Chandlers lead Buddy Moore
- Updated: August 22, 2015
[corner-ad id=2]Sunny King champions make two eagles, lead on The Hill by 1
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
Ott and Dalton Chandler made two eagles — one more than their nearest challengers — and it was the difference in elevating themselves to the top of the leaderboard in the Buddy Moore Charity Classic.
The Chandlers, playing in their first two-man event together since winning the Sunny King Charity Classic, shot 15-under-par 55 Saturday in the scramble at Anniston Municipal GC.
They lead three-time tournament champions Jeremy McGatha and Matt Rogers by one. McGatha and Rogers have won the last two Buddy Moores.
Andrew Tyson and Guy Bradley are another two shots back, shooting 58 with a bogey. Five teams are tied at 59, including Kevin Daugherty and Adrian Geeting, who played their last five holes in 7-under-par.
“This is where I learned how to play, and Buddy helped me,” Ott Chandler said. “He was a legend up here and just to be in this tournament and put ourselves in a position to have a chance to win is just awesome.
“The Sunny King, that was just awesome. That’ll never be topped. I could win every tournament I ever play from now on and it’ll never top winning with my (son). Just having a chance to win with your kid and doing something else in a special tournament like this … that’s all you can ask for on a Saturday.”
The Chandlers eagled the par-5 third — their first hole of the day — and the par-4 17th. At one stretch in the round they made seven straight 3s and shot 9-under 26 on the back nine.
“We just made it happen,” Dalton Chandler said. “In the Sunny King we pured everything, hit every shot good. Today we kind of made it happen. We didn’t strike it that well today, but we had a chance to score great. We left three or four out there.”
Winning the Sunny King has brought some added pressure to the team, at least in the younger Chandler’s mind.
“They expect you to play well,” Dalton said. “If we’d have shot 10 (under) today everybody would have been what the heck happened? That’s what it feels like.”
McGatha and Rogers matched the Chandler’s birdies on 3 and birdied 4 to take the lead. They matched hole-for-hole on the back nine until the Chandlers birdied 16 and eagled 17. They closed to within one when they birdied their final hole, the par-3 second.
“It wasn’t our best day, but we’re happy to be within a shot of them,” Rogers said. “They’re great players, we’ve just got to make putts. Up here you’ve got to make putts.”
Among the highlights of the other teams in the Buddy championship flight, Tyson-Bradley were 8-under with an eagle on No. 1 after their bogey; Clay Calkins-Chris Hubbard (59) eagled No. 8 and played 8 through 15 in 8-under, Andrew Brooks-Cory Etter (59) birdied 13 through 18, Jake Goggans-Rob Davie (59) birdied their first five holes, and Mike Zinn-Austin Minter (59) used mulligans to birdie 3 and 8 to keep their round going and Zinn holed out from 50 yards to eagle 17.
ROGERS T-4 IN SKILLS EVENT: Isabel Rogers finished tied for fourth Saturday in her age division in the second stage of the Drive, Chip and Putt Competition at Chateau Elan Golf Club in Braselton, Ga.
Rogers, the daughter of Buddy Moore Classic defending champion Matt Rogers, scored 59 points in the girls 7-9 division of the competition that ultimately will sends its finalists to Augusta National.
She had her best showing in the putting category, scoring 40 points to tie for third in the segment, but struggled with her chipping, scoring only three points. She tied for second in the driving segment.
BUDDY MOORE CHARITY CLASSIC
At Anniston Muncipal GC
First-round scores
Buddy Flight
Ott Chandler-Dalton Chandler 29-26—55
Jeremy McGatha-Matt Rogers 28-28—56
Andrew Tyson-Guy Bradley 28-30—58
Mike Zinn-Austin Minter 29-30—59
Clay Calkins-Chris Hubbard 30-29—59
Andrew Brooks-Cory Etter 30-29—59
Adrian Geeting-Kevin Daugherty 27-32—59
Jake Goggans-Rob Davie 28-31—59
Mary Ann Flight
Eddie Salmon-Jason Johnson 31-30—61
Doug Mooneyham-Chris Randall 32-29—61
Timmy Woodard-Billy Thompson 31-30—61
Benji Turley-Marcus Harrell 32-29—61
Daniel Clonts-Brett Key 32-30—62
Everett King-Jackson King 32-32—63
Brian Whitley-David Whitley 31-33—64
Russ Montgomery-Steve Montgomery 32-33—65
Roger Jackson-Grant Jackson 33-32—65
Nick Pollard-Chad Watson 34-31—65
Mike Braxton-Tim Mullendore 34-31—65
Scott Moore-Will Prickett 33-33—66
Scott Flight
T.J. McGatha-Kelly Rogers 33-34—67
Tommy Pope-Nick Pope 33-34—67
Ted Heim-Garrett Heim 32-35—67
Tim Davis-Jackson Bonner 36-32—68
Mike Herndon-Tony Strickland 35-33—68
Steve Mullendore-Will Mullendore 32-36—68
David Hill-David Fitzgerald 31-37—68
Jerre Dingler-David Wray 34-34—68
Danny Whitaker-Gary Thomas 34-34—68
Angie Flight
Jimmy Jackson-Grant Stewart 34-35—69
Jimbo Phillips-Will Coker 34-35—69
Derrick Webb-John Roe 35-34–69
Sean Hayes-Ken Renfroe 37-33—70
Rodney Wade-Bruce Collins 35-35—70
Donnie McGinnis-Herschel Tanner 34-37—71
Norman Thomas-Lynn Oswalt 35-36—71
Tom Mullins-Henry Higginbotham 35-37—72
Kelly Cleghorn-Matt Cleghorn 34-38—72
Ashley Bussey-Patrick Madrid 36-36—72
Keith Gann-Steve Rogers 36-37—73
Longest drive (No. 6) — AM: Chris Hubbard, PM: Dalton Chandler.
Longest putt (No. 6) — AM: Gary Thomas, PM: Nick Pollard.
Closest to the pin (No. 7) — AM: Garrett Heim, PM: Jake Goggans.
Sunday tee assignments
8 a.m. shotgun
Hole 1A – Pope-Pope, Davis-Bonner
1B – T.J. McGatha-K. Rogers, Heim-Heim
2 – Herndon-Strickland, Hill-Fitzgerald
3 – Mullendore-Mullendore, Whitaker-Thomas
4 – Dingler-Wray, Jackson-Stewart
5 – Webb-Roe, Phillips-Coker
6 – Hayes-Renfroe, Wade-Collins
7 – McGinnis-Tanner, Thomas-Oswalt
8 – Cleghorn-Cleghorn, Mullins-Higginbotham
9 – Bussey-Madrid, Gann-Rogers
1 p.m. shotgun
Hole 1A – Tyson-Bradley, Calkins-Hubbard
1B – Chandler-Chandler, J. McGatha-M. Rogers
2 – Goggans-Davie, Geeting-Daugherty
3 – Zinn-Minter, Brooks-Etter
4 – Salmon-Johnson, Mooneyham-Randall
5 – Woodard-Thompson, Turley-Harrell
6 – Clonts-Key, King-King
7 – Whitley-Whitley, Montgomery-Montgomery
8 – Jackson-Jackson, Pollard-Watson
9 – Braxton-Mullendore, Moore-Prickett
You must be logged in to post a comment Login