It took 55 holes for Watkinsville’s Jeff Hull to capture the inaugural Georgia PGA’s Chicopee Woods Players Championship on Tuesday with a two-day score of 203 at the 27-hole course. Hull was forced into a playoff against Acworth’s Russ Davis (203) after the eventual second-place finisher birdied three of the final nine holes at the School course.

In the one-hole playoff, Hull (-13) managed to stay down the middle of the fairway on his tee and approach shots on the No. 9 hole at the School course. Once on the green in three, he two-putted to secure par for the win and the $3,000 winner’s check.

Davis conceded the victory to Hull, the 2007 Georgia PGA Player of the Year, after his third shot landed in the water and fifth shot from the fringe missed by less than a foot.

This marked Hull’s first win on the 2008 season.

"This was a unique event, and a lot of fun," Hull said. "With this kind of event, playing 27 holes each day, you want to keep playing if you are on a roll."

Hull held a two-shot lead over Davis heading into the final nine. He maintained it after hitting a 15-foot uphill putt on No. 3, but that was his only birdie on the final nine. While Hull struggled to sink his putts, Davis managed to even things up after birdies on No. 2, 3 and 7.

"I think once we got to the playoff he had the advantage with how he played on the back nine," Hull said.

The event was well-received by players and course officials alike. The field included 117 competitors from across the state.

"We’re very happy with how the tournament went," Chicopee Woods director of golf Jim Arendt said. "Our staff did a great job of having the course as good as it could possibly be."

"This is a great course to play and one of the best in the state for public golf," Hull added.

With six birdies and two bogeys, Hull wasn’t thrilled with his final day of golf. He was within 6 feet on six different putts, but missed each of them. On the School course’s No. 7 hole, he hit a fairway shot tight to the cup, only to miss the birdie putt.

Hull finished the two-day Georgia PGA sanctioned event with 15 birdies and an eagle.

The Athens native felt comfortable playing on the Gainesville course that is divided into the School, Village and Mill, having played here in previous sectional events and occasionally on the weekend.

Davis finished the 54-hole event with 19 birdies and six bogeys. He started the second day of play two shots behind Hull after three bogeys in his first 18 holes Monday.

Rounding out the top five were Tim Weinhart (-12), Sonny Skinner (-11), and Bill Spannuth and Seth McCain (-9).

Chicopee Woods’ Greg Lee finished in a tie for 10th (-4). Achasta Golf Course’s Jordan Arnold finished in a tie for 12th (-3).

The Georgia Open takes place July 31-Aug. 3 at Barnsley Gardens Golf Course in Adairsville.