Local golf: TGC to highlight ASU men's national title

Local golf fans will want to tune in to The Golf Channel at 6 p.m. Wednesday to watch highlights of the Alabama State men's golf team winning its first PGA Minority Collegiate National Championship.

The highlights show will air again at 2 p.m. July 7 and at 1 p.m. July 21.

Alabama State won six tournaments this season, including the 29th PGA Minority National Championship, which was played May 8-10 at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The Bethune-Cookman women won their record 12th title.

Also of note, ASU junior Branson Ferrier finished in the top 10 in the nation in scoring average, highlighting an outstanding scoring season for the four-time defending SWAC champion Hornets men's team.

Ferrier posted a per-round scoring average of 70.26, ninth best in the nation. Of his 31 rounds this season, he shot 70 or lower 20 times, with 14 rounds in the 60s. He shot a season-low 66 in the opening round of the Bash On The Beach Tournament, hosted by Appalachian State.

In 12 tournaments, Ferrier shot 70 or better in the final round nine times, including seven rounds in the 60s, helping him tie for ninth in the nation in lowest final-round scoring average (69.75). Ferrier also ranked third in the nation in par four scoring average (3.94).

HOLES-IN-ONE

• Frank Yarnell, using a 6-iron, made a hole-in-one on the 125-yard No. 7 at Arrowhead on June 21. Witnesses included Steve Yarnell, Frank Yarnell, Keith Yarnell and Chris Jones.

• Leroy Cook, using a pitching wedge and hitting a Titleist ball, made a hole-in-one on the 125-yard No. 15 at The Pines in Millbrook on June 15. John Shumway was a witness.

NOTEBOOK

• The Driving Force Women's Golf Club 9-hole league played at Gateway on June 20, low gross winner was Eloise Luckie at 48. Barbara Womack, at 28.2, was first in low net, followed by Mary Boone (32.8) and Nancy Lawrence (35.6).

The 18-hole league played at Lagoon Park on Sunday, and low gross winner was Sarah Vandervoort at 79. In low net, Von Foster was first at 69, followed by Charity Bell Hosey (73) and Hattie Robinson (73).

• Heather Nail defeated Kathy Hartwiger in the 18-hole final of the 83rd Women's State Amateur Championship at Gadsden Country Club last Friday by a score of 1 up.

In a closely contested match, Nail led most of the way, but a resilient Hartwiger took her all the way to the final green before coming up just short.

Nail, 19, hails from Hartselle and just finished her sophomore year on the golf team at the University of Mobile. She won four times this past year and was named NAIA second-team All-American.

Nail adds her second state title, as she won the Women's State Four Ball Championship (with Suzanne Stanley) in 2012.

• Regions Financial Corp. and the PGA's Champions Tour announced last week that the 2016 Regions Tradition, a major championship on the Champions Tour, will be played May 18-22 at Greystone Golf & Country Club next year. This will be the first year the tournament will be played at Greystone, Shoal Creek Club has hosted the championship for the last five years.

• Volunteers are needed for the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic at Capitol Hill in Prattville. Tournament dates are Aug. 24-30. There are 20 volunteer committees ranging from marshals to standard bearers. To sign up, go to www.yokohamatirelpgaclassic.com, click on "Volunteer" at the top of the page and scroll down to see all the committee choices. Then click on "Register" to sign up.

DOGFIGHTS

• Beverly Fundaburk and Charlotte Hartley tied for first place at plus-6 in the women's city dogfight at The Pines in Millbrook last Thursday. Kathleen Ritchey was next at plus-5, followed by KC Borgman, Mona Berry, Mary Nell Miller, Penny O'Day and Vicki Oda, all at plus-4. This Thursday's dogfight will be at Capitol Hill in Prattville.

• Two teams tied for first place in the Montgomery Golf Association's dogfight at Wynlakes on June 22. The team of Joe Madison, Del Goebel, Bobby Pruit and Allen Hackel posted a plus-6, as did the foursome of Richard Kennamer, Ned Rogers, Larry Offutt and Mike Mallard; 96 played. In third place, at plus-5, was the team of Frank Guidas, Roland Boone, Herb Waddell and Victor Trotter Jr. Fourth, at plus-3, went to the team of Butch Gillespie, Johnny Davis, Dan Whittle and John Williams. Most over points was Hackel at plus-12. The men also played Monday at Cambrian Ridge. The next two dogfights are July 9 at Indian Pines in Auburn and July 13 at Valley Grande, near Selma.

• The Central Alabama Golf Association played a dogfight at Prattville Country Club on Monday. Results will be in next week's golf notes. The next CAGA dogfight is scheduled for July 9 at Arrowhead. Visit www.CAGAGolf.com or contact the CAGA administrator at caga.dogfight@gmail.com for membership and schedule information.

CALENDAR

• This summer, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is partnering with eight Alabama craft breweries for the inaugural RTJ Alabama Craft Beer Tournament. The series ends at Capitol Hill in Prattville on July 11 (Black Warrior Brewing). The three-person scramble format will be open for up to 108 at each site. The top two teams per location will advance to a Beer Championship at RTJ Ross Bridge.

Each event is $85 per person ($95 at Ross Bridge) and will include lunch, beer tastings, range balls, green fees and a golf cart fees. Register online at: http://rtjtournaments.mybigcommerce.com/beer-tournament-qualifiers/.

Mail submissions to 425 Molton St., Montgomery, AL 36104, fax to 261-1548 or email sports@montgomeryadvertiser.com.