Dreams on Time

Calhoun County, AL –

Following a pearl of wisdom from pro Schauffele, Clay finished off wire-to-wire victory in the Pine Hill Invitational.

By Joe Medley

College Football 25 helped Brennan Clay escape pressure headed into Saturday’s first round of the Pine Hill Invitational, but he brought a bag of clubs and thoughts into Sunday’s final round.

Leading by three strokes and staring at the prospect of his first Calhoun County Tour victory since winning 2022, he felt nerves.

Son Walker’s pending heart procedure always lurks.

It all crystalized into a pearl of wisdom from professional golfer Xander Schauffele.

“Xander Schauffele said the reason he hadn’t won majors is he dreams too early,” Clay said. “I heard that Friday, and I said, ‘Man, that makes a lot of sense.’”

Those words of wisdom helped Clay get through a final-round challenge from Gary Wigington, and Clay paired Sunday’s 5-under-par 67 with Saturday’s 63 to finish 14 under par and win by four strokes.

Clay became the seventh winner in seven Calhoun County Tour points events this season. He did it while bagging his first Tour points victory since 2022, when he finished as the Tour’s player of the year.

A victory for the Clay, who came into the weekend fourth in the points and one of four players with more than 1,000 points, promises to tighten an already tight points race. Wigington, who finished second at 10-under-par 134, entered the weekend second to John Rollins and figures to gain ground.

Rollins, the leader by 25 points headed into Pine Hill, finished tied for fourth at 8-under 136.

Jeremy McGatha, third in points and 125 back of Rollins, went 5-under 139 for the tournament, tied for sixth.

Clay’s victory checked off emotional boxes. It’s a smile a week prior to 4-week-old son Walker’s procedure to treat pulmonary stenosis.

“That’s taken a lot of our time and mind, and this one’s for him,” Clay said.

The victory also ended a winless drought dating back to Gadsden in 2022.

“I didn’t think I was going to win again,” he said. “I was starting to get a lot of doubts.”

After a nine-birdie Saturday, doubt temped him Sunday. He went the first five holes without a birdie and bogeyed No. 4. He hit an 8-foot putt to save par on No. 2.

Meanwhile, perennial Tour contender Wigington hit two birdies in the first five holes to tie Clay at 8 under for the tourament.

Wigington, Clay and Andrew Brooks, all in the final foursome with Jeff Bain, birdied No. 6, and Clay settled into Schauffelefreude.

“I made my first birdie on 6, and I was like, ‘OK, now I can play,’” Clay said.

It was the first of three birdies in four holes to regain a two-shot lead, and Clay birdied No. 12 to go back up three. Wigington bidied No. 15 to come within two shots.

“Usually, that would be like, ‘Oh crap,’ but it wasn’t,” Clay said. “It was just, ‘Don’t dream too early. Just stay in the moment.”

All four players in the final foursome birdied No. 17, setting the stage for a rainy play through No. 18. Clay’s chip to set up a 2-foot birdie putt put an exclamation point on his victory.

“I’m glad that I executed,” Clay said. “It was fun.”

2024 Calhoun County Tour schedule/winners

Date – Tournament, Champion(s)
April 6-7 – County Two Man (Silver Lakes), Cole-Wigington
April 27-28 – Anniston City Championship (Cane Creek), Ty Cole
May 4-5 – The Trail Championship (Silver Lakes), Andrew Weathers
May 18-19 – Gadsden City Championship (Twin Bridges), John Rollins
May 31-June 2 – Wilfred Galbraith Invitational (ACC), Harrison Hughston
June 29-30 – Oxford City Championship (Cider Ridge), Gary Wigington
July 20-21 – Etowah County Open (Links at Briarmeade), Tee Brown
July 27-28 – Pine Hill Invitational, Brennan Clay
Aug. 3-4 – Dub Ellis Invitational (Cherokee Pines), new
Aug. 17-18 – 88th Calhoun County Championship (Anniston Municipal), Jeremy McGatha (2023)
Sept. 28-29 – Calhoun County Match Play (Anniston Municipal), Gary Wigington (2023)

Pine Hill final-round scores