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- Updated: April 5, 2025
After teaming up at the last minute, Bussey-Hurst eagles playoff hole, edges LeCroy-Wells in forecast-shortened Calhoun County Team Championship.
By Joe Medlley
East Alabama Sports Today
SILVER LAKES — To say the tandem of Layton Bussey and Cam Hurst for the Calhoun County Team Championship came together at the last minute doesn’t do last minute justice.
With Bussey playing on about as many hours of sleep as he spent driving Saturday, and Hurst playing with an unexpected partner, the the two combined with a dicey forecast to produce the perfect storm.
Hurst’s eagle in the final hole of regulation wound up forcing a playoff, and Bussey’s eagle on the playoff hole clinched a victory over Jacob LeCroy-Tanner Wells in the forecast-shortened county 2-man tournament.
Sunday’s final round is canceled because of anticipated inclement weather. Scores were flighted and are listed below.
Bussey-Hurst finished regulation with a 13-under-par 59 and a four-shot lead. LeCroy-Wells, playing in the final group, came in at 59 and forced the playoff.
Both teams opted for a playoff.
“From what I understood, it could’ve been decided by a scorecard playoff, and Tanner and Jacob would’ve won the scorecard playoff,” Bussey said. “They were willing to go out and play it off the proper way, so great sportsmanship by them.”
Bussey is a former high school state champion from White Plains. Hurst plays for the Wildcats and won the county high school championship in March, clinching it with an eagle after trailing by a stroke going into the final hole.
Their pairing in the Calhoun County Team Championship came at the last minute, and quite by chance. Bussey wasn’t going to play, and Mark McCaig was due to team with Hurst. McCaig had to pull out after remembering a church commitment and suggested Hurst play with Bussey.
McCaig called Bussey on Thursday night. Bussey and his girlfriend had planned to attend a Megan Moroney concert in Athens, Ga., on Friday. She got tickets for Christmas.
“I said, ‘Yeah, let me call and see what time we’re planning to come back Saturday morning,'” Bussey said. “I”d be glad to play with Cam. I’ll make it work.”
Bussey awoke at 5:45 a.m. Central time Saturday, after about four hours of sleep, and drove back to Calhoun County for a 1 p.m. tee time with Hurst.
Bussey, who watched Hurst’s final three holes in the high school county championship, knew what he was getting in a partner.
“Cam is a great partner, and obviously he’s a really good player,” Bussey said. “He had just won county. … He’s just a sponge, really strong mentally and intelligent on the golf course.”
Hurst saw playing with Bussey, a former collegiate golfer at Jacksonville State, as a chance to pick his brain.
“I’ve never played a tournament or anything with Layton,” he said. “I knew it would be a good opportunity for me to learn a lot and play with someone who’s played at a really high level at Jacksonville.
“It was pretty cool.”
Hurst came through with the first of the team’s back-to-back finishing eagles, driving the 150-yard stake on.
“It was 150, playing down wind a good bit, and I hit a pitching wedge up there to, probably, 15-20 feet,” he said.
Hurst’s clinching putt in the county high school championship was a happy accident, going in when he just wanted to leave the downhill putt close enough for assure himself a birdie. He meant to make the eagle putt on the final hole in regulation Saturday.
Confident that Hurst would either hit the putt or show him the way, Bussey told his understudy to pick a comfortable line and go for it.
“That’s what I did, and it happened to go in,” Hurst said.
Bussey took that tag from his partner and found the magic on the playoff hole, hitting an 8-iron to within 4 feet. LeCroy-Wells hit to within 15 feet and just missed the putt low.
After Hurst tried and missed the eagle putt, Bussey found the mark.
Hurst hit first for the team all day.
“He played so solid,” Bussey said. “We talked through every shot, and he hit it so good all day, so consistent. I was able to be super aggressive off the team and with my irons.
“We were always in a good position. All I was doing was improving the position we were already in.”
Hurst now has the distinction of winning a county high school championship and 2-man championship within two weeks.
“It’s awesome,” Hurst said. ‘That’s something me and Layton were talking about, too. No one’s probably ever done that. That’s pretty cool.
“I had a great teammate, and I’m glad we were able to get it done.”
Final-round cancellation announcement
Scores
| CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT | |
| TEAM | SCORE |
| Bussey-Hurst | 59 |
| LeCroy-Wells | 59 |
| Reaves-Reaves | 63 |
| Scott-Wooten | 63 |
| Malone-Schroeder | 65 |
| McCarley-McCarley | 65 |
| Mansfield-Mansfield | 65 |
| Cole-Martin | 65 |
| Hudgins-Ledbetter | 65 |
| Broadway-Chandler | 65 |
| Poovey-Rescingo | 65 |
| Henson-Perry | 65 |
| FIRST FLIGHT | |
| Prichard-Stokes | 66 |
| Clay-McGatha | 66 |
| Thomas-Woodard | 66 |
| Hubbard-Whittker | 66 |
| Davie-Goggans | 67 |
| Griffith-Brock | 67 |
| Lewis-Rollins | 67 |
| Clark-Poole | 67 |
| Wright-Bundram | 67 |
| Carr-Hollingsworth | 67 |
| Slick-Anderton | 67 |
| SECOND FLIGHT | |
| Miller–Cavazos | 68 |
| Phillips-Travis | 68 |
| Huff-Lindsey | 68 |
| Taylor-Maye | 69 |
| Coffey-Cannington | 69 |
| Hollingsworth-Harris | 69 |
| Hockman-Pritchett | 70 |
| Benson-Peoples | 70 |
| Prichard-Acker | 71 |
| Fulmer-Noah | 71 |
| Davenport-Greer | 71 |
| Seals-Webb | 71 |
| THIRD FLIGHT | |
| Cobb-Reynolds | 72 |
| Gaines-Jenkins | 73 |
| Haralson-Hicks | 73 |
| Wald-Lovelace | 74 |
| Jones-Weaver | 74 |
| East-Landford | 74 |
| Machowicz-Highnote | 74 |
| Boyd-Wood | 75 |
| Crawford-Lafitte | 75 |
| Franklin–Chandler | 77 |
| Menchio-Payne | 79 |
| Long-Parker | 80 |
| Blasingame-Cobb | 93 |
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