E.A. Sports Today

Golf notes: Kennedy scores ace

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

CHOCCOLOCCO – Paul Kennedy found the perfect topper to a busy day at a time when most of us are usually just getting started.

After finishing his shift as a receiver at SuperValu, Kennedy headed to the golf course and promptly scored his second ever hole-in-one.

The 58-year-old DeArmanville resident aced the 16th hole at Pine Hill Country Club Monday from 117 yards with a pitching wedge. The shot was witnessed by playing partners Sidney McFall and Charles Markert and Drennan Beam over on the 17th tee.

“Sidney was in there about two feet for birdie and it just went in,” Kennedy said. “The first thing I said was it was a good thing I didn’t have to putt, because I didn’t putt well all day long. And Sidney laughed.”

Kennedy, a flight winner in the 2012 Sunny King Charity Classic, scored his first hole on the third hole at Pine Hill in January 2013.

STATE JUNIOR: Calhoun County in general and the White Plains golf program in particular will have a good representation in the 69th State Junior Championship that starts Tuesday at Gadsden Country Club.

Five county players are in the field. The Wildcats will be represented by rising senior Dustin Travis and rising juniors Layton Bussey and Trevor Lane. Also in the field are Donoho’s Jacob Lecroy and Oxford’s Noah Huckeba.

Lecroy is playing in the 14-15 division, while the others are playing in the 16-18 division.

“It’s great experience for our team playing in this big tournament and I think it’ll help our performance in the state tournament,” Bussey said.

At least two of the White Plains players should be stepping onto their first tee with a lot of confidence. Travis is coming off his fourth win in six starts on the Future Champions Junior Tour and Lane is coming off a Sunday 68 in the Pine Hill Invitational, a round that cut his opening-round score nine shots.

“That really gives me a confidence boost; I need that going into tomorrow,” Lane said. “I made a lot of birdies yesterday (six) and it tells me I’m capable of doing that tomorrow and throughout the week.”

TOURNEY CALL: Entries are now being accepted for the Association of the U.S. Army Golf Outing, a four-man scramble Sept. 5 at Anniston CC. Sponsored teams and individual registrants are welcome. Proceeds from the event support active and retired Army personnel and their families. For more information contact David Sanders at 235-9278 or david.sanders@baesystems.com.

The second annual Team Nathan Tournament, a four-man scramble to raise awareness of Neuromyelitis Optica, is Aug. 23 at Boaz Golf Club. The event benefits the Collin McDaniel Hope Foundation to help provide camp for patients through Children’s of Alabama. Sponsorship opportunities also are available. Call the course (593-5501) for details.

Al Muskewitz is Content Editor/Senior Writer of East Alabama Sports Today. He can be reached at musky@wrightmediacorp.com and followed on Twitter @easportstoday1.

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