County championship

By EASportsToday.com
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Updated: August 27, 2020

Players vie for the county title, final spots in the Match Play Championship

By East Alabama Sports Today

Gary Wigington already has locked up Player of the Year and No. 1 seed in the County Match Play Championship, but there will be plenty of spots up for grabs when the Calhoun County Championship gets underway Saturday at Anniston Municipal GC.

Seven of the top 10 players in the current County Tour points standings are in the field, but 10 of the top 23 – including the first five on the bubble – are not, meaning, with points worth 1.5 times the regular-season value, there is plenty of opportunity for players to make the playoffs.

Adjusted first-round tee assignments are listed below.

Inclement weather is forecast, but tournament director Matt Rogers is confident there will be no rain out; still, he encourages all players to bring their rain gear.

“We’re going to hope for the best,” he said.

Wigington has had a Player of the Year type season coming back from elbow surgery that forced him to withdraw during the first round here last year; in fact, he’s already locked it up.

He has won four times on the County Tour this season and is guaranteed to finish with at least 1,450 points. He would become the tournament’s all-time wins leader if he wins this weekend.

In addition to flight titles, players will be shooting for closest-to-the-pin prizes in the morning and afternoon waves each day. Because it is a County Tour event, players are encouraged to keep their fairways, greens and putts statistics both days. It is particularly important to record putts, because all players are eligible for the Dennis Gable Duffer Award for low putts. On Sunday, two players drawn randomly from the field will go head-to-head in a putt-off prior to the afternoon wave.

Lunch will be served both days (BBQ sandwiches Saturday, Zaxby’s chicken Sunday), and Saturday The Hill’s men’s golf association will be doing a 50-50 with proceeds to benefit the golf course.

CALHOUN COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday pairings
(County Tour points in parenthesis)

8 a.m. Shotgun
1B – Chip Howell (332.5), Chris Randall, Johnathan Pate (220), Mark West
1A – Frank Brady (635), Landon Winfrey (215), Daniel Black (137.5), Ron Fleming (10)
2 – Chad Calvert (710), Lenn Coffey (15), Caleb Bowen (275), Rick Okins (5)
3 – Chris Hubbard (65), Clay Calkins (515), Nick Hubbard (52.5), Tony Hicks (82.5)
4 – Mike Hughston (57.5), Mark Guyther (92.5), Randy Watson (15), Chris Cox (480)
5 – Cal Lambert (15), George Salmon (5), Landon Straub (217.5), Tim Turner
6 – Timmy Woodard (160) Randy Lipscomb (592.75), Cain Hollingsworth (35), Chase Hollingsworth (207.5)
7 – Chris Reaves (5), David Gattis, Tim Dennison, Robin Wood (95)
8 – Dru Snow, Ted Towns, Ron McClellan, Cole Fuller (5)
9 – Peyton Bradley (192.5), Kenny Okins (185), Zach Mangum (10), Bruce Collins (5)

1 p.m. Shotgun
1B – Gary Wigington (1200), Randy Reaves (160), Kenny Wright, Steve Davis (10)
1A – Billy Thompson, Lamar Carter (65), Jesus Montenegro, Quim Vidal-Mora
2 – Rodney Grubbs (120), Cameron McCareeth (235), Wesley Jenkins (447.5), Gage Miller (455)
3 – Benji Turley (10), Jake Goggans (620), Layton Bussey, Max Basler (135)
4 – Nick Pollard (135), Josh Poole (155), Dennis Austin (10), Tim Steward (10)
5 – Mark McCaig (82.5), Tyler Dopson (37.5), Danny Whittaker (5), Will Brown (15)
6 – Jeremy McGatha (897.5), Brennan Clay (699.25), Andrew Brooks (327.7), Matt Rogers (270)
7 – Mark Gaines (5), Andy Jenkins, Byron Preston, Ted Heim (82.5)
8 – Johnny Barnes (45), Kelly Rogers (20), Jeff Barnwell (5), Kenneth Patterson (77.5)
9 – Kenny Fulmer (47.5), Jeff Noah (10), Chad Mullinax, Don Hill

Current County Tour Top 16
(with points for 4 best finishes)
x-Gary Wigington 1200
Ty Cole 950
Jeremy McGatha 897.5
Chad Calvert 710
Brennan Clay 699.25
Frank Brady 635
Jake Goggans 620
Randy Lipscomb 592.75
Harrison Hughston 532.5
Charlie Smith 497.5
Gage Miller 455
Adrian Geeting 515
Clay Calkins 515
Chris Cox 480
Wesley Jenkins 447.5
Mason Dennis 420
On the bubble
Shawn Ledbetter 412.5
Dane Moore 390
Scott Martin 370
Chris Hummel 365
Corey Ray 351.7
Chip Howell 332.5
Andrew Brooks 327.7
x-Clinched Player of the Year
Bold indicates not in the field