Alvaton’s Adam Houchens stands with his wife, Brandy, and sons Tripp and Pierce after winning the Pickens Amateur on Sunday at CrossWinds Golf Course.

Adam Houchens didn’t try and wow anyone on the golf course this weekend.

The 38-year-old Alvaton resident kept his focus on consistency through two rounds of the Pickens Amateur at CrossWinds Golf Course rather than booming drives or the perfect wedge shot.

It was a strategy – or philosophy, perhaps – that worked to perfection. Houchens sank a crucial birdie at the end and held on for a one-stroke win with a two-day combined score of 7-under par 137.

“I just played steady Eddie here, man,” Houchens said. “Nothing special, just steady golf.”

After opening the tournament on a blistering hot Saturday with a 3-under 69 to make the championship flight, Houchens backed it up with a 4-under 68 Sunday – a round briefly delayed at the start, then interrupted by a short but intense downpour.

It didn’t matter to Houchens, who came into the tournament with plenty of confidence after winning the Willow Oaks Invitational for the second straight year at Willow Oaks Golf Club in Glasgow – where he is a member – earlier in June.

Still, Houchens wasn’t thinking championship thoughts when he started play Sunday in a flight that included 2023 Pickens Am runner-up Drake Duncan, a Bowling Green native and former Middle Tennessee State standout golfer.

“You know, it was not very exciting,” Houchens said of his performance. “I just kind of plodded my way around, made a birdie here and there and just didn’t give much up. I never thought I was going to win it until I got to the (No. 9) tee box and I saw Drake had bogeyed seven and I thought if I just make a birdie here and capitalize, maybe get one ahead and put a little pressure on him.”

Houchens did just that, landing an approach shot within five feet of the cup to set up a birdie putt.

It was the latest impressive performance for Houchens, who didn’t even start playing golf until age 23 and wasn’t competing in tournament until his late 20s.

On Monday, he was set to play in the Kentucky Open qualifier at Bowling Green Country Club. He’s hoping to make that tournament (July 23-25 at the University of Louisville Golf Club) and has a few other dates in mind including the Irvin Cobb Championships later this summer in Paducah.

“Yeah, a little bit of a roll … playing some good golf and just trying to hold it together, I guess,” Houchens said. “I’m just trying to work on my game and get better.”

Duncan and Christian Tooley – who won the Paul Walker Invitational earlier in June at Paul Walker Golf Course – finished one shot back at 6-under 139. Three golfers – defending Pickens champion Chase Landrum, plus Jared Brown and Sean Baer – were two shots back on the leaderboard.

Brown claimed tournament medalist honors after firing a first-round 68.

Other flight winners included Kyle Beckner (first flight), BJ Balance (second), Rob Creek (third), Ron Burchett (fourth), Jason Cline (fifth) and Allen Isaacs (sixth).{&end}