Wigington Closes with Back-to-Back Birdies to Capture Etowah County Open by One Stroke

Wigington posts clutch birdie-birdie finish to win Etowah County Open by one stroke, gain his second victory in the past three Calhoun County Tour points events

2026 Calhoun County Golf Tour

Sponsored by Ted’s Flooring & Beyond
(Winner/defending champion in parenthesis)

March 28-29
Calhoun County 2-Man Championship @ RTJ Silver Lakes (Jacob LeCroy/Tanner Wells)
April 18-19
Anniston City Championship @ Cane Creek Golf Course (Ty Cole)
May 2-3
Pine Hill Country Club Invitational (Ty Cole)
May 15-17
Gadsden Country Club Invitational (Dane Moore)
May 29-31
Wilfred Galbraith Invitational @ Anniston Country Club (‘Ty Cole)
June 13-14
RTJ Silver Lakes Championship (Gary Wigington)
June 27-28
Gadsden City Championship @ Twin Bridges Golf Course (‘Andrew Weathers)
July 18-19
Etowah County Open @ The Links, Briarmeade (Gary Wigington)
Aug. 1-2
Oxford City Championship @ Cider Ridge Golf Course (’25: Tanner Wells)
Aug. 15-16
90th Calhoun County Championship @ Anniston Municipal Golf Course (’25: Ty Cole)
Sept. 26-27
17th Calhoun County Match Play Championship @ Anniston Municipal Golf Course (’25: Gary Wigington)

2025 PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Ty Cole.

By Joe Medley

GLENCOE —- Gary Wigington has earned a reputation as a finisher, and he added a big finish Sunday.

Wigington birdied the final two holes to overcome Dawson Day’s one-stroke lead, sinking a 10-foot, late-left-breaking putt to clinch a one-stroke victory in the Etowah County Open on the Links at Briarmeade.

The victory marked Wigington’s second on the Calhoun County Tour this season and second in the past three points events.

With 300 points for the victory, Wigington reached 1,152.50 for the season.

Ty Cole, who has three victories this season, finished fifth to add 190 points. He stands at 1,565 points on the season, well above the 1,450 he needed to win his seventh player-of-the-year award in 2025.

Points are based on each player’s top-five finishes. Cole made his sixth appearance on the season, with three wins, a second, a third and a fifth-place finish.

The Etowah County Open was the seventh of nine points events this season. The Oxford City Championship and Calhoun County Championship, which counts points and a half, remain.

“There’s something to look forward to the next few, anyway,” Wigington said.

Wigington shot 65-66—131, and Day shot 5-under 66s both days.

It came down to two almost identical putts on No. 18. Wigington and Day putted almost the same line. Day’s putt, about two feet longer, broke left just short of the hole.

Wigington’s putt broke left and dropped dead center. He played a two-and-a-half-foot break right before the hole.

“I was just trying to get it down there close, and if it goes in, great,” Wigington said. “It went in, thank God.”

Brennan Clay finished third with two rounds in the 60s, shooting 67-68—135, and John Rollins shot 68-69—137 to finish fourth.