E.A. Sports Today

Playing it safe

Eight-time Sunny King champion will play golf, but as he’s done from start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he’ll pass on post-round festivities out of an abundance of caution

Ty Cole (L) and Gary Wigington won their third straight Sunny King Charity Classic in 2018. If they win it this year, Cole may be raising the trophy for the both of them. (Photos by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)

FRIDAY PAIRINGS: https://www.easportstoday.com/2021/09/16/skcc-friday-pairings-3/

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

The post-round parties and Celebration of Champions, complete with the raising of the big charity check, late Sunday afternoon are as important a part of the Sunny King Charity Classic as the action that takes place on the golf course.

Gary Wigington enjoys that aspect of the tournament as much as any of the 400-plus players in the field and as the eight-time winner of the event — three with current partner Ty Cole — he certainly knows his way around the awards ceremony. But given the current state of the world as it relates to COVID-19 the best golfer in Calhoun County won’t be participating in any of the extra-curriculars this year.

“It’s always a tournament you look forward to,” Wigington said. “It’s one of the biggest tournaments of the year as far as I’m concerned. It’s so competitive and it’s so fun you hate to miss the festivities. That part of it’s always fun, too, and makes it even more reason to play.

“But I won’t be going to any of the things after the golf. It’s so bad right now. It’s just worse than it’s ever been as far as the spread. The Delta variant is a thousand times more transmissible and you can tell by the hospitals that aren’t taking any more patients right now. It’s just wide open right now. I’ll just be playing the golf and going home and try to be safe and keep out of harm’s way.”

It’s a position Wigington has maintained for the last 18 months. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he has maintained an abundance of caution when it comes to protecting his immediate and extended family against the virus. And that means making some sacrifices to play the game he loves.

He trailers his own cart to tournaments and rides solo during play, has respectful but limited interaction with his understanding playing partners and even passes on the formal awards ceremony when he wins – and he’s won a lot in the last year and a half.

Both Wigington and his wife are fully vaccinated, but their son is immuno-compromised. They did venture out once to eat at a restaurant (outdoors) when it looked as if the infection rate was dropping before the variants surfaced, but now the rates are on the rise they’re back on guard.

“You hate not being able to ride with folks and you feel like you’re out there riding by yourself all the time, but for my family and all it’s a small adjustment to be safer,” he said. “Several people have asked (why he does it) and when I tell them they understand at that point. We’re just as cautious as we can be. We’ve skirted around it for a year and half and not got it. Most everybody I know has gotten it.

“You get a look or two from time to time, but that’s all right. They don’t know my situation and I’d don’t know theirs. It’s just part of it, part of the world we’re living in right now.”

The virus was the reason organizers canceled the tournament for the first time in its history last year, and when they brought it back this year it was with a September date in hopes the world would have gotten a handle on it.

As soon as registration opened, the field filled up in record time. While there have been some alterations to tee sheet, organizers said there have been no withdraws due to COVID-19. A field of 206 teams will begin play Friday at Anniston Country Club, Cider Ridge Golf Club and Silver Lakes.

The post-round parties will go on at Anniston CC as scheduled with participation being left to personal responsibility and comfort. A COVID clause will be included in the waiver players and guests sign at registration, masks and hand sanitizer will be available at the front door of the social events and food stations will be spread around the ballroom to promote social distancing.

Wigington and Cole among the favorites in what once again promises to be a highly competitive field. Each time they’ve won they’ve held the large silver trophy together on patio of ACC’s 19th hole. If they win it again this year, though, Cole likely will be the only one holding the cup.

“I’ll probably leave fairly immediately (Sunday) just because there are so many people concentrated right there on the back porch at the Club,” Wigington said. “If it was one of those things we were fortunate enough to win, after 18 I’d probably be on my way.

“I’ll miss all that terribly. A lot of times you only see certain friends that once a year and I’ll really miss not being able to hang out and participate and have fun with them. That’s a very important part of the whole process and definitely will be missed.” 

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