduled for 8:15 a.m. this morning.

Noll, who also won this Championship in 2005, is looking to become the first golfer since Bob Young of Atlanta (1974, ’84, ’85) to win multiple Atlanta Amateur titles.