Fit To Be Ty’d at the Oxford City Championships

Oxford, AL – Bogey on final hole kills mood for competitive Cole, but he shoots 64 and leads Oxford City Championship. Clay, Brooks one shot back going into final round

By Joe Medley

Ty Cole didn’t hang around long after bogeying No. 18 during Saturday’s first round of the Oxford City Championship.

He dutifully reported his score, loaded up his equipment and vacated Cider Ridge Golf Club. One of the Calhoun County Golf Tour’s top competitors needed time … and, perhaps, the comfort of his favorite brew.

“Don’t get me wrong,” he said later, by phone. “I’m happy to be leading, I’d much rather be leading than be one, two, three, four or seven back, but I’m just too damned competitive with myself.

“I literally could’ve been sub-60 today.”

As things stand, Cole shot 8-under-par 64 to lead Andrew Brooks and Brennan Clay by a stroke going into Sunday’s final round of the Tour’s fifth points event of 2023.

Gary Wigington, Justin Graveman, Dustin Travis and John Rollins are two strokes out of the lead, at 66. They were among 13 players to shoot under 70.

Cole almost didn’t play in the tournament. He backed out just ahead of Thursday night’s release of tee times with the possibility of playing in another tournament. That fell through, and he called Cider Ridge pro Cory Etter on Friday to get back into the Oxford City Championship.

Once in the field, Cole gave himself chance after chance after chance, capitalizing with nine birdies while pursuing his second Tour victory of the season.

“I hit it good all day,” he said. “I think I missed two greens. I had nine birdies and two-putted for five of them. I never really had a good look at eagle, but two-putted for five birdies and made four others.”

A competitor like Cole, however, doesn’t easily shake the could’ve-beens.

“The bad part is I missed three or four 6-foot putts,” he said. “I literally gave a lesson today on how to turn a 58 into a 64.
“I hit it that good, had that many good looks.”

The came No. 18 … the one blemish on an otherwise sparkling scorecard. He hit right of the bunker, and misadventures began.

“I go right under the chip and go into the bunker, hit it out to 8 feet and miss it,” he said.”I was just ready to drive my truck off of a bridge at that point.”

Cole’s nearest competition involves two former Alexandria High teammates who played in the game group. Brooks, who won the Anniston City Championship two weeks ago, and Clay, who has partnered with Brooks in the Buddy Moore Charity Tournament, “fueled off of each other,” Brooks said.

“One of us would make a birdie, and the other would make a birdie,” he said. “If you counted our best ball today, it might’ve been 13, 14 under on our best ball.”

Clay benefitted from a putter change, going with his U-shaped L.A.B. Mezz.1, which had called the “spaceship.”.

“I’ve been kind of struggling putting,” he said. “I don’t have time to practice, so I switched putters.

“I’ve had it for a couple of years. This is the first time it’s been on the golf course.”

First-round scores

Sunday tee times

(WILL BE UPDATED)

7 a.m.: Lee Clark, Buddy Carden, Wilton Page, Lamar Ward.
7:10 a.m.: Rick Barthel, Tim Steward, Anthony Humphries, Bob Feicht
7:20 a.m.: Dennis Austin, Mike Lett, Charley Estes, Ted Heim.
7:30 a.m.: Mike Granato, Frank Toland, Robbie Hurst, David Messer.
7:40 a.m.: Chip Howell, David Sanders, Andy Jenkins, Gary Austin.
7:50 a.m.: Nate Pearce, Palmer Pearce, Jason Swope, Stuart Criss.
8 a.m.: Larry Champion, Daniel MItchell, Warren Sewell, Adam Benefiel.
8:10 a.m.: Jay Whaley, Alex Whaley, Doug Huie, Wilson Lowe.
8:20 a.m.: Chase Thomas, Bailey Masters, Marc Gaines, Bart Smith.
8:30 a.m.: Wade Richardson, Logan Turner, Kevin Burgess, Chance Haywood.
8:40 p.m.: Tyrel Tucker, Johnny Barnes, Spence Florczak, Ricky Carden.
8:50 p.m.: Shane Roney, Shane Lee, Nick Machowicz, Blake Jones.
9 a.m.: Mike Ledbetter, Daniel Ricks, Jason Payne, Heath Hammond.
9:10 a.m.: Greg Rainy, Kobie Webb, Matt Greer, Dre Davenport.
9:20 a.m.: Dakota Clark, Chris Reaves, Blake Drummond, Eddy Burkes.
9:30 a.m.: Neil Glass, Carson Chandler, Zack Limberis.
9:50 a.m.: Bradley Young, Taylor Morrow, Jimbo Phillips.
10 a.m.: Houston Black, Brayden Cochran, Clayton Chandler, Rick Okins.
10:10 a.m.: Benji Turley, Eric Cannington, Craig Duncan, Landon Holley.
10:20 a.m.: Tony Hicks, Hanna Dyar, Daniel Black, Greg Shultz.
10:40 a.m.: Chad Humphries, Brock Young, Jared Waits, Kilgore Knight.
10:50 a.m.: Kobe Messer, Nash Messer, Nathan Williams, Vann Hall.
11 a.m.: Josh Reynolds, Ryder Hudgins, Robert Daniel, Billy Thompson.
11:10 a.m.: Ryan Huff, Henry Pritchard, Josh Chapple, Nick Hubbard.
11:20 a.m.: Keaton Borrelli, Caleb Morrow, Graham Morrow, Mason Dennis.
11:30 a.m.: Cain Hollingsworth, Tyler TenEyck, Timmy Woodard, Colman Messer.
11:40 a.m.: Matt Rogers, Jonathan Pate, Jason Rich, Chance Harris.
Noon: Gage Miller, Jake Goggins, Daily Thomas, Ethan Davis.
12:10 p.m.: Landon Winfrey, Sawyer Edwards, Steven Keen, Tyler Putnam.
12:20 p.m.: Kevin Daugherty, Clayton Owens, Layton Bussey, Vance Lewis.
12:30 p.m.: Landon Straub, Zac Love, Chase Hollingsworth, Cam Hurst.
12:50 p.m.: Michael Brice, Danny Shears, Billy McCroskey, Jackson Bowman.
1 p.m.: Chris Sprayberry, Gage Ledbetter, Nick Ledbetter, Kenny Okins.
1:10 p.m.: Caleb McKinney, Ott Chander, Chad Calvert, Jeremy McGatha.
1:20 p.m.: Mark McCaig, Tanner Wells, Skylar Dennis, Brad Moultrie.
1:30 p.m.: Hunter Carr, John Rollins, Dustin Travis, Justin Graveman.
1:50 p.m.: Andrew Brooks, Gary Wigington, Brennan Clay, Ty Cole.