E.A. Sports Today

Playing for more

Wade, Cole match scores again, remain tied for the Gadsden Invitational lead; Wade playing to honor grandmother

Ty Cole (C) shares a moment with Chad Calvert while Frankie Wade Jr. lines up his birdie putt on the 18th green.

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

GADSDEN – Frankie Wade Jr. walked off the 18thgreen Friday a little bummed that he had bogeyed his final hole of what otherwise had been a pretty nice round. Still, he was looking forward to the early-morning start Saturday that came with holding a share of the opening-round lead of the Gadsden Invitational.

Then came the phone call that changed the University of North Alabama MBA golfer’s entire perspective on the tournament.

He learned later that before he started his round his paternal grandmother had passed away in Cullman. Gloria Hodges Wade had taken an interest in her grandson’s golf – even gifted him some golf clubs one time – and it will be in her honor he is dedicating his play the rest of the tournament.

“That’s who I’m playing for this week, going to finish it off,” he said shortly after sinking a birdie putt on 18 to maintain a share of the second-round lead. “It’s always better when you’re playing for something, something bigger than yourself.

“This is for her. Whatever happens, I’m keeping her in my thoughts. She shaped me into the man I am today, so I’m really grateful to have her in my life.”

Wade and Ty Cole matched scores again Saturday – this time posting 69s – to sit at 7-under-par 135 for 36 holes. They are four shots clear of Homewood’s Trey Rouse and Anniston’s Brennan Clay, who roared into contention with the round of the day (64). Corey Ray of Boaz and Chris Hummel of Birmingham are another shot back.

After an “uneventful” front nine, Wade birdied both par-5s on the back – and all three on the day – to get back into red numbers for the round. He closed it out with the 15-foot birdie on 18 that pulled him even with Cole, and he remained tied when Cole missed his birdie attempt.

“The putt on 18, just a swinger to the right, was a good one to finish it off,” he said. “That made the day a little better, but I just didn’t have my best stuff today. I scrambled around and just found a way to score. I came out of the rough a lot today, so if I can get it in the fairway tomorrow it’ll be a lot easier.”

Cole had another interesting day off the tee, to the degree he’ll reconfigure his driver again for the final round. But he’s been a Sunday stalwart on the Tour this year.

In his three Calhoun County Tour wins this year, he was part of a four-way tie after the first round at Twin Bridges and won by two; he was behind coming down the stretch at Cider Ridge, then birdied the last two holes of regulation to force a playoff and won it with a conceded eagle on the first extra hole; and he was three back going into Championship Sunday at Anniston Country Club and won it with a birdie on the final hole.

Even here, he came from two shots back with three holes to play to win in 2018 – the third of four straight wins here.

Clay climbed up the leaderboard with one of the best rounds since the Invitational was reinstated in 2016. His 64 is second only to the 63 Cole posted in the opening round of 2017.

It’s the best round on the County Tour this year by two shots. He shot an 8-under 62 in the first round of the County Tournament last year.

Interestingly, he started bogey-par-bogey, then made nine birdies over his last 15 holes, ranging from eight inches (from 185 yards) to a 20-footer on 17.

“I finally woke up,” he said. “I was standing on 4 tee and now I’m 6-over for the tournament at a place that I love. I was seeing red and had a little meeting with myself; I’ve been playing good, know I could make birdies out here. I can’t remember the last time I only made one birdie in a round here (like Friday) – maybe in the last round last year – but I just made that one on 4 and it kind of got me going.

“It was a lot of fun, a lot more fun that yesterday.”

It’s gonna be a boy

Tee Brown doesn’t usually get surprised when he hits one hard off the tee, but the Gadsden golfer was just that when he let one fly Saturday after his round in the Gadsden Invitational.

It was the occasion of the gender reveal for Tee and Carly’s second child. Tee was guessing another boy to complete the family’s foursome – and he guessed right.

When he stepped up to the makeshift tee in the backyard, wearing a blue golf shirt and pink hat for the occasion, a big blue puff exploded off the clubface, proclaiming to the two dozen friends and family on hand and more than 50 on Facebook live a boy is on the way.

He gave a fist pump and gave Carly a big bear hug.
“I finally hit a fairway,” he said.

One-year-old Knox’ baby brother is due to enter the game of life in February.

Honoring a friend

Players in the Senior flights will be shooting at an extra prize Sunday, as Ron McClellan pays tribute to his lifelong friend who lived on the golf course and was a four-time Invitational and club champion there. 

McClellan is putting up a $100 closest-to-the-pin prize on No. 6 to honor the memory of Rex Keeling

“It’s just something to keep his memory going,” said McClellan, 71, a former area club pro who’s now a regular on the local senior scramble circuit. “I’d just like to honor him and his memory.”

Keeling, a punter for Bobby Bowden at Howard (Samford) who played in the NFL and later volunteered to coach Jack Crowe’s kickers at JSU, passed away in June 2010, but McClellan keeps his friend’s memory every round. He marks his golf ball with Rex’ initials and spots it on the green with a commemorative coin that was a tee gift in the memorial tournament McClellan put together shortly after Keeling’s passing.

It’s no coincidence they were setting up shop on No. 6. Keeling lived on the hole for more than 25 years (before moving to Fort Payne) and, McClellan said slyly, “that’s where he got in trouble all the time” by sliding out to the green for some extra practice during tournament weekends.

“There’s just a lot of memories when I come here,” McClellan said.

Gadsden Invitational

CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT A
Frankie Wade Jr.6669135
Ty Cole6669135
Trey Rouse7168139
Brennan Clay7564139
Corey Ray6872140
Chris Hummel7268140
Woodie Eubanks6973142
Paul Bruce7171142
Jeremy McGatha7370143
Dane Moore7074144
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT B
Alan Smedley6976145
Justin Graveman7075145
Jody Wooten7174145
Sam Audia7273145
Harrison Martin7272145
Chad Calvert6878146
Gary Wigington7175146
Randy Lipscomb7473147
Brock McNeeley7671147
Shawn Ledbetter7177148
Jake Goggans7276148
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT C
Tee Brown7277149
Jeff Chapman7673149
Chris Jones7673149
Josh Ashley6981150
Mason Dennis7576151
Drew Anderton7675151
Clay Smith7676152
Tanner Wells7282154
Landon Winfrey7579154
Will Manuel7777154
Morgan Cunningham7581156
Jared Waits7681157
Clay Calkins7682158
Mark Durden7692168
Nick Sawyer74WDWD
FIRST FLIGHT
Morton Holcomb67
Layton Bussey71
Chase Hollingsworth73
Danny Whittaker74
Matthew Bennett74
Samuel Bone75
Chris Cox75
Chad Hare75
Keith Crumpton75
Mark Cantrell75
SECOND FLIGHT
Blake Erwin76
Ryan Limbaugh76
Mike Morgan76
Daniel Black76
Ernie Blankenship76
Corbin Holland77
Joseph Zieman77
Chris Messer77
Greg Hare77
Hunter Trimble77
Jeff Hammontree77
Caleb Morrow77
THIRD FLIGHT
Luke Armstrong78
Wayne Copeland78
Matt Rogers78
Steve Cantrell79
Chandler Richards79
Ryan Moore79
Dre Davenport79
Mark Moates79
Seth Shirley80
Maverick Smith80
Bumper Jones80
Clayton Chandler80
Houston Black80
FOURTH FLIGHT
Ethan Davis81
Nathan Nailer81
Scott Jimmerson81
Richard Hollingsworth82
Justin Goree82
Timmy Woodard83
Hunter Corbin83
Kenneth Willingham83
Graham Morrow84
John Agricola84
Chad Maples84
Craig Inzer Jr.84
FIFTH FLIGHT
Ross Hudak85
Mason Aulsbrook86
Austin Elliott86
Mark Gaines87
Matt Greer87
Blake Grisham87
Scott Moates87
Chase Thomas88
Ryan Huff89
SIXTH FLIGHT
Mark McCaig91
Will Broome91
Jeremy Hallmark91
Mark Cotton91
James Lett92
Adam Benefiel92
Bradley Young93
Vic Merkel98
Skylar Deerman99
Andrew Gunnells100
SENIOR FLIGHT A
Frank Shikle70
Tom Jungking74
Mark Dillard76
David Sanders77
Ted Heim78
Jimmy Jones79
SENIOR FLIGHT B
Danny Dunlap81
Donny Sutton81
Ron McClellan82
Bob Russell 82
Ron Fleming82
T.C. Morgan82
Tim Steward83
SENIOR FLIGHT C
Tim Williams85
Dennis Austin86
Mike Lett87
David Bowman88
Dani Bone89
Ed Shirley90
Jim Woods95
Jim Dunlap109

Sunday pairings

7:30: Ed Shirley, Jim Woods, Jim Dunlap
7:39: Mike Lett, David Bowman, Dani Bone
7:48: Tim Steward, Tim Williams, Dennis Austin
7:57: Bob Russell, Ron Fleming, T.C. Morgan
8:06: Danny Dunlap, Donnie Sutton, Ron McClellan
8:15: David Sanders, Ted Heim, Jimmy Jones
8:24: Frank Shikle, Tom Jungkind, Mark Dillard
8:33: Vic Merkel, Skylar Deerman, Andrew Gunnells
8:42: James Lett, Adam Benefiel, Bradley Young
8:51: Mark McCaig, Will Broome, Jeremy Hallmark, Mark Cotton
9:00: Blake Grisham, Scott Moates, Chase Thomas, Ryan Huff
9:09: Mason Aulsbrook, Austin Elliott, Mark Gaines, Matt Greer
9:18: Ross Hudak, John Agricola, Chad Maples, Craig Inzer Jr.
9:36: Timmy Woodard, Hunter Corbin, Kenneth Willingham, Graham Morrow
9:45: Nathan Nailer, Scott Jimmerson, Richard Hollingsworth, Justin Goree
9:54: Ethan Davis, Houston Black, Bumper Jones, Clayton Chandler
10:03: Dre Davenport, Mak Moates, Seth Shirley, Maverick Smith
10:12: Matt Rogers, Steve Cantrell, Chandler Richards, Ryan Moore
10:30: Luke Armstrong, Payne Copeland, Jeff Hammontree, Caleb Morrow
10:39: Joseph Zieman, Chris Messer, Greg Harre, Hunter Trimble
10:48: Mike Morgan, Daniel Black, Ernie Blankenship, Corbin Holland
10:57: Blake Erwin, Ryan Limbaugh, Keith Crumpton, Mark Cantrell
11:06: Samuel Bone, Chris Cox, Chad Harre, Matthew Bennett
11:15: Morton Holcomb, Layton Bussey, Chase Hollingsworth, Danny Whittaker
11:33: Mark Durden, Jared Waits, Clay Calkins
11:42: Tanner Wells, Will Manuel, Landon Winfrey, Morgan Cunningham
11:51: Josh Ashley, Clay Smith, Drew Anderton, Mason Dennis
Noon: Chris Jones, Tee Brown, Jeff Chapman, Jake Goggans
12:09 p.m.: Gary Wigington, Randy Lipscomb, Brock McNeely, Shawn Ledbetter
12:18: Jody Wooten, Sam Audia, Harrison Martin, Chad Calvert
12:27: Jeremy McGatha, Dane Moore, Alan Smedley, Justin Graveman
12:36: Corey Ray, Chris Hummel, Woodie Eubanks, Paul Bruce
12:45: Ty Cole, Frankie Wade Jr., Trey Rouse, Brennan Clay


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