Fine at the Pines

Cole and Garrett lead after first round of Dub Ellis Invitational. Clay and Rollins one stroke back in the Calhoun County Tour’s stop at Cherokee Pines.

By Brandt Locklier
For East Alabama Sports Today

CENTRE — The Calhoun County Golf Tour continues to branch out and grow.

This weekend the Tour creeps across the county line into new territory as the Tour takes its tournament to Cherokee Pines Golf Course, in Cherokee County.

Cherokee Pines was purchased by Scott and Valerie Farrar in October of 2022 and given its current name. The course opened in 1969 and plays to a par of 71 and 6,396 yards.

“It is a great thing for us,” Farrar said. “Jeremy McGatha plays here a lot, and we just got to talking and worked things out to have a tournament event here.”

The tall beautiful pines line the course, and the clubhouse sits high on a hill overlooking the beautifully manicured fairways and greens.

The race for the Tour championship has never been more open as there have been seven different winners in seven tournaments this year. Four-time Tour champion Gary Wigington had a slim points lead going into this weekend over John Rollins, who is seeking his first title. 

One-time winner Brennan Clay, two-time winner McGatha and six-time winner Ty Cole lurk in the shadows. With a win this weekend and in the County Championship, in two weeks, they could wrangle another player-of-the-year title for their resumes.

Cole made his move with an opening-round 64 that featured nine birdies Saturday. He was matched by collegiate player Dawson Garrett, who is not in the points race. Garrett had two eagles among the three par-fives.

Clay, the winner last week, at Pine Hill, continued his assault on the local courses with a blazing 65.

”I started slow,” Clay said, “but I was putting well, and the three straight weekends of playing has helped my game. I did bogey the last hole, which did not help me,”

Rollins boldly predicted a 65 and went out and shot 65.

“I missed a couple of short putts that could have given me a 63,” he said. “I play this course a lot and love it here. It is going to be fun tomorrow.”

Wigington shot 67 and will need one of his famous strong finishing rounds. He is in a group of four that shot 67 and are three strokes back. Chad Calvert, Tanner Wells and Lee Hubbard are tied with him in that logjam.

McGatha shot a 69 and is five strokes back on what was his home course growing up.

”I played here growing up, and my dad is still a member here,” he said, “but I just could not get the ball in the hole today.”

Calkins turned 60 this week and began his first play as a senior player. He was as hot as the weather as he shot an 7-under-par to lead the senior division with a round of 64.

“I did not know what to expect, but will take the score,” he said. “Just glad that Chip Howell is not playing this weekend.”

First-round scores

SENIOR DIVISION	RD. 1	RD. 2	TOTAL
Clay Calkins	64		64
Tim Hill	74		74
Kurt Duryea	74		74
Wilton Page	76		76
Johnny Neyman	77		77
Steve Baker	80		80
Terry Tallent	80		80
Tony Graham	85		85

CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
Ty Cole	64		64
Dawson Garrett	64		64
Brennan Clay	65		65
John Rollins	65		65
Mason Dennis	66		66
Nick Sawyer	66		66
Lee Hubbard	67		67
Tanner Wells	67		67
Gary Wigington	67		67
Chad Calvert	67		67
Chris Reaves	68		68
Matt Miller	68		68
Billy Thompson	68		68
Jeremy McGatha	69		69
FIRST FLIGHT
Robin Wood	71		71
Cam Hurst	71		71
Chase Hollingsworth	71		71
Chad Hare	71		71
Heath Hammond	72		72
Caleb Marrow	72		72
Matt Rogers	72		72
Daily Thomas	72		72
Dustin Travis	72		72
Blake Grisham	72		72
Billy McCrosky	73		73
Chris Sanford	73		73
SECOND FLIGHT
Caden Wood	74		74
Kole Chandler	74		74
Hunter Carr	74		74
Jeff Noah	74		74
Scotty McFry	75		75
Aaron Gregerson	75		75
Mark McCaig	75		75
Chance Harris	75		75
Sid Garrett	75		75
Mark Sawyer	75		75
THIRD FLIGHT
Will Bedwell	76		76
Houston Black	76		76
Paul Wynn	76		76
Wayne Garrett	76		76
Dre Davenport	76		76
Grant Hockman	77		77
Kenny Fulmer	77		77
Chris Cox	77		77
Bumper Jones	78		78
Jack Davis	79		79
FOURTH FLIGHT
Greg Hare	81		81
J.R. Young	82		82
Devin Williams	82		82
Brian Johnson	83		83
Ross Johnson	83		83
Mark Gaines	83		83
Bear Jones	83		83
Tim Fulmer	83		83
Nathan Williams	83		83
Adam Cochran	88		88
Keith Hutcheson	89		89
Lou Williams	96		96
Adam Benefiel	102		102

Final-round tee times

8 a.m.: Steve Baker, Terry Tallent, Johnny Neyman, Tony Graham

8:10 a.m.: Wilton Page, Tim Hill, Kurt Duryea, Clay Calkins

8:30 a.m.: Adam Benefield, Lou Williams, Keith Hutcheson

8:40 a.m.: Adam Cochran, Nathan Williams, Tim Fulmer

8:50 a.m.: Brian Johnson, Ross Johnson, Mark Gaines

9 a,m.: Bear Jones, Devin Williams, JR Young, Greg Hare

9:30 a.m.: Jack Davis, Bumper Jones, Grant Hochman

9:40 a.m.: Kenny Fulmer, Chris Cox, Dre Davenport

9:50 a.m.: Wayne Garrett, Paul Wynn, Houston Black, Will Bedwell

10:20 a.m.: Clarence Harris, Sid Garrett, Mark Sawyer

10:30 a.m.: Scotty McFry, Aaron Gregerson, Mark McCaig

10:40 a.m.: Caden Wood, Kole Chandler, Hunter Carr, Jeff Noah

11:10 a.m.: Dustin Travis, Chris Sanford, Blake Grisham, Matt Rogers

11:20 a.m.: Billy McCroskey, Daily Thomas, Caleb Morrow, Heath Hammond

11:30 a.m.: Robin Wood, Cam Hurst, Chad Hare, Chase Hollingsworth

Noon: Jeremy McGatha, Chris Reaves, Matt Miller

12:10 p.m.:Billy Thompson, Chad Calvert, Tanner Wells

12:20 p.m.:Lee Hubbard, Gary Wigington, Mason Dennis, Nick Sawyer

12:30 p.m.: Brennan Clay, John Rollins, Ty Cole, Dawson Garrett

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