Gadsden, AL – Recent improvements to his swing has led to a big day for a former White Plains High golfer at Gadsden City Championship and is leading in the race by two strokes

Joe Medley Joe Medley

Dustin Travis was a Calhoun County champion and a third-place finisher at the state championships in White Plains High School, the kind of accomplishment that was satisfying. He’d love to feel that again.

Working on and adjusting his swing helped him get into the lead for the 2023 season’s first Calhoun County Golf Tour event.

Travis played a 4-under-par 68 Saturday to take the lead over Brennan Clay by two strokes after just one round of Gadsden City Championship. Gadsden City Championship played at Twin Bridges Golf Club.

Kevin Daugherty stands three strokes behind at 71. Ty Cole, Gary Wigington and Zack Pruitt shot 73.

Corey Ray, the 2022 Gadsden City Championship winner in 2022, played a 78 on Saturday, but informed tournament officials that he’s contemplating withdrawing due to a thumb problem. He’s scheduled to play at 9:30 a.m. start time.

Wigington placed second in 2022.

The senior section was where Jerry Fraiser shot the second-best round of the day, scoring 69.

For Travis who was a 2016 White Plains graduate who played two years at Montevallo University. University of Montevallo, his first-round 68 was a major breakthrough. It was the beginning of a new era that he was stung by pressure with an eagle on No. 18.

“I was a bit worried,” he said. “I haven’t played this round in a tournament for many years.”

It was one of two bogeys made by Travis who made birdies on Nos. 3, 4 and 2, and bounced back from bogey 8 to birdie 9. He also birdied 15 and 16.

The big round was the result of an entire week of working on his swing.

“I was trying to think of a couple of swing-related thoughts which I could store in my head, that I’ve not had for quite a while,” he said. “Recently I’ve come to the point, since I don’t have as much fun like I once did, I’m trying to get out there and hit the ball and place it where it’s supposed go.

“I think this week I was trying to come up with a swing idea to keep in my mind throughout the entire round. I tried to extend the club and out to return as well as swinging low and left when I came down.”

Travis described his Saturday’s round as “just an instance of days when everything worked.” It’s something he remembers when he was in high school when he took home the county championship and placed third at the state championship as an senior.

Another Sunday like this could be the day that he wins his first county tour victory.

“In the Championship flight, this is my lowest-scoring round of tour,” the player stated. “I believe I’ve played in the last group perhaps one time? at Anniston Country Club many years ago.

“This is the first year where I’m actually going play more on the road and taking it more serious,” he said. “I played it once last year. I participated in the first three races, I believe but didn’t take part in any of them.”

Clay, who came in 2nd on tour 2022 admitted that his 70 on Saturday “wasn’t particularly memorable.” He sank the ball 40 feet on 3 and the same putt on 4 was 20 feet and chipped in on 7.

“There were numerous short putts that didn’t get into the hole, but they were great putts” he explained. “That’s sort of been my issue all the way from all the way from U.S. Open qualifier to Silver Lakes and now. …

“I have rolled it a bit better today. It didn’t seem to get in. The two long ones didn’t go into the pond, which is odd however, nothing within 10 feet of birdie was into.”

Perhaps the biggest debate of the day was over the possibility that Ironman on tour Jeremy McGatha, who’s never missed any tour event since the tour began in 2007, that spans 264 rounds, could not be able to attend all of the second round of Sunday’s competition. Kayleigh’s baccalaureate ceremony will begin at the 2:30 p.m.

McCatha shot a 74 on Saturday and was able to make the final flight of the championship. On his own, he was granted an 8:15 a.m. Tee time.

“I was not going to take part,” McCatha said before realizing his Sunday tee time. “Even in the event that he doesn’t allow me to go earlier I’ll be withdraw. (withdraw). I’ll earn five points, and drop the rest, but I’ll get a second consecutive start.”

Calhoun County Golf Tour


GADSDEN CITY CHAMPIONSHIP

Scores from the first round

Saturday

Twin Bridges Golf Club

CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT

Dustin Travis 68

Brennan Clay 70

Kevin Daugherty 71

Ty Cole 73

Gary Wigington 73

Zack Pruitt 73

Jeremy McGatha 74

Caleb Morrow 74

Chad Calvert 75

Chase Hollingsworth 75

Scott Smith 76

Tanner Wells 76

CHAMPIONSHIP B FLIGHT

Andrew Betts 77

Hunter Carr 77

Morgan Cunningham 77

Chance Harris 77

Chris Leonhardt 77

Vance Lewis 77

J.D. Berndt 78

Cain Hollingsworth 78

Gage Ledbetter 78

Corey Ray 78

Timmy Woodard Timmy Woodard

CHAMPIONSHIP C FLIGHT

Norman Clifton 79

Chris Cox 79

Brad Landin 79

Ott Chandler 80

Mason Dennis 80

Chad Hare 80

Casey Harmon 80

Drey Reeves 80

Daily Thomas 80

Houston Black 81

John Hagan 81

Bumper Jones 81

Chris Messer 81

FIRST FLIGHT

Clayton Chandler 82

Dre Davenport Dre Davenport

Aaron Jackson 82

Carl Stanley 82

Chase Thomas 82

Derek Jenkins 83

Scotty McFry 83

Jonathan Gibson 84

Graham Morrow 84

Kolby Slick 84

Matt Greer 86

Mark Gaines 87

Nathan Protz 88

SECOND FLIGHT

Shane Roney 89

Carson Chandler 90

Josh Ghavassi 90

Nathan Williams 91

Tyrel Tucker Tyrel Tucker

Alex Burnham 93

Jason Payne 93

Tyler Rich 93

Justin Pickard 94

Stephen Jenkins 97

Scott Jimmerson 99

Adam Benefiel 104

Bobby Hunt 105

SECONDARY A FLIGHT

Jerry Fraiser 69

David Sanders 71

Mark Moates 75

Scott Moates 76

Dominick Margentina, 77, Dominick

Greg Schultz 77

Mike Lett 79

SENIOR B FLIGHT

Bob Eaton 80

Trey Stone 80

Clay Calkins 81

Ted Heim 84

Ron McClellan 85

Jerry Ingle 87

Everette Protz 90

Keith Hutcheson 95


Sunday Tee Times

8:30 a.m.:Ron McClellan, Jerry Ingle, Everette Protz, Keith Hutcheson.

7:38 a.m.: Bob Eaton, Trey Stone, Clay Calkins, Ted Heim.

7:45 a.m.: Dominick Margentina, Greg Schultz, Mike Lett.

7:52 a.m.:Jerry Fraiser, David Sanders, Mark Moates, Scott Moates.

8. a.m.:Scott Jimmerson, Adam Benefiel, Bobby Hunt.

8:07 a.m.: Tyler Rich, Justin Pickard, Stephen Jenkins.

8.15 a.m.:Tyrel Tucker, Alex Burnham, Jason Payne.

8.22 a.m.:Shane Roney, Carson Chandler, Josh Ghavassi, Nathan Williams.

9:00 a.m.:Matt Greer, Mark Gaines, Nathan Protz and John McGatha*.

8.37 a.m.:Jonathan Gibson, Graham Morrow, Kolby Slick.

8:45 a.m.: Chase Thomas, Derek Jenkins, Scott McFry.

8.52 a.m.:Clayton Chandler, Dre Davenport, Aaron Jackson, Carl Stanley.

9. a.m.:Houston Black, John Hagan, Bumper Jones, Chris Messer.

9:07 a.m.:Casey Harmon, Drey Reeves, Daily Thomas.

9:15 a.m.: Ott Chandler, Mason Dennis, Chad Hare.

9:22 a.m.: Norman Clifton, Chris Cox, Brad Landin.

9:30 a.m.: Gage Ledbetter, Corey Ray, Timmy Woodard.

9:37 a.m.:Chris Leonhardt, Vance Lewis, J.D. Berndt, Cain Hollingswoth.

9:45 a.m.: Andrew Betts, Hunter Carr, Morgan Cunningham, Chance Harris.

9:52 a.m.:Chad Calvert, Chase Hollingsworth, Scott Smith, Tanner Wells.

10. a.m.:Gary Wigington, Zack Pruitt, Caleb Morrow.

10:00 a.m.:Dustin Travis, Brennan Clay, Kevin Daugherty, Ty Cole.

*-Family commitment.