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Calhoun Journal
Clay Leads 2024 Calhoun County Golf Tour
By East Alabama Sports Today,
17 days ago
Anniston, AL – Clay shoots 69, leads six golfers by one stroke after first-round play in the Anniston City Championship, the first points event of the 2024 Calhoun County Golf Tour . (Includes full first-round scores, Sunday tee times)
By Joe Medley
CANE CREEK — Even the best of Calhoun County Golf Tour players are people with families and other things they do for a living.
Brennan Clay has business. He coaches youth baseball. Oh, and his third child is due in July.
That’s why performances like his first-round 69 in Saturday’s first round of the Anniston City Championship at Cane Creek feel special.
“I haven’t been playing very often, so I’m pretty happy with that,” Clay said.
With an eagle on No. 18, Brennan Clay clinched the day’s lone under-70 round to lead after the first of two rounds. He leads six players tied at 70: defending champion Andrew Brooks, Jeremy McGatha, John Rollins, Chad Calvert, Ty Cole and Jeff Chapman.
The Anniston City Championship marks the first points event on the 2024 Calhoun County Golf Tour. The final round is Sunday.
A tour veteran, Clay seeks his second Anniston City Championship title and first since 2021.
The husband, father, Turfgrass specialist at EnvyLawn and Alexandria A Ball 6U coach did all right Saturday.
“I haven’t been doing a lot of practice,” he said, “but I’m pretty happy with that.”
His day started with a three-putt bogey, but he recovered with birdies on three of the next four holes. After a bogey on No. 8, he strung together nine consecutive pars until his big finished on 18.
“I hit it right … and hit a low punch cut to within 8 feet,” he said. “It was the best shot I hit all day.”
Clay needed it with six other golfers riding his cart bumper. Cole, the reigning tour champion, also eagled 18, as did Calvert.
Chapman, a left-handed tour semi-regular from Albertville who played in the day’s final group, threatened to snatch the lead away from Clay, standing at 4 under par with no bogeys through 15 holes.
That’s where not having much experience on the course bit. He came into his first Anniston City Championship appearance with one practice round, on Wednesday.
Then came nerves. He saw scores when making the turn and knew the lead was in his grasp.
Chapman double-crossed on 16 and hit into the road, setting the stage for a double bogey.
He parred out on 17 and 18, making a spectacular second shot to help save par on 18. After teeing just across the cart path, he lined a shot just under the limbs of two trees, to within 10 feet of the green.
“All in all, I played good,” Chapman said. “Just one bad swing. Other than that, I was happy with the round. I putted good, and wedges were good.
“This is the first time I’ve been this close to the top. It was a little bit of nerves.”
First-round scores
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
Player
Rd. 1
Rd. 2
Total
Brennan Clay
69
69
Andrew Brooks
70
70
Jeremy McGatha
70
70
John Rollins
70
70
Chad Calvert
70
70
Ty Cole
70
70
Jeff Chapman
70
70
Kevin Daugherty
73
73
Gary Wigington
74
74
Blake Grissom
74
74
Ott Chandler
74
74
CHAMPIONSHIP B
Player
Rd. 1
Rd. 2
Total
Dustin Travis
75
75
Hunter Carr
77
77
Bob Eaton
78
78
Cole McNeal
79
79
Jamarcus Stokes
82
82
Daniel Black
83
83
FIRST FLIGHT
Player
Rd. 1
Rd. 2
Total
Chris Reaves
84
84
Dre Davenport
84
84
Andrew Gunnells
84
84
Houston Black
85
85
Carson Chandler
87
87
Aaron Gregerson
88
88
Taylor Vera
89
89
Nathan Gilbert
93
93
Isaac Scroggins
105
105
Jonathan Pate
WD
Kyle Webb
WD
CHAMPIONSHIP SENIORS
Player
Rd. 1
Rd. 2
Total
Chip Howell
74
74
Greg Shultz
75
75
David Sanders
78
78
Ted Heim
81
81
John McKenzie
81
81
Doug Huie
83
83
David Fitzgerald
86
86
Rocco D’Gomez
87
87
Danny Stephens
90
90
Dennis Moyer
93
93
Sunday’s final-round tee times
9:15 a.m.: Dennis Moyer, Rocco D’ Gomez, Danny Stephens 9:30 a.m.: David Fitzgerald , Doug Huie, John McKenzie, Ted Heim 9:45 a.m.: David Sanders , Greg Shultz, Chip Howell 10 a.m.: Starters Time 10:15 a.m.: Taylor Vera , Nathan Gilbert, Isaac Scroggins 10:30 a.m.: Carson Chandler, Houston Black, Aaron Gregerson 10:45 a.m.: Dre Davenport, Andrew Gunnells , Chris Reaves 11 a.m.: Starters time. 11:15 a.m.: Landon Holly, Jamarcus Stokes ,Daniel Black 11:30 a.m.: Dustin Travis , Hunter Carr, Bob Eaton , Cole McNeal 11:45 a.m.: Starters time Noon: Kevin Daugherty, Gary Wigington , Blake Grissom, Ott Chandler 12:15 p.m.: John Rollins , Chad Calvert , Ty Cole , Jeff Chapman 12:30 p.m.: Brennan Clay, Jeremy McGatha , Andrew Brooks
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