Etter, Brooks rule Highway 9

By EASportsToday.com
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Updated: September 20, 2015

[corner-ad id=2]Long-hitting partners shoot bogey-free 58, come from 2 back to win Challenge by 4

By East Alabama Sports Today

Cory Etter and Andrew Brooks worked their complementary games to perfection Sunday, coming from two shots back at the start of the day to win the Highway 9 Challenge by four shots.

The partners made 14 birdies in a 14-under 58 at Pine Hill and finished at 30-under 113. First-round leaders Josh Poole and Caleb McKinney shot 64 Sunday and finished second, while Jeremy McGatha and Matt Rogers were third (118) after a final-round 60.

Brooks hits it long and Etter hits it straight, the perfect combination for the scramble-scamble format employed by the Challenge. The only holes they didn’t birdie on Sunday were the four par-3s. They putted for eagle six times.

“We make such a good team; we feed off each other,” Etter said. “You’ve got to find that right person. There are a lot of good two-person teams in the county and if you find that right person you can really do well. I think we’re going to play in many tournaments together in years to come.”

The winners overtook the leaders on No. 8 and extended their lead to four through 13 holes.

Etter has won all five Highway 9 Challenges – with five different partners (Brennan Clay, Cole McNeal, Rich Etter, Trevor Lane and Brooks). His teams have shot a combined 133-under-par in those victories.

Nick Pollard and Derek Stewart won the first flight (58-122) in a scorecard playoff over Adam Lawrence and Jon Bailey; they birdied No. 16. Tony Hicks and Lenn Coffey won the second flight (63-131).

GC AM TOUR: It looked at the start as if Oxford’s Lance Evans was going to have another tough day in the Golf Channel Am Tour national championship at PGA West Sunday. He was 4-over through his first six holes, but played the rest of the round even and stands at 14-over 158 for the championship.

John Lindsey also posted a better second-round score than the day before. He shot 94 and is tied for 40th in the Jones Flight.

“I started out (bad), but after six I played as good golf as I’ve ever played from that point on, but I couldn’t make a putt,” Evans said. “I hit it where I wanted to, but misread everything.”

He hit all five par-5s on the Palmer Private course in two and three-putted three of them. He missed six makeable birdie putts.

“I just didn’t putt good,” he said. “Other than two holes (double bogeys at 13 and 15) I hit the ball as good as I could. … At least that’s a positive going into tomorrow.”

HIGHWAY 9 CHALLENGE
Pine Hill CC
(Sunday scamble format, Par 72)

Championship flight
Cory Etter-Andrew Brooks 55-58—113
Josh Poole-Caleb McKinney 53-64—117
Jeremy McGatha-Matt Rogers 58-60—118
Chuck Harmon-Tim Harmon 60-60—120
Ott Chandler-Dalton Chandler 58-64—122
Bill Vaughn-Mike Hammonds 57-66—123
Randall Doss-Robbie Robertson 60-65—125
Rick Taylor-Doug Sears 60-65—125
Phillip Hicks-Steve Baker 60-68—128
Jerry Irwin-Steve Minton 60-WD

First flight
Nick Pollard-Derrick Stewart 64-58—122
Adam Lawrence-Jon Bailey 61-61—122
Heath Waldrop-Dennis Austin 61-64—125
Johnny Bentley-Eddie Robertson 62-64—126
Mike Patey-Rick Okins 62-64—126
Brad Hardin-Tim Turner 64-64—128
Robbie Hurst-Jake Goggans 63-66—129

Second flight
Tony Hicks-Lynn Coffey 68-63—131
Ricky Young-Stan McCarley 66-66—132
TJ McGatha-Scotty Grimes 66-67—133
Jono Waugh-Chance Harris 67-73—140
Kevin Bedwell-Will Bedwell 68-72—140
Josh Reynolds-Bart Smith 68-75—143
Corey Trantham-Vic Cashen 71-72—143
Scotty McFry-Bryan Beal 71-80—151

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