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Calhoun Journal
Rollins Rollin’ Second Calhoun County Golf Tour Victory
By East Alabama Sports Today,
2024-05-20
Gadsden, AL – A day after tree limb falls on his truck, tree cutter Rollins falls on the field for second Calhoun County Golf Tour victory.
By Joe Medley
Sometimes, the tree falls on you. Sometimes, you’re the tree.
John Rollins lived both sides of that during this weekend’s Gadsden City Championship. A day after storm dropped a limb fell on his pickup, he rallied from one stroke down going into the final round to bag his second Calhoun County County Golf Tour victory.
Rollins finished 69-70 — 139 and edge Brennan Clay by one stroke. First-round leader Ty Cole finished third, two strokes off the pace.
Rollins left Twin Bridges with a grin on his face, even if it’s an anxious grin as he manages his speed while making the hour’s drive back home, across the Georgia line, with a bowed in windshield.
That made for an anxious drive home after Saturday’s final round.
“I was scared to even drive home,” he said. “I thought the windshield was going to come in on me. It made noises all the way home.”
Rollins scored his second Tour victory and second in the last seven events. He won at Pine Hill in 2023.
Rollins’ second victory comes two weeks after Chattanooga’s Andrew Weathers won his first attempt at a Tour event, at Silver Lakes. Cole, the reigning Tour player of the year, won the other 2024 points event, at Cane Creek.
“I don’t know if there’s better amateur golf in the state than what we’ve got right here,” Clay said. “It’s every week.
“You’ve got the same nine or 10 guys, but now we’ve got more coming. The more the merrier to me. I like the competition. You’ve got to play good. You can’t come out here and just smack it around and expect to win. You have to be under par, multiple shots under par, so it’s a lot of fun.”
Clay shot Sunday’s best round at 69 to finish second. His day included an eagle on No. 11, a 5-iron shot from 210 yards that rolled by the hole and settled at 2 feet.
“It went right by the hole,” Clay said. “It had a chance to go in. That would’ve been cool.”
That’s how close Clay came to an albatross and forcing a playoff.
Then again, Rollins’ day included a 25-foot putt to save par on No. 13. He also saved par after hitting into the hazard on the par-5 15th.
“John’s a dang good player,” Clay said. “He’s scrappy. He made two incredible pars today.”
Rollins was scrapped and acknowledged he was emotional over the condition of his black Dodge Ram. The limb that fell on his truck during Saturday’s storm bent the hood and bowed the windshield.
It’s fully insured and payed off, he said. It was drivable enough to get him home Saturday night, after he waited out the rain to avoid having to use wipers. It got him to the course Sunday.
“After all the stuff yesterday that happened, I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “I even drove my truck again today.
“I don’t know why. Just a wave of emotions after the tree fell on my truck.”
He missed a 3-foot birdie putt on No. 1, and Clay announced his bad intentions with a birdie on the same hole.
After two pars and a bogey to start his round, the professional tree cutter started chopping wood. After birdies on 6 and 9, he made the turn at 1-under 35. His three birdies on the back nine offset two bogies.
He steadied his emotions enough to emerge in a foursome with Clay, Cole and Randy Lipscomb. Rollins answered Clay’s eagle with a birdie on the same hole.
“Just playing with Ty and Brennan, they’re two of the best, especially Ty,” Rollins said.
Rollins said he tried “keep my mind off of the card” and just play, play hole by hole. About hole No. 14, he learned he as one shot up.
He briefly lost that one-shot lead while scrapping with a trap to save par on 15, but he made a 10-foot birdie putt on 17.
Trees watched calmly Sunday as he avenged himself against the course. God help the first tree he sees at work Monday.
“It’s going to get hit like a truck,” he said with a chuckle. “No doubt.”
Final-round scores
CHAMPIONSHIP A FLIGHT
PLAYER
RD. 1
RD. 2
TOTAL
John Rollins
69
70
139
Brennan Clay
71
69
140
Ty Cole
68
73
141
Randy Lipscomb
70
76
146
Jeremy McGatha
72
75
147
Mason Dennis
71
77
148
Dustin Travis
74
75
149
Casey Harmon
73
77
150
Blake Boozer
74
78
152
Jason Rich
73
80
153
Chris Cox
74
81
155
Gary Wigington
74
WD
CHAMPIONSHIP B FLIGHT
Trent Masfield
76
71
147
Dane Moore
75
75
150
Chad Hare
75
76
151
Chris Leonhardt
75
76
151
Dre Davenport
76
76
152
J.D. Berndt
76
76
152
Chance Harris
76
78
154
Tim Woodard
76
79
155
Joshua Bradley
75
82
157
Cove McHugh
76
82
158
Danny Whitaker
76
96
172
FIRST FLIGHT
Carson Jones
77
71
148
C.J. Taylor
77
73
150
Zack Pruitt
77
73
150
Tanner Wells
77
77
154
Clayton Chandler
77
79
156
Vance Lewis
77
79
156
Brad Landin
78
79
157
Aaron Jackson
78
80
158
Eric Cannington
78
80
158
Clay Smith
77
84
161
Austin Elliott
78
85
163
SECOND FLIGHT
Jeremy Burns
79
73
152
Michael Rich
79
73
152
Blake Grisham
79
74
152
Chase Hollingsworth
80
77
157
Hunter Fordham
79
81
160
Hunter Carr
80
82
162
James Lett
81
81
162
Maverick Smith
81
81
162
Aaron Gregerson
80
83
163
Bob Eaton
80
85
165
Cole McNeal
79
97
176
THIRD FLIGHT
Luke Armstrong
82
74
156
Chandler Richards
86
71
157
Josh Ghavassi
83
81
164
Houston Black
85
79
164
Chris Reaves
85
81
166
Jonathan Gibson
84
84
168
Drey Reeves
86
84
170
Logan Steele
86
86
172
David Webb
85
94
179
Mark Gaines
86
93
179
Nathan Williams
83
WD
Alex Burnham
86
WD
FOURTH FIGHT
Carl Stanley
89
76
165
Eli Dunn
87
82
169
Cain Hollingsworth
88
82
170
Matt Greer
88
82
170
Craig Duncan
92
79
171
Derek Jenkins
89
86
175
Ridge McHugh
90
89
179
Drake Bearden
92
87
179
Andrew Gunnells
91
94
185
Tim Gables
89
WD
FIFTH FLIGHT
Dustin Pearce
93
84
177
Justin Pickard
93
86
179
Scott Jimmerson
95
92
187
Eli Pearce
94
96
190
Stephen Jenkins
93
98
191
Nick Sabat
96
102
198
Larry Champion
105
99
204
Ted Gregerson
111
94
205
Daniel Ricks
96
WD
SENIOR
Greg Shultz
70
76
146
David Sanders
75
72
147
Dominick Margentina
76
78
154
Graham Morrow
77
78
155
Scott Moates
75
80
155
Jerry Fraiser
76
79
155
Mike Lett
83
73
156
Scott Harmon
89
82
171
Keith Hutcheson
83
93
176
John Rollins pumps his fist after sinking the clinching putt during Sunday’s final round of the Gadsden City Championship at Twin Bridges. (Photo by Joe Medley)
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