Reaves edges rain, Porter to win Dixie Junior title

Published 12:00 am Friday, June 21, 2002

Nature wasn’t kind to the golfers that played in this year’s Dixie Junior Invitational at the Selma Country Club–rainshowers drove the golfers to the clubhouse during rain delays, breezes made shots more difficult, and the afternoon Alabama sun turned the golf course into a sauna. But despite all this, some of the young golfers played the games of their lives.

Brannon Reaves, 17, of Montgomery is one such example. Reaves took home two trophies after the tourney’s final round of play on Thursday, winning top honors in the 17-18 year-old age group and taking home the Otey Crisman Trophy for winning the entire tournament with a score of 218 after 54 holes of golf.

Reaves credited his success in this year’s tournament to Thursday’s improvement in his short game.

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“Today, I putted really well,” he said, standing by the gigantic gleaming trophy he gets to keep for one year. “I’ve struggled over the past couple of days, but I really pulled it together.”

Reaves blamed his game’s not being up to par during the beginning stages of the tournament on a difference in the greens.

“The greens are pretty rough here–it shook my confidence,” he said. “I’d hit the ball in and it would bounce. But I got it ironed out today, and that was good.”

Reaves barely edged out local golf standout Wes Porter, who also took home two trophies for the evening–a silver bowl awarded to the tournament’s runner-up and the Bud Burns Trophy, which is given to the Selma golfer who has the lowest score after 54 holes of golf.

Porter scored a 221 for the tournament, leaving him only three strokes shy of the victory.

“I just couldn’t make any putts today,” said Porter of his performance. “But I guess I played pretty good, so I can’t complain.”

The top four performers going in to Thursday’s final 18 were paired together, and the race for the top honors was close. Jay Skipper of Headland, who placed third in the 17-18 age group, and Jake Nick joined Porter and Reaves in their group, and the foursome didn’t see a birdie until the back nine. Reaves parred the front nine with a 35, leading the pack going into the final nine holes of play. The summer showers made the greens a little slick, so many of the shots that landed on near the hole seemed to have minds of their own. This made the competition fierce and kept the scores frequently changing.

The 17-18 year-olds weren’t the only ones fiercely competing–several other age groups participated, also.

In the 10-and-under A Division, Mobile’s Bobby Wyatt came in first with a 75 on nine holes. Smylie Kaufman of Vestavia Hills came in second with a 78, and Paul McClure of Mobile was third with a score of 82.

In the 11-12 age group, Montgomery player Hunter Hamrick won top honors with a 143 on 36 holes of golf. Brian Jones of Birmingham had a 150 for second place, and David Shoupe had a 159 and earned third.

The 13-14 age group winner was Rodger Caffey of Andalusia, who shot a 146 on 36 holes. Zack Lynch of Arab had a 152 for second place, and Hudson Rehm of Auburn shot a 156 for third.

For the 15-16 age group, Auburn’s Joe Wilding had a 224 on 54 holes of golf to take home the top honors, while John Barnett of Monroeville had a 225 for second place. Keeping in the neck-and-neck race for placement was Livingston’s Jordy Hayden, who shot a 226 to garner third place.