Golf: Pinson’s John Michael O’Toole wins Jasper tourney; Mortimer Jordan’s Garrett Johnson tied for second

Published 3:03 pm Friday, July 17, 2015

Mortimer Jordan rising senior Garrett Johnson (left) and former Pinson Valley standout John Michael O’Toole talk with each other during the Travis Hudson/Bernard Weinstein Invitational in Jasper last week. O’Toole won the event by nine strokes; it’s the second time he’s won this tournament in three years. O’Toole’s younger brother Caleb tied for sixth.

JASPER — There was only one question heading into the final round of the Travis Hudson/Bernard Weinstein Invitational at Musgrove Country Club Sunday — who was going to place second?

Pinson’s John Michael O’Toole finished off a wire-to-wire performance with a six-under par 65 in the final round to run away with the 48th annual Travis Hudson/Bernard Weinstein Invitational title. O’Toole had the best round all three days and finished 15 under par for the tournament, a whopping nine strokes ahead of second place Garrett Johnson, a rising senior at Mortimer Jordan.

The win marked O’Toole’s second tournament title; he also won the event in 2013.

“My driver off the tee is what got me through this week. That just took the stress of my game,” O’Toole said. “I think when I won a couple of years ago, I was only five under. Today I tripled that. I just got a lot out of my game this week.”

O’Toole, 22, who wrapped up his collegiate golf career at the University of Cincinnati in April, put on a clinic over the weekend.

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He played the four par-5 holes at five-under par on Sunday. He eagled the 11th hole and closed his round with a birdie on the 18th hole.

For the tournament, O’Toole had just two bogeys, both in the second round. He also missed just nine greens in regulation in 54 holes of golf. He shot nine-under par on the par-4s, six-under par on the par-5s and even on the par-3s.

Johnson, who’s committed to play at Mississippi State, and Shane Wright, of Montgomery, opened the day in second place, four strokes behind O’Toole. Both golfers shot one-under on Sunday, but neither was able to make a run at O’Toole. Johnson and Wright each finished with totals of 207. Birmingham’s Mike Greer placed fourth at 208 after shooting a three-under 68 on Sunday.

Caleb O’Toole, a rising junior at Pinson Valley and John Michael’s younger brother, tied for seventh place with a 216 score.

Robert Carter contributed to this report.