‘Entertained’

Cole’s bomb putt for eagle on the second playoff hole proves decisive as he edges LeCroy to win the Anniston City Championship.

By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today

ANNISTON — Sunday’s cold and wind and Cane Creek’s bumpy greens gave the Anniston CIty Championship field its share of Spartacus moments, some more than others.

Ty Cole finished the tournament with a Maximus moment.

Cole’s long eagle putt on the second playoff hole proved to be the difference as the reigning Calhoun County Tour player of the year outlasted Jacob LeCroy to win the Tour’s first points event of 2026.

After the ball rolled in, Cole flung his putter as he turned to the gallery behind Cane Creek’s clubhouse. He raised his arms and quoted an iconic scene from “Gladiator.”

“Are you not entertained?” one of the Tour’s sharpest wits shouted. 

Cole putted from the left edge of the green to a near the pin on the right third. He said his read was no “big epiphany.”.

“Straight and firm,” he said. “We read them that way all day.

“It was a running joke, but we’d been saying it for at least the back nine. Just hit it straight and firm and hope it hits the right bounce and goes in.”

Cole’s putt forced LeCroy to match after LeCroy bent a driver approach shot around trees, from the fairway. LeCroy’s approach settled about 30 feet from the cup, on the top part of the 18th green, and drew applause from the gallery.

He hit a similar shot on the first playoff attempt on the par-5 18th, settling on the left fringe. His approach on the second playoff try perfected it.

“It was 265, 268 (yards) into the wind,” he said. “I thought a -wood can’t get there, and I’m having to cut it, so I said, drive off the deck and hope it rolls up there.” 

LeCroy’s putt missed inchs right of the cup, but his and Cole’s big finish highlighted the day for the final threesome, who shot the tourney’s only sub-70s rounds Saturday. Gary Wigington entered Sunday with a two-shot lead after shooting a 6-under-par 66 on Saturday. Cole was two shots back at 68, and LeCroy shot 69 on Saturday.

Wigington shot 77 Sunday and finished third, two shots back of Cole and LeCroy.

In what Cole called a “war of attrition,” he had a rough stretch on the front nine. LeCroy bulged to a four-stroke lead but hit his rough patch on the back, with a three-putt and a four-putt on the par 3s.

LeCroy recovered with a birdie on 17, right after Cole three-putted 16. They entered the par-5 18th hole tied.

LeCroy’s second shot wound up in the sand, and Cole three-putted as both players parred.

They carted back to the tee and played the hole again, and roles reversed. Cole had to play out of the sand, and LeCroy chipped from the left fringe.

Both parred.

They got it right the third time with a burst of gladiator golf. Cole eagled, and LeCroy birdied.

“With the course setup playing it back, 15-20 mph winds all day and somewhat bumpy greens, it’s anybody’s game,” Cole said. “If you get the right bumps, if you get the wrong bumps, realistically, anybody could’ve won that tournament in our group.”

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