Turley, Harrell on top
- Updated: August 27, 2016
Tournament leaders play the three par-5s in their closing stretch in 5-under par, eagle the last to lead Buddy Moore by 2
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
Benji Turley and Marcus Harrell took advantage of the scoring opportunities in their closing holes to fuel a big finish for the overnight lead of the Buddy Moore Charity Tournament.
The longtime friends went eagle-birdie-eagle on the three par-5s that were among their final four holes at Anniston Municipal to post a 14-under-par 56 that gave them a two-shot lead over three teams.
Austin Minter-Adrian Geeting, Clay Calkins-Chris Hubbard and Jeremy McGatha-Matt Rogers are tied for second. Kevin Daugherty and Garrett Burgess are another shot back.
“It was big for us to finish strong today,” Harrell said. “Hopefully we can carry that momentum into tomorrow and get off to a quick start. There are a lot of good teams close so it will definitely take our best to pull it off.”
The leaders were 9-under for the day after making birdie at 17, then eagled 18, birdied 1 and eagled 3. It was almost 3-for-3 but Harrell’s eagle putt on 1 missed by an inch. Even the par they made on the challenging par-3 second after Turley chipped up to within a foot was huge, because it allowed them to save their mulligan for the final hole, which they needed to make the closing eagle.
“We wanted to hold onto the mulligan until we got to 2,” Turley said. “We still have to play that par-3, let’s hold off (using it). We didn’t want to make a bogey and mess up our momentum.”
They had 132 yards into their final green and Harrell hit a gap wedge 15 feet left of the pin. They both missed their first putts at it, then Harrell made it with the mulligan.
Minter and Geeting birdied the holes they were supposed to birdie and bailed each other out when loose swings arose, but the highlight of their round was an eagle on the par-4 14th. Geeting’s drive finished 15 feet behind the hole and Minter’s putt circled the hole before dropping.
“We were solid, we played solid,” Minter said. “He hit the driver really well and I chipped and putted really well.”
Calkins and Hubbard made two eagles (8 and 1) and birdied 11.
“We should be more than 12; we left a few out there,” Hubbard said. “It is what it is. Sometimes they fall, sometimes they don’t; that’s the way it goes. I’m just happy we shot 1-under-par on No. 2. I’m pleased with that. That’ll pick a stroke up on the field.”
Three-time champions McGatha and Rogers had six birdies on each side. They birdied seven of their first nine holes.
EXTRA HOLES: Turley and Harrell made 14 3s, eight on the back nine … The teams of Chip Howell-David Sanders and Andrew Brooks-Steve Akers posted the best rounds of the morning wave – 60s. They played together. Howell-Sanders had a run of seven straight 3s starting on 10. Brooks-Akers parred their first four holes and birdied five of their last six. … Specialty prizes in the two waves went to Jason Johnson and Harrell (longest drive), Daniel Clonts and Andy Jenkins (longest putt), Howell and Hubbard (closest to the pin).
BUDDY MOORE CHARITY TOURNAMENT
First-round scores
Buddy Flight
Benji Turley-Marcus Harrell 28-28—56
Austin Minter-Adrian Geeting 29-29—58
Clay Calkins-Chris Hubbard 29-29—58
Jeremy McGatha-Matt Rogers 29-29—58
Kevin Daugherty-Garrett Burgess 30-29—59
Chip Howell-David Sanders 31-29—60
Andrew Brooks-Steve Akers 30-30—60
Danny Weeks-Randy Burke 30-31—61
Landon Straub-Brennan Clay 32-29—61
Mary Ann Flight
Shane Chappell-Matt Miller 31-31—62
T.J. McGatha-Rick Dickson 33-29—62
Jason Johnson-Lee Waldrop 32-30—62
Daniel Clonts-Brett Key 32-31—63
Jeff Borrelli-Keaton Borrelli 29-34—63
Andrew Tyson-Guy Bradley 32-32—64
Tony Strickland-Mike Herndon 32-32—64
Kelly Cleghorn-Matt Cleghorn 34-31—65
David Fitzgerald-Don Hill 32-34—66
Jimbo Phillips-Will Coker 34-32—66
Ted Heim-Steve Davis 33-33—66
Lynn Oswalt-Clay Bass 32-34—66
Scott Flight
Gage Miller-Allen Mangham 32-34—66
Chris Randall-James Randall 33-34—67
Nick Pollard-Jake Goggans 33-34—67
Jimmy Jackson-Gordon Stewart 33-34—67
Roger Jackson-Grant Jackson 34-33—67
Scott Moore-Will Prickett 32-36—68
Tim Davis-Grady Sapp 35-33—68
Danny Whittaker-Andy Jenkins 32-36—68
Ken Renfroe-Tyler Teneyck 35-34—69
Tanner Wells-Mark Gaines 35-34—69
Donnie McGinnis-Morris Mink 36-33—69
Angie Flight
Tim Mullendore-Mike Braxton 34-36—70
Derek Webb-John Roe 33-38—71
Jay Jenkins-Matthew Wright 35-37—72
Steve Rogers-Keith Gann 37-36—73
Rodney Wade-Bruce Collins 36-37—73
Henry Higginbotham-Tom Mullins 37-37—74
Billy Grizzard-Wayne Tillman 37-38—75
Kelly Rogers-Elbert Rogers 42-36—78
Steve Mullendore-Will Mullendore 37-42—79
LEADERS SCORECARDS
Ann. Municipal 535 344 344 35 434 444 345 35 70
Turley-Harrell 433 334 233 28 333 334 333 28 56
Minter-Geeting 434 234 333 29 433 324 334 29 58
Calkins-Hubbard 334 244 324 29 423 333 335 29 58
McGatha-Rogers 434 333 234 29 333 334 334 29 58
Sunday’s pairings
8 a.m. Shotgun
1B – Gage Miller-Allen Mangham, Chris Randall-James Randall
1A – Nick Pollard-Jake Goggans, Jimmy Jackson-Gordon Stewart
2 – Roger Jackson-Grant Jackson, Scott Moore-Will Prickett
3 – Tim Davis-Grady Sapp, Danny Whittaker-Andy Jenkins
4 – Ken Renfroe-Tyler Teneyck, Tanner Wells-Mark Gaines
5 – Donnie McGinnis-Morris Mink, Tim Mullendore-Mike Braxton
6 – Derek Webb-John Roe, Jay Jenkins-Matthew Wright
7 – Steve Rogers-Keith Gann, Rodney Wade-Bruce Collins
8 – Henry Higginbotham-Tom Mullins, Billy Grizzard-Wayne Tillman
9 – Kelly Rogers-Elbert Rogers, Steve Mullendore-Will Mullendore
1 p.m. Shotgun
1B – Benji Turley-Marcus Harrell, Austin Minter-Adrian Geeting
1A – Clay Calkins-Chris Hubbard, Jeremy McGatha-Matt Rogers
2 – Kevin Daugherty-Garrett Burgess, Andrew Brooks-Steve Akers
3 – Chip Howell-David Sanders, Danny Weeks-Randy Burke
4 – Landon Straub-Brennan Clay, Shane Chappell-Matt Miller
5 — Jason Johnson-Lee Waldron, T.J. McGatha-Rick Dickson
6 – Jeff Borrelli-Keaton Borrelli, Daniel Clonts-Brett Key
7 – Andrew Tyson-Guy Bradley, Tony Strickland-Mike Herndon
8 – Kelly Cleghorn-Matt Cleghorn, David Fitzgerald-Don Hill
9 – Ted Heim-Steve Davis, Jimbo Phillips-Will Coker, Lynn Oswalt-Clay Bass
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