An Adventure

First-round leader Robinson overcomes two bad holes, Sunday charge from defending champion Clay to win Pine Hill Invitational after two attempts at a playoff hole.

’25 CCGT schedule (winners)

March 29-30
Anniston City Championship, Cane Creek (Jacob LeCroy)
April 5-6
Calhoun County Team Championship, RTJ Silver Lakes (Layton Bussey-Cam Hurst)
April 26-27
Gadsden City Championship, Twin Bridges (Ty Cole)
May 3-4
Pine Hill Country Club Invitational (Cody Robinson)
May 30-June 1
Wilfred Galbraith Invitational, Anniston Country Club
June 28-29
Etowah County Open, The Links, Briarmeade
July 12-13
RTJ Silver Lakes Championship
July 26-27
Oxford City Championship, Cider Ridge Golf Course
Aug. 1-3
Gadsden Country Club Invitational
Aug. 16-17
89th Calhoun County Championship, Anniston Municipal Golf Course
Sept. 27-28 or Oct. 18-19
16th Calhoun County Match Play Championship, Anniston Municipal Golf Course

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By Joe Medley

PINE HILL — Some day, Cody Robinson will explain how he won his first Calhoun County Golf Tour event to his two small children.

Even when 2-year-old Rooks and 5-month-old Ripley are old enough to understand, they might not believe it.

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Robinson overcame a 5-putt on No. 9 and a double bogey on the first attempt at a playoff hole to prevail after defending champion Brennan Clay made a Sunday charge to force the playoff.

Talley Robinson attended Sunday’s final round with the couple’s two sons. They wound up staying longer than expected and came away with a story to tell.

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As for Cody Robinson, the Tallapoosa, Ga., resident might need the drive home to get over it.

“I haven’t been that stressed in a long time,” he said.

Robinson shot a low-round, 6-under-par 66 on Saturday to enter the final round with a one-shot lead over Ty Cole, Dustin Travis, Dalton Chandler and Jacob LeCroy. Clay entered Sunday’s final round five shots back but quietly shot a low-round 66 while playing two groups ahead of the last group.

Robinson had already overcome one mishap, his 5-putt hiccup on No. 9. He entered the hole at 7 under par and leading Cole, his day-long, shot-for-shot competitor and walked away from the hole two shots back.

Robinson shrugged it off.

“Usually, my bad holes aren’t that bad,” he said. “I still hit the ball pretty well, even when I don’t feel like it. I still leave myself in the proper spots.

“It’s not new to me to have a bad hole. It’s just staying calm. Don’t really think about it. Just one shot at a time.”

Robinson’s rally included a 50-foot birdie putt on 14, and he finished regulation play at 7 under. He was doing interviews when Pine Hill boss Cory Etter called out to him about getting ready for the playoff with Clay.

Both players head back to No. 18 tee, and what ensued looked like two players who were equally surprised to still be playing. Clay skipped his second shot in the water. Robinson got ground-under-repair relief and hit just left of the left bunker, off of the No. 18 green, and stood positioned to chip and birdie.

Robinson’s chip skipped into the bunker right in front of him. He sailed his bunker shot well off of the green on the other side.

By the time both players double bogeyed the hole, and Cole provided comic relief from the gallery: “Would you all like to try a par 3?”

Both players returned to the No. 18 tee for another try, and Clay’s shot took a cart-path ricochet to the right, close to where Robinson’s tee shot settled. Clay’s second shot skipped and splashed again, forcing another drop and a penalty stroke.

Robinson’s second shot got up and settled short of the green, front side. He was in position to chip and birdie, but he played it conservatively.

“This one, I was just trying to make a par, leave my chip below the hole,” he said. “The first chip was with a pitching wedge. I never do that, I was just making sure I got it on the ground running and left myself and up-hill putt.”

Robinson chipped to within 10 feet, left his up-hill birdie putt just short and tapped in. After another round of interviews, he had a moment with his wife and sons.

The Pine Hill Invitational was Robinson’s first Calhoun County Tour appearance. A friend of Etter’s, he played in the tournament because of another acquaintance in the field.

He stepped inside a Tour that’s off to a wild start to 2025. Through three points events and the County 2-Man, playoffs have decided three of four events.

“It feels good to play in a field with some really good players and come out on top,” he said. “It’s really hard to do.

“I will be back, for sure.”

Pine Hill Invitational scores