Fit to be Ty’d

Bogey on final hole kills mood for competitive Cole, but he shoots 64 and leads Oxford City Championship. Clay, Brooks one shot back going into final round

By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today

CIDER RIDGE — Ty Cole didn’t hang around long after bogeying No. 18 during Saturday’s first round of the Oxford City Championship.

He dutifully reported his score, loaded up his equipment and vacated Cider Ridge Golf Club. One of the Calhoun County Golf Tour’s top competitors needed time … and, perhaps, the comfort of his favorite brew.

“Don’t get me wrong,” he said later, by phone. “I’m happy to be leading, I’d much rather be leading than be one, two, three, four or seven back, but I’m just too damned competitive with myself.

“I literally could’ve been sub-60 today.”

As things stand, Cole shot 8-under-par 64 to lead Andrew Brooks and Brennan Clay by a stroke going into Sunday’s final round of the Tour’s fifth points event of 2023.

Gary Wigington, Justin Graveman, Dustin Travis and John Rollins are two strokes out of the lead, at 66. They were among 13 players to shoot under 70.

Cole almost didn’t play in the tournament. He backed out just ahead of Thursday night’s release of tee times with the possibility of playing in another tournament. That fell through, and he called Cider Ridge pro Cory Etter on Friday to get back into the Oxford City Championship.

Once in the field, Cole gave himself chance after chance after chance, capitalizing with nine birdies while pursuing his second Tour victory of the season.

“I hit it good all day,” he said. “I think I missed two greens. I had nine birdies and two-putted for five of them. I never really had a good look at eagle, but two-putted for five birdies and made four others.”

A competitor like Cole, however, doesn’t easily shake the could’ve-beens. 

“The bad part is I missed three or four 6-foot putts,” he said. “I literally gave a lesson today on how to turn a 58 into a 64.
“I hit it that good, had that many good looks.”

The came No. 18 … the one blemish on an otherwise sparkling scorecard. He hit right of the bunker, and misadventures began.

“I go right under the chip and go into the bunker, hit it out to 8 feet and miss it,” he said.”I was just ready to drive my truck off of a bridge at that point.”

Cole’s nearest competition involves two former Alexandria High teammates who played in the game group. Brooks, who won the Anniston City Championship two weeks ago, and Clay, who has partnered with Brooks in the Buddy Moore Charity Tournament, “fueled off of each other,” Brooks said.

“One of us would make a birdie, and the other would make a birdie,” he said. “If you counted our best ball today, it might’ve been 13, 14 under on our best ball.”

Clay benefitted from a putter change, going with his U-shaped L.A.B. Mezz.1, which had called the “spaceship.”.

“I’ve been kind of struggling putting,” he said. “I don’t have time to practice, so I switched putters.

“I’ve had it for a couple of years. This is the first time it’s been on the golf course.”

First-round scores

CHAMPIONSHIP A FLIGHT
PLAYER	RD. 1	RD. 2	TOTAL
Ty Cole	64		64
Andrew Brooks	65		65
Brennan Clay	65		65
Gary Wigington	66		66
Justin Graveman	66		66
Dustin Travis	66		66
John Rollins	66		66
Hunter Carr	67		67
Brad Moultrie	67		67
Skylar Dennis	68		68
Chad Calvert	69		69
Tanner Wells	69		69
Mark McCaig	69		69
CHAMPIONSHIP B FLIGHT
PLAYER	RD. 1	RD. 2	TOTAL
Jeremy McGatha	70		70
Ott Chandler	70		70
Caleb McKinney	71		71
Kenny Okins	71		71
Nick Ledbetter	71		71
Gage Ledbetter	71		71
Chris Sprayberry	72		72
Michael Brice	72		72
Danny Shears	72		72
Bill McCroskey	72		72
Jackson Bowman	72		72
Chase Hollingsworth	72		72
Cam Hurst	72		72
Zac Love	72		72
Landon Straub	72		72
Vance Lewis	72		72
FIRST FLIGHT
PLAYER	RD. 1	RD. 2	TOTAL
Layton Bussey	73		73
Clayton Owens	73		73
Kevin Daugherty	74		74
Landon Winfrey	74		74
Sawyer Edwards	74		74
Steven Keen	74		74
Tyler Putnam	74		74
Ethan Davis	74		74
Daily Thomas	74		74
Gage Miller	75		75
Jake Goggins	75		75
Chance Harris	75		75
Jason Rich	75		75
Jonathan Pate	75		75
Matt Rogers	75		75
SECOND FLIGHT
PLAYER	RD. 1	RD. 2	TOTAL
Cain Hollingsworth	76		76
Tyler TenEyck	76		76
Timmy Woodard	76		76
Coleman Messer	76		76
Mason Dennis	76		76
Graham Morrow	77		77
Caleb Morrow	77		77
Keaton Borrelli	77		77
Nick Hubbard	77		77
Josh Chappell	77		77
Henry Pritchard	77		77
Ryan Huff	78		78
Josh Reynolds	78		78
Ryder Hudgins	78		78
Robert Daniel	78		78
Billy Thompson	78		78
Vann Hall	78		78
Nathan Williams	78		78
Nash Messer	78		78
THIRD FLIGHT
PLAYER	RD. 1	RD. 2	TOTAL
Kobe Messer	79		79
Kilgore Knight	79		79
Jared Waits	79		79
Brock Young	79		79
Chad Humphries	79		79
Greg Shultz	79		79
Daniel Black	79		79
Hanna Dyar	79		79
Tony Hicks	80		80
Landon Holley	80		80
Craig Duncan	80		80
Eric Cannington	80		80
Taylor Morrow	80		80
Benji Turley	81		81
Nate Pearce	81		81
Rick Okins	81		81
FOURTH FLIGHT
PLAYER	RD. 1	RD. 2	TOTAL
Clayton Chandler	82		82
Brayden Cochran	82		82
Jay Whaley	82		82
Houston Black	82		82
Jimbo Phillips	82		82
Zack Limberis	83		83
Carson Chandler	83		83
Neil Glass	83		83
Blake Drummond	84		84
Eddy Burkes	84		84
Chris Reaves	84		84
Dakota Clark	84		84
Dre Davenport	84		84
Bradley Young	84		84
FIFTH FLIGHT
PLAYER	RD.1	RD. 2	TOTAL
Nick Machowicz	85		85
Greg Rainy	85		85
Heath Hammond	85		85
Jason Payne	85		85
Daniel Ricks	85		85
Michael Ledbetter	85		85
Kobie Webb	86		86
Blake Jones	86		86
Shane Lee	86		86
Shane Roney	86		86
Tyrel Tucker	86		86
Johnny Barnes	86		86
Spence Florczak	87		87
Ricky Carden	87		87
Chance Haywood	87		87
Kevin Burgess	87		87
Logan Turner	87		87
SIXTH FLIGHT
PLAYER	RD. 1	RD. 2	TOTAL
Wade Richardson	89		89
Marc Gaines	89		89
Bailey Masters	89		89
Bart Smith	90		90
Matt Greer	90		90
Chase Thomas	92		92
Wilson Lowe	93		93
Doug Huie	93		93
Alex Whaley	94		94
Adam Benefiel	94		94
Will Sewell	98		98
Daniel Mitchell	99		99
Larry Champion	99		99
Stuart Criss	99		99
Jason Swope	107		107
Palmer Pearce	109		109
Wesley Jenkins	NS
Dalton Chandler	NS
Tim Turner	NS
Kasey Graydon	NS
Eric Chandler	NS
Andrew Gunnells	NS
Trey Hanvey	WD
Brian Irwin	WD

SENIOR A FLIGHT
PLAYER	RD. 1	RD. 2	TOTAL
Chip Howell	71		71
David Sanders	74		74
Andy Jenkins	74		74
Gary Austin	76		76
Robbie Hurst	76		76
Mike Granato	77		77
Frank Toland	77		77
David Messer	78		78
Dennis Austin	79		79
Mike Lett	81		81
SENIOR B FLIGHT
PLAYER	RD. 1	RD. 2	TOTAL
Charley Estes	82		82
Ted Heim	82		82
Bob Feicht	82		82
Tim Steward	82		82
Anthony Humphries	83		83
Rick Barthel	85		85
Lamar Ward	85		85
Wilton Page	86		86
Buddy Carden	92		92
Lee Clark	97		97

Sunday tee times

(WILL BE UPDATED)

7 a.m.: Lee Clark, Buddy Carden, Wilton Page, Lamar Ward.
7:10 a.m.: Rick Barthel, Tim Steward, Anthony Humphries, Bob Feicht
7:20 a.m.: Dennis Austin, Mike Lett, Charley Estes, Ted Heim.
7:30 a.m.: Mike Granato, Frank Toland, Robbie Hurst, David Messer.
7:40 a.m.: Chip Howell, David Sanders, Andy Jenkins, Gary Austin.
7:50 a.m.: Nate Pearce, Palmer Pearce, Jason Swope, Stuart Criss.
8 a.m.: Larry Champion, Daniel MItchell, Warren Sewell, Adam Benefiel.
8:10 a.m.: Jay Whaley, Alex Whaley, Doug Huie, Wilson Lowe.
8:20 a.m.: Chase Thomas, Bailey Masters, Marc Gaines, Bart Smith.
8:30 a.m.: Wade Richardson, Logan Turner, Kevin Burgess, Chance Haywood.
8:40 p.m.: Tyrel Tucker, Johnny Barnes, Spence Florczak, Ricky Carden.
8:50 p.m.: Shane Roney, Shane Lee, Nick Machowicz, Blake Jones.
9 a.m.: Mike Ledbetter, Daniel Ricks, Jason Payne, Heath Hammond.
9:10 a.m.: Greg Rainy, Kobie Webb, Matt Greer, Dre Davenport.
9:20 a.m.: Dakota Clark, Chris Reaves, Blake Drummond, Eddy Burkes.
9:30 a.m.: Neil Glass, Carson Chandler, Zack Limberis.
9:50 a.m.: Bradley Young, Taylor Morrow, Jimbo Phillips.
10 a.m.: Houston Black, Brayden Cochran, Clayton Chandler, Rick Okins.
10:10 a.m.: Benji Turley, Eric Cannington, Craig Duncan, Landon Holley.
10:20 a.m.: Tony Hicks, Hanna Dyar, Daniel Black, Greg Shultz.
10:40 a.m.: Chad Humphries, Brock Young, Jared Waits, Kilgore Knight.
10:50 a.m.: Kobe Messer, Nash Messer, Nathan Williams, Vann Hall.
11 a.m.: Josh Reynolds, Ryder Hudgins, Robert Daniel, Billy Thompson.
11:10 a.m.: Ryan Huff, Henry Pritchard, Josh Chapple, Nick Hubbard.
11:20 a.m.: Keaton Borrelli, Caleb Morrow, Graham Morrow, Mason Dennis.
11:30 a.m.: Cain Hollingsworth, Tyler TenEyck, Timmy Woodard, Colman Messer.
11:40 a.m.: Matt Rogers, Jonathan Pate, Jason Rich, Chance Harris.
Noon: Gage Miller, Jake Goggins, Daily Thomas, Ethan Davis.
12:10 p.m.: Landon Winfrey, Sawyer Edwards, Steven Keen, Tyler Putnam.
12:20 p.m.: Kevin Daugherty, Clayton Owens, Layton Bussey, Vance Lewis.
12:30 p.m.: Landon Straub, Zac Love, Chase Hollingsworth, Cam Hurst.
12:50 p.m.: Michael Brice, Danny Shears, Billy McCroskey, Jackson Bowman.
1 p.m.: Chris Sprayberry, Gage Ledbetter, Nick Ledbetter, Kenny Okins.
1:10 p.m.: Caleb McKinney, Ott Chander, Chad Calvert, Jeremy McGatha.
1:20 p.m.: Mark McCaig, Tanner Wells, Skylar Dennis, Brad Moultrie.
1:30 p.m.: Hunter Carr, John Rollins, Dustin Travis, Justin Graveman.
1:50 p.m.: Andrew Brooks, Gary Wigington, Brennan Clay, Ty Cole.

Cover photo: The foursome of (from left) Andrew Brooks, Jeremy McGatha, Brennan Clay and Matt Rogers walk off of the 18th green at Cider Ridge after completing Saturday’s first round of the Oxford City Championship. Brooks and Clay are tied for second place, one shot back of Ty Cole. (Photo by B.J. Franklin/Gunghophotos.com)

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