McGatha milestone
- Updated: September 3, 2019
McGatha goes into his 100th consecutive Tour start as top seed in County Match Play Championship
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
Jeremy McGatha is hoping to make his 100thconsecutive tournament on the Calhoun County Golf Tour a special occasion for more than just reaching a milestone.
McGatha has never missed a start since the Tour started in 2007 – the only player to have played in every event – and he admitted winning the milestone start would be “awesome.”
He starts the event from a position of power, pulling down the No. 1 seed when the 10thCalhoun County Match Play Championship gets underway Saturday at Anniston Municipal Golf Course.
“It’s still going to be hard to win,” he said. “Match play is match play and anybody be beaten on any day in match play. I’m hitting the ball good. I’ve been trying to practice leading up to this; in years past I hadn’t. This is my last chance to win something this year. I’ve played good all year, just couldn’t quite get a win. I’ll give it my best shot.”
McGatha ended the season as the No. 2 seed, but has risen to the top of the bracket as injuries and scheduling conflicts have shaken up the original 16, bringing up the next six available players and reshuffling the bracket.
Four of the top nine players in the final standings, including Player of the Year Ty Cole and No. 3 seed Gary Wigington, are not playing. Brennan Clay, the original No. 4 seed, is now the No. 2.
The Lucky Gang of 6 are Frank Brady (17), Clay Calkins (18), Andrew Brooks (19), Tyler Dopson (20), Landon Straub (22) and Chris Cox (24).
“It’s an opportunity,” said Tour co-director Matt Rogers, who will be playing in his 99thTour event. “I understand peoples’ schedules in the fall … but I think it’s an opportunity for somebody else.”
Silver Lakes champion Randy Lipscomb is the only player in the field who won an individual tournament on the Tour this season.
CALHOUN COUNTY MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
At Anniston Municipal GC
(Original seeding in parenthesis)
First-round pairings
Buddy Moore Bracket
(Off No. 1 tee)
No. 1 Jeremy McGatha (2) vs. No. 16 Chris Cox (24), 8:30 a.m.
No. 8 Layton Bussey (13) vs. No. 9 Matt Rogers (14), 8:40 a.m.
No. 5 Randy Lipscomb (7) vs. No. 12 Clay Calkins (18), 8:50 a.m.
No. 4 Justin Graveman (6) vs. No. 13 Andrew Brooks (19), 9 a.m.
Chris Banister Bracket
(Off No. 6 tee)
No. 6 Chad Calvert (10) vs. No. 11 Frank Brady (17), 8:30 a.m.
No. 3 Adrian Getting (5) vs. No. 14 Tyler Dopson (20), 8:40 a.m.
No. 7 Scott Martin (12) vs. No. 10 Jonathan Pate (15), 8:50 a.m.
No. 2 Brennan Clay (4) vs. No. 15 Landon Straub (22), 9 a.m.
Second round to begin at approximately 12:30 p.m.
Sunday’s schedule
Semifinals
(Off No. 1 tee)
Buddy Moore bracket, 9 a.m.
Chris Banister bracket, 9:30 a.m. (sooner if players agree)
Championship match
TBD
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