Anniston, AL – Three-way tie at the top after opening round of the Buddy Moore Charity Tournament at Anniston Municipal
By Al Muskewitz
A mid-round switch related to the way they putted the green made all the difference for the defending champions in the opening round of the Buddy Moore Charity Tournament. Brennan Clay and Andrew Brooks weren’t having a lot of luck in the order they were putting in Saturday’s scramble round at The Hill, so they called an audible and their fortunes quickly got better.
They made the switch in front of the gallery behind the green on Hole 11 and wound up playing their last eight holes in 9-under-par (7 birdies, 1 eagle) to grab a share of a three-way tie for the overnight lead. They played their last 13 holes in 12-under. They wound up shooting 14-under-par 56 (30-26) and ended the day tied at the top with first-time partners Randy Lipscomb-Chad Calvert and long-time Buddy Moore partners Jeremy McGatha-Matt Rogers. Gary Wigington and Ty Cole are a shot back.
The defending and two-time past champions were only 2-under through four holes and 5-under through 10. They switched the order, Clay birdied 11 and 12 and they off and running. They also got 13 to make it three in a row and then Brooks drove it to eight feet on 14 and Clay made another putt for the eagle. “In our original order I hit second on all holes that required driver and he hit second on everything else including the putt,” Brooks said. “The first 10 holes I putted first and he said you seem to be rolling it a little better, but we weren’t making anything.
“On 11 we had about a 12-footer for birdie and he said let me go first and if I make it we’ll keep it going and he made it. I think I only putted three times on the back. I don’t mind changing it if it’s not going right. We probably should’ve made the change on 10. We hit it decent on the front, we just didn’t make anything.” Fate brought Lipscomb and Calvert together. They were going to to play in the tournament with different partners, but each dropped out leaving them to go it alone. They formalized their partnership last week and played Saturday like they’d been were partners for a long time. [*** read more]
