E.A. Sports Today

From Tee to trophy

A day short of his 26th birthday, Brown scores his first victory on the Calhoun County Golf Tour, winning the Etowah County Open.

Cover photo: Tee Brown (left) collects his trophy Sunday after winning the Etowah County Open on The Links at Briarmeade. (Photo by Joe Medley)

By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today

GLENCOE — Big things are happening in Tee Brown’s life.

The Twin Bridges assistant pro turns 26 Monday, has a daughter due in November, and those aren’t even the biggest things.

“A lot’s changed for me in the last year,” he said. “I gave my life to my Lord and savior Jesus Christ back in December, and it freed me up on the golf course..

“I know if I go out there and shoot 79, I don’t have anything to worry about. I’ve got always Him to turn to for everything.”

Tee Brown finishes off his final-round, 5-under-par 66 on Sunday on The Links at Briarmeade. (Photo by Joe Medley)

As of Sunday, add Brown’s first-ever Calhoun County Tour victory. He shot a 5-under-par 66 on The Links at Briarmeade and finished at 8-under 133, edging first-round leader Zach Contris by two strokes to win the Etowah County Open.

Brown becomes the six different winner in six Tour events the Tour’s third first-time winner this season, joining Andrew Weathers and Harrison Hughston.

Tour points leader Gary Wigington, coming off of his victory at Cider Ridge three weeks ago, shot 71-72—143 and finished 10th in the Championship A Flight. John Rollins, 20 points behind Wigington in second place headed into the Etowah Open, won the Championship B Flight at 72-65137.

The Tour heads to Pine Hill next week, and Rollins won their in 2023. The Tour also added Cherokee Pines to the schedule this season, in two weeks, and Rollins is a member.

Brown became the focus at Briarmeade. He and J.B. Bailey entered Sunday’s final round four strokes back of Contris, who shot an 8-under 63 on Saturday.

With four bogeys and a birdie, Contris shot 3 over on the front nine Sunday. Brown was even for the front but had closed to within one stroke.

He learned a lesson from 2023, when he made the turn in a three-way tie for the lead then “kind of folded” on the back nine, he said. Ty Cole won last year but did not play at Briarmeade this weekend.

Sunday was different for Brown.

“When we turned, I think I was one down, and, at that point, I just stopped thinking about results,” he said. “I just tried to hit good golf shots and good putts.”

Brown turned on the birdie spigot from there, with five en route to a 31 on the back nine.

In the rather-be-good-than-lucky scheme of things, he was both. A good bounce on 10 helped him birdie the hole.

“I hit it up the right side and caught a tree and kind of gave it a little left kick onto the front edge of the green,” he said. “I was able to two-putt that and make a ride there.”

Brown doesn’t often play on the Calhoun County Tour. He lost his amateur status when he became a course pro, and his work at Twin Bridges keeps him busy most weekends.

The open format at Brairmeade gives him the chance to play a Tour event.

The former Etowah High School and Snead State Community College golf is plenty familiar with the Tour, which counts the Gadsden City Championship at Twin Bridges as one of its points events reach season. He called the chance to win a Tour event “kind of sweet.”

“It’s so fun to compete against these guys,” Brown said. “They’re all great players. It’s just fun.

“This where I started playing as a kid, and I just love to compete. I’ve been playing since I was in diapers, and this is the first win I’ve had in a long, long time. I can’t stress enough how good it feels.”

Brown’s victory at Briarmeade sets the stage for play in the Alabama Open this week.

“This is huge for me, to just roll off of this momentum,” he said.

Tee Brown celebrates Sunday after his first victory on the Calhoun County Golf Tour. (Submitted photo)

Final-round scores

CHAMPIONSHIP A FLIGHT
PLAYERRD. 1RD. 2TOTAL
Tee Brown6766133
Zach Contris6372135
Scott Smith7066136
Brennan Clay6968137
Chad Calvert7068138
J.B. Bailey6773140
Chad Hare6971140
Nick Ledbetter7070140
Corey Watson6972141
Gary Wigington7172143
Clay Calkins6975144
Billy Thompson7077147
CHAMPIONSHIP B FLIGHT
John Rollins7265137
Jeremy McGatha7270142
Chris Sanford7274146
Robert Fleming7373146
Grant Hockman7373146
Devon Downs7275147
Jeremy Burns7374147
Jeff Noah7473147
Randy Lipscomb7474148
Chris Sprayberry7279151
Caden Wood7378151
J.D. Berndt7478152
Bumper Jones7481155
Dylan Jackson7385158
FLIGHT 1
Andrew Brooks7666142
Jeff McRae7669145
Neal Keener7472146
Craig Colvard7374147
Matt Rogers7575150
Jay Boatwright7674150
Maverick Smith7774151
Jason Shields7777154
Hunter Fordham7678154
Mark Sawyer7876154
Robin Wood7777154
Lee Vinson7781158
Craig Graves7880158
Luke Haynie7784161
FLIGHT B
Blake Grisham7975154
Jared Chapman8075155
Bob Eaton8075155
Scott Moates7979158
Dre Davenport8079159
Steve Teague7981160
Michael McDowell8080160
T.J. Daugherty8278160
Greg Hare8081161
Bill Gilchrist8279161
Phillip Eades8084164
Eric Ray8284166
Don Sutton7988167
Tyler Tidmore79WD
FLIGHT 3
Paul Allen8378161
Lamar Carter8478162
Joey Miller8479163
Tim Fulmer8481165
Greg Davenport8581166
Mike Underwood8682168
Stanley Hawkins8485169
Craig Kiker8487171
Jason Gilley8487171
Pat Patterson8590175
Adam Fuller8690176
Alexander Allen8592177
Benji Turley83WD
FLIGHT 4
Shane Chappel8881168
John Estes8885173
Jay Shields8984173
Casey Downs8787174
Hunter Clough9282174
Russell Spencer8990179
Alex Grisham9093183
Jesse Rawls8996185
Gary Singleton10594199
Dani Bone100104204
Billy Page91WD91
Beau Billingsley105WD105

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