From Tee to Trophy at Calhoun County Golf Tournament

Glencoe, AL – A day short of his 26th birthday, Brown scores his first victory on the Calhoun County Golf Tour, winning the Etowah County Open.

By Joe Medley

 Big things are happening in Tee Brown’s life.

The Twin Bridges assistant pro turns 26 Monday, has a daughter due in November, and those aren’t even the biggest things.

“A lot’s changed for me in the last year,” he said. “I gave my life to my Lord and savior Jesus Christ back in December, and it freed me up on the golf course..

“I know if I go out there and shoot 79, I don’t have anything to worry about. I’ve got always Him to turn to for everything.”

As of Sunday, add Brown’s first-ever Calhoun County Tour victory. He shot a 5-under-par 66 on The Links at Briarmeade and finished at 8-under 133, edging first-round leader Zach Contris by two strokes to win the Etowah County Open.

Brown becomes the six different winner in six Tour events the Tour’s third first-time winner this season, joining Andrew Weathers and Harrison Hughston.

Tour points leader Gary Wigington, coming off of his victory at Cider Ridge three weeks ago, shot 71-72—143 and finished 10th in the Championship A Flight. John Rollins, 20 points behind Wigington in second place headed into the Etowah Open, won the Championship B Flight at 72-65—137.

The Tour heads to Pine Hill next week, and Rollins won their in 2023. The Tour also added Cherokee Pines to the schedule this season, in two weeks, and Rollins is a member.

Brown became the focus at Briarmeade. He and J.B. Bailey entered Sunday’s final round four strokes back of Contris, who shot an 8-under 63 on Saturday.

With four bogeys and a birdie, Contris shot 3 over on the front nine Sunday. Brown was even for the front but had closed to within one stroke.

He learned a lesson from 2023, when he made the turn in a three-way tie for the lead then “kind of folded” on the back nine, he said. Ty Cole won last year but did not play at Briarmeade this weekend.

Sunday was different for Brown.

“When we turned, I think I was one down, and, at that point, I just stopped thinking about results,” he said. “I just tried to hit good golf shots and good putts.”

Brown turned on the birdie spigot from there, with five en route to a 31 on the back nine.

In the rather-be-good-than-lucky scheme of things, he was both. A good bounce on 10 helped him birdie the hole.

“I hit it up the right side and caught a tree and kind of gave it a little left kick onto the front edge of the green,” he said. “I was able to two-putt that and make a ride there.”

Brown doesn’t often play on the Calhoun County Tour. He lost his amateur status when he became a course pro, and his work at Twin Bridges keeps him busy most weekends.

Tee Brown finishes off his final-round, 5-under-par 66 on Sunday on The Links at Briarmeade. (Photo by Joe Medley)

The open format at Brairmeade gives him the chance to play a Tour event.

The former Etowah High School and Snead State Community College golf is plenty familiar with the Tour, which counts the Gadsden City Championship at Twin Bridges as one of its points events reach season. He called the chance to win a Tour event “kind of sweet.”

“It’s so fun to compete against these guys,” Brown said. “They’re all great players. It’s just fun.

“This where I started playing as a kid, and I just love to compete. I’ve been playing since I was in diapers, and this is the first win I’ve had in a long, long time. I can’t stress enough how good it feels.”

Brown’s victory at Briarmeade sets the stage for play in the Alabama Open this week.

“This is huge for me, to just roll off of this momentum,” he said.

Final-round scores