Paul Garner was admittedly nervous, shaking “like a leaf” he said during most of the Sunday’s final round. For an accomplished golfer, one with a scratch handicap and four Selma Country Club championships in his bag, being in contention for the Selma Country Club Men’s Invitational was nerve-racking.

“It’s the biggest tournament of the year. It’s a whole different thing,” Garner said.

In the midst of shooting a final round 69, Garner found himself standing at the 18th tee with a one-shot lead and then, “I hit probably the worst tee shot I have ever seen or heard of.”

As he scrambled for a bogie on the final hole, sending him into a sudden-death playoff with Robert Nelson, Garner said he had to take a moment to calm himself down and then head to the first playoff whole.

“We both were able to birdie No. 1,” Garner said. “And then we went back to No. 18.”

It was 18 where he had lost his lead and chance to win the tournament out right, now it was a chance for redemption.

“I was able to hit the fairway this time. Both of us did,” Garner said. “We then both put our second shots on the green.”

Garner said Nelson’s second shot landed roughly 25 feet from the hole, while his landed about 20 feet from the whole.

Nelson’s putt came up 2-feet short of the hole, giving Garner the chance to win the tournament if he could make his putt.

“I hit it and then looked up. About halfway I thought ‘that’s exactly where I wanted to hit it. It might have a chance.’” Garner said. “And, then, it went right in.”

The birdie gave Garner the win, his first Invitational tournament title, and an accomplishment he had chased more than 25 times.

“I’ve played in this tournament pretty much every year since I was 18,” Garner, a former Auburn Tiger golfer. said  “And, I’ve come in second a few times. There’s nothing like winning it though.”

As for the nerves, Garner said that feeling is why he and others play the game.

“It comes down to every shot counts. That’s what you play for; the excitement, the nerves,” Garner said.