Two lead at Briarmeade

Wigington, Cole shoot 63 to lead Etowah County Open through first round. McGatha two shots back, Brown three back.

By Brandt Locklier
For East Alabama Sports Today

GLENCOE — The heat is rising, and it is Gary Wigington time on the Calhoun County Tour.

It showed at the Links at Briarmeade golf course in Glencoe on Saturday as Wigington went shot a front-nine 30 and back-nine 33 to take the early lead with an 8-under par 63. He’s tied with Ty Cole for the Etowah County Open lead headed into Sunday’s final round.

Wigington usually catches fire at the end of July. He has won 18 times on the Tour after July 15 and is seeking another win going into Sunday’s final round.

“I always seem to play better this time of the year,” he said. “I like the heat. It kind of keeps me looser. My back has felt real good, and I have been making some good swings on the ball. My putter was good, and I only had 26 putts and was keeping the ball in the fairway.”

Wigington hit 13 greens in regulation and hit 12 fairways. He birdied three of the first four holes to get off to a great start and birdied Nos. 7 and 8 to finish the front nine at 5 under par.

Wigington’s only bogey came at No. 11, but he responded with birdies at 13, 14, 15 and 18 to finish at 8 under par for the opening round.

“Tomorrow will be another grind, and I will have to make some putts,” he said.

Wigington leads the Calhoun County Tour points standings after the first five events.

However, one can never forget about Cole, who has won 23 Tour events, including two this year. He won the Oxford City Championship two weeks ago.

Cole blazed the course for 8 birdies and no bogeys Saturday. He had five birdies on the back nine and three on the front nine for his round of 8 under par.

“Good solid round on a course I know,” Cole said. “Just pretty solid in all phases. Nothing special, but no hiccups.”

Cole ranks fourth in the Tour standings but will add points from the next two tournaments he plays in as five tournaments count. He stands to move up quite a bit as the three players ahead of him have points from five tournaments.

Jeremy McGatha, who currently stands second in the season-long points race, was on fire Saturday, as well, as he fired a 7-under-par 64 to lurk one shot behind Wigington and Cole.

“I was striking the ball well today. I had 8 birdies and only one bogey at 9,” McGatha said, who finished the day with 26 putts.

McGatha, Cole, Wigington and Tee Brown will tee it up in the final foursome tomorrow, and it should be an electric final grouping that will feature three of the top 4 golfers in the 2023 points race.

Brown had the lead for most of Saturday morning. He was in the first group that started at 7:30 a.m. and played brilliant golf on his way to a 65. His home course is Twin Bridges.

He had four birdies on Briarmeade’s back nine to shoot 32 and position himself among the leaders.

Wigington is the defending champion in this event.  

Andrew Brooks had a wild day. He has been on a recent hot streak and birdied five of the first six holes then fell apart on the back nine to 2-under-par for the day. He shot a 39 on the back nine.

Brooks is fifth on the Tour points list.

Etowah County Open scores

CHAMPIONSHIP A FLIGHT
PLAYER	RD. 1	RD. 2	TOTAL
Ty Cole	63		63
Gary Wigington	63		63
Jeremy McGatha	64		64
Tee Brown	65		65
Chris Sprayberry	66		66
John Rollins	67		67
Vance Lewis	68		68
CHAMPIONSHIP B FLIGHT
Brennan Clay	69		69
Andrew Brooks	69		69
Chad Hare	69		69
Jeff McRae	69		69
Dustin Travis	69		69
Chad Calvert	71		71
Matt Rogers	71		71
Cam Hurst	72		72
Chris Cox	72		72
Devon Downs	72		72
T.J. Daugherty	73		73
Opie Teague	73		73
Mason Dennis	73		73
Neal Keener	73		73
FIRST FLIGHT
Layton Bussey	74		74
Craig Colvard	74		74
Drey Reeeves	75		75
Chris Maye	75		75
Caleb McKinney	75		75
Craig Kiker	76		76
Randy Lipscomb	77		77
Scott Moates	77		77
J.D. Berndt	78		78
Phillip Eades	78		78
Greg Hare	78		78
Greg Davenport	78		78
Frank Barnes	78		78
SECOND FLIGHT
Bob Eaton	79		79
Turner Shankels	79		79
Jason Billingsley	79		79
Jeff Noah	79		79
Shane Chappell	80		80
Matthew Williams	80		80
Luke Haynie	80		80
Eric Ray	80		80
Richard Johnson	81		81
Wesley Watkins	81		81
Craig Graves	81		81
Michael McDowell	81		81
Ted Heim	82		82
Paul Allen	82		82
David Beason	83		83
THIRD FLIGHT
Jason Gilley	85		85
Dylan Jackson	86		86
Blaine Bryant	86		86
Mason Cothran	86		86
Jason Shields	87		87
Stanley Hawkins	87		87
Dre Davenport	90		90
Casey Downs	90		90
Blake Erwin	90		90
Patrick Patterson	91		91
Dani Bone	94		94
Joseph Fails	95		95
Gary Singleton	95		95
Jacob Fails	99		99

Sunday tee times

8 a.m.: Gary Singleton, Casey Downs, Dre Davenport.
8:10 a.m.: Blake Erwin, Patrick Patterson, Jason Shields
8:20 a.m.: Mason Cothran, Dani Bone, Jacob Fails, Joseph Fails
8:30 a.m.: Stanley Hawkins, Jason Gilley, Dylan Jackson, Blaine Bryant.
8:50 a.m.: Paul Allen, Ted Heim, David Beason.
9 a.m.: Wesley Watkins, Richard Johnson, Michael McDowell, Craig Graves.
9:10 a.m.: Luke Haynie, Eric Ray, Shane Chappell, Matthew Williams.
9:20 a.m.: Turner Shankels, Jason Billingsley, Bob Eaton, Jeff Noah.
9:40 a.m.: J.D. Berndt, Phillips Eades, Frank Barnes.
9:50 a.m.: Randy Lipscomb, Greg Burns, Greg Davenport.
10 a.m.: Chris Maye, Craig Kiker, Scott Moates.
10:10 a.m.: Criag Colvard, Drey Reeves, Caleb McKinney, Layton Bussey.
10:30 a.m.: Neal Keener, Opie Teague, Mason Dennis.
10:40 a.m.: Cam Hurst, Devon Downs, T.J. Daugherty.
10:50 a.m.: Jeff McRae, Chad Calvert, Chris Cox, Matt Rogers.
11 a.m.: Chad Hare, Dustin Travis, Brennan Clay, Andrew Brooks.
11:20 a.m.: Vance Lewis, John Rollins, Chris Sprayberry.
11:30 a.m.: Tee Brown, Jeremy McGatha, Ty Cole, Gary Wigington.

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