First-timers

Harper-Daugherty emerge from competitive field to win third annual Ted’s Charity Invitational by one stroke over LeCroy-Wells, Cole-Wigington.

By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today

ANNISTON — The three teams that have won the Ted’s Charity Invitational finished in the top three in the third annual version.

And make it three one-time winners.

Jacob Harper and Kyle Daugherty combined to shoot a 9-under-par 61 at Anniston Country Club on Sunday and edged 2024 champions Jacob LeCroy-Tanner Wells and 2025 winners Ty Cole-Gary Wigington by one stroke.

LeCroy-Wells, which started Sunday four strokes back of first-round leaders Ken Goforth-Luke Couch and tied for 15th in a competitive field, finished second on the scorecard regression.

Harper-Daugherty went 60-61—121 to prevail in a field of 150 teams over rounds at Gadsden Country Club on Saturday and ACC on Sunday.

The tournament produced $30,261.98 to benefit Wellborn Elementary School, and David Messer came away with $10,000 by virtue of his hole-in-one Saturday on ACC No. 4.

Harper, who played for Troy University and lives in Auburn, and Daugherty have played together for five years as teammates in the Sunny King Charity Classic. They just won their second crack at the Ted’s Invitational.

“We met down around Auburn and played a money game in Auburn and a big calcutta in Destin,” Daugherty said. “We got to know each other pretty good and just took a liking to each other and started hanging out.

“His club was redoing their greens, and he come and stayed at my house for six months or so while they were doing that and played up here every day.”

Harper teamed with LeCroy to win the 2019 Sunny King. To say the least, LeCroy holds profound respect for Harper’s game.

“He is the reason I quit (pursuing professional golf),” LeCroy said. “It’s simply because, if I had to go tee it up against him every day, I would not like my chances any day.

“He’s right there on it. It’s only a matter of time. He’s going pro,, but … he is the best player in this state.”

Daugherty steadied things after a slow start for him and Harper on Sunday with a putt to save par on No. 6. From there, they took off.

“We got to rolling from there and made a couple of good ones coming home,” Harper said. “All in all, a good day.”

Harper-Daugherty played two groups ahead of the final foursome that featured Goforth-Couch and Cole-Wigington then waited it out. Cole-Wigington was tied for the lead until a bogey on No. 17.

LeCroy-Wells rallied to a second-place finish thanks to the Championship Flight’s low Sunday round of 10-under 60.

“We had a good comeback,” LeCroy said. “We turned at three under, and I said, ‘Man, this is my side. Let’s see what we can do.’

“We played really good. I made some bombs. He made some bombs. At the very end of the round, I said, ‘If we make double digits (under par) today, that’s good.”

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