Etter waits
- Updated: August 11, 2020
Pine Hill owner lands second alternate spot in section qualifier for PGA Assistants Championship
By East Alabama Sports Today
BIRMINGHAM – Cory Etter doesn’t think his chances of getting into the main event are very good, but he’ll sure be keeping an eye on the mailbox.
Etter finished as the second alternate in the Alabama-Northwest Florida Section qualifier for the PGA Assistants Championship. The Pine Hill owner shot the second-best round of the day Tuesday at Riverchase CC – a 3-under-par 69 – and finished a solid fourth overall at 3-under 141.
Paul McClure of Magnolia Grove shot the best round of the day (67) and shared medalist honors with Old Overton’s Todd McCorkle to snag the two qualifying spots (138). Jordan Debonis of The Ledges is the first alternate (139)
Despite the strong showing, Etter called his chances of getting a call to play in the main event for the fourth time in his career, Nov. 12-15 at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla., “slim.”
“I played pretty good for two days, (just) didn’t make as many putts as I needed,” he said. “Just got to eliminate mistakes.
“If I play halfway decent I win that thing. I hit the ball good, just didn’t make any putts.”
He did make nine birdies, tied for second-best in the tournament, but he missed three putts inside four feet in the final round. On Monday he missed an 18-inch putt for bogey and followed it with two three-putt bogeys to scuttle his chances. Still, he closed his tournament with birdies on each of his last two holes.
“It was a good opportunity for me to get away and play golf for a couple days and compete,” Etter said. “When I go play a lot of those events I feel like I have as good a chance to win as anybody before I tee off … I hit the ball straight and I hit it on the green. I don’t get myself in trouble off the tee and I’m going to hit it on the green somewhere. You’ve just got to take advantage of the shots when you do hit it in close.”
Etter is hoping to play in the Section Championship at Willow Point in two weeks, but he’s got a lot going on at his club. He’s putting together the Member-Guest in a month and the Club Championship in a month and a half. And, of course, there’s his defense of the Buddy Moore Tournament title with partner Caleb Bowen.
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