Calvert wins Dub Ellis title
- Updated: July 19, 2015
[corner-ad id=1]Boaz golfer shoots 10-under-par for two days, wins by 4; Turley-Harrell win Timber Ridge’s Catfish Classic
Chad Calvert reacts to just missing a putt in Sunday’s final round of the Dub Ellis Invitational. On the cover, Calvert (L) is congratulated by Cherokee County CC GM Steve Baker after winning the tournament. (Photos by Jake Minnix)
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
CENTRE — It’s been a while since Chad Calvert felt as relaxed on the golf course as he did this weekend at Cherokee County Country Club, and like most players when he’s relaxed he plays better.
Calvert parlayed that peace of mind into a final-round 4-under-par 67 Sunday that propelled him to his second Dub Ellis Invitational title in four years. He shot a stress-free 10-under 132 for two days and won by four shots over Ty Cole and five over Jeremy McGatha.
The Boaz Country Club greens superintendent went into the final round with a share of the lead and never trailed. He led by four at the turn.
“This whole weekend was just stress free,” Calvert said. “I don’t know what it was; I was just relaxed. I didn’t worry about anything. There’s something about that course that makes me relax.”
Perhaps it was the fact he’s won there before. He won the 2012 Ellis in a playoff after shooting 65 in the final round.
“I think this was the first time in a long time I’ve actually gone to a golf tournament … and didn’t have a worry in the world,” he continued. “It’s so much easier to play without having to worry about anything.
“When you go out there and your mind is just free and you can actually swing the club and hit the shot and hit it right and it be all over the stick it’s a great feeling.”
Calvert made eight birdies in the round. He birdied No. 1 for the first time in four years, pulled away from the pack with four birdies in five holes coming around the turn and birdied three of his last five holes coming home.
“I was never in trouble; that was the key to the whole weekend,” he said. “I was never in trouble and never gave myself a bad shot.”
Cole knew his friend and travel partner was doing well even from his position ahead of him on the golf course. He pulled within two shots of lead after five holes before Calvert went on his run to pull away from everybody.
“When you play with somebody enough you can tell,” Cole said. “A golf course ain’t a library; you can hear people talking.
“I could tell from some of the things I heard coming out of the group and we saw a lot of the shots they hit into the green. When we got to 16 and we went to yelling back and forth down the fairway, I said he was about 6-under. I missed it by one. I had it pegged pretty good. I said he’s killing us.”
CATFISH CLASSIC: Marcus Harrell and Benji Turley shot a final-round 68 Sunday and won the Catfish Classic at Timber Ridge Golf Club in Talladega.
They shot 131 for 36 holes and won by three over the teams of Rick Carden-Michael Penson and John Williams-Wayne Crow. Carden and Pinson won second on a scorecard playoff.
DUB ELLIS INVITATIONAL
At Cherokee County CC
Final results
Championship flight
Chad Calvert 65-67—132
Ty Cole 69-67—136
Jeremy McGatha 68-69—137
Skyler Dennis 69-70—139
Byron Reed 65-75—140
Adam Weaver 69-73—142
Billy Mack Garrett 68-75—143
Stephen Keen 70-73—143
Dawson Garrett 67-77—144
Brian Johnson 70-82—152
Brady Garrett 68-WD
Jeremy Willis 69-WD
First flight
Clay Stephenson 71-70—141
Mike Granato, Sr 73-71—144
Matt Rogers 72-72—144
Kenneth Patterson 74-75—149
Wayne Garrett 75-76—151
Mike Granato, Jr 75-76—151
Jon Bailey 75-78—152
Robin Wood 74-78—152
Robby Spruiell 75-77—152
Scotty King 71-82—153
Jake Minnix 72-83—155
Carson Garrett 75-88—163
Second flight
Shawn Wigley 76-72—148
Scott Hays 76-74—150
Shawn Snow 77-73—150
Ryan Zebo 76-74—150
Adam Lawrence 77-73—150
John Stanley 77-74—151
David Garrett 76-78—154
Sid Garrett 77-77—154
Johnny Bentley 77-78—155
Kurt Duryea 77-82—159
Clayton Chandler 76-84—160
Jesse Bannister 77-88—165
Third flight
Allen Keen 78-74—152
Phil Donehoo 78-76—154
Tim Hill 79-76—155
Ben Chapman 80-77—157
Eric Brown 80-79—159
TJ McGatha 80-80—160
Harrison Davis 80-84—164
Bubba Smith 79-87—166
Scotty McFry 79-89—168
Ricky Hairston 80-92—172
Caden Garrett 80-WD
Fourth flight
Lee Morgan 84-74—158
Larry Guffey 84-76—160
Corey Tanner 83-77—160
Scotty Grimes 81-81—162
Kelly Rogers 82-80—162
Chad Naugher 81-82—163
Larry Haynes 81-84—165
Johnny Logan 82-92—174
Kevin Bedwell 91-90—181
Phillip Hicks 96-91—187
Mark Harper 81-WD
Scott Petty 88-WD
LEADERS SCORECARDS
Player 444 435 434 35 443 454 534 36 71
Calvert 345 434 343 33 344 444 425 34 67
Cole 434 425 435 34 343 444 434 33 67
McGatha 434 544 444 36 443 454 324 33 69
CATFISH CLASSIC
At Timber Ridge GC
Championship flight
B.Turley-M. Harrell 63-68—131
R. Carden-M. Penson 67-67—134
J. Williams-W. Crow 68-66—134
L. Hurst-T. Hurst 67-69—136
J. Ray-E. Isbell 65-72—137
J. Montgomery-B. Parker 67-71—138
M. Hardin-K. Langley 66-75—141
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