SUNBELT SENIOR GOLF TOUR: Hammer time

Published 9:43 pm Wednesday, May 9, 2012

An hour-long delay stemming from Wednesday-morning showers was not enough to keep Jim Chancey from entering the Chesley Oaks clubhouse with a first-round lead at the Yellowhammer Open.

The former Champions Tour member from Winter Haven, Fla., is alone at the top of the Sunbelt Senior Tour event’s fifth annual trip to Fairview after shooting a 6-under 65 Wednesday. Chancey has been the Sunbelt Senior Tour’s top money winner the last two years.

Close behind Chancey after Day 1 is Tom Eubank, of Canton, Ga., who opened up the 54-hole tournament with a 5-under 66. Other than Tuesday’s pro-am, the 2011 Yellowhammer Open champion said he hadn’t golfed in nearly a month, so he wasn’t surprised his shots went “all over the place” Wednesday. Eubank worked his magic from close range, though, and finished his round with three straight birdies to stay on Chancey’s heels.

“I wasn’t hitting it well,” Eubank said. “But I chipped and putted so well, it was frightening. I was pretty excited about that.”

With 36 holes left to play on a course he feels more than comfortable on, Eubank likes his chances of winning a second straight Yellowhammer Open.

“I feel good about it,” he said. “I seem to play well (at Chesley Oaks), so I always enjoy coming here. I’ve got to take it one day at a time. I think three 66s would do the job this year.”

Roger Rowland, of Ocala, Fla., is in third place in the senior division (47-55) after carding a 4-under 67. Dave Rummells, of Kissimmee, Fla., is fourth at 3-under, while Javier Sanchez (Fayetteville, Ga.) and Gary Trivisonno (Aurora, Ohio) are tied for fifth. Both shot 69s.

Danny Edwards (Scottsdale, Ariz.), a five-time winner on the PGA Tour, and Rod Dench (Ingersoll, Ontario) share the lead in the super senior division (55+) after turning in 2-under rounds Wednesday. Bob Flanagan (Lawrenceville, Ga.), Jerry Irwin (Oxford, Ala.) and Gary Odom (Greenwood, S.C.) all remained within shouting distance with even-par 71s.

Cullman’s Bob Kurtz, who won the super senior division of the Sunbelt Senior Tour’s Lake Placid, N.Y., event last year, is in 11th at 6-over. Kurtz, who serves at St. John’s Evangelical Prostestant Church, is one of three pastors competing at Chesley Oaks this week. Irwin and Randy Kennedy, of Buford, Ga., are the others.  

A total of 16 teams competed at the Yellowhammer Open pro-am tournament Tuesday. Edwards’ foursome, which included Greg and Patti Bostick, as well as Gene Langley, won with a 58. One shot back was Odom, Roger Stewart, Fuller Smith and Gary Stephenson, while third place went to Chancey, Bill Ingram, Buddy Shear and Jerry McGill.

“Everybody had a great time with the pros,” said Don Barnes, the tour’s founder and commissioner. “Everybody is so friendly and makes all the players feel welcome. The staff here at the golf course, the members, the people who come play in the pro-am, the sponsors, they make everybody feel really good. And the community is the same way.”

Last week, Barnes said he was anxious to see how the area was recovering from the April 27, 2011, tornadoes that devastated so much of the area. When the Sunbelt Senior Tour descended upon Chesley Oaks shortly after that infamous day last year, the players, as well as their families and friends, came prepared to help those in need. They donated tens of thousands of dollars worth of food, clothing and even a vehicle to the cause.

Among the victims who benefited from those contributions were Wayne Cooper, a Chesley Oaks employee, and his wife, Carolyn. Wayne suffered injuries from the storm, and the two also lost their home and everything in it.

Barnes and the Sunbelt Senior Tour members went to the Cooper’s house, which has since been rebuilt, Wednesday night for a weenie roast to see how the couple is faring since they last saw them a year ago.

“That’s our touch to the community,” Barnes said. “We couldn’t help 1,000 people, but we knew we could help at least one. We want people to know that we appreciate when the community supports our tour.”

Eubank said the golfers were going to hold their TourLife, a Bible study in conjunction with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes golf ministry, at the Cooper’s home Wednesday night.

“I’m excited to see them, see how their lives have changed, how they’ve rebuilt in a year,” Eubank said. “Cullman, the residents must be pretty resilient. Everybody I met at the pro-am was really excited we were back. I just really love coming here.”

Today’s second round will begin at 8:30 a.m. With sunny skies in the forecast, as opposed to the rain that briefly flooded some greens Wednesday, Barnes expects to see lower scores from most of the field.

Rob Ketcham can be reached at 256-734-2131, ext. 257 or at robk@cullmantimes.com.