Tournament Champions
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The Birmingham Amateur Players Tour opened its 2027 season on Sunday, October 18 at TP Country Club in Cullman, Alabama for a premier amateur golf tournament, the first of the chapter’s 2027 Birmingham amateur golf tournaments. A field of 44 players competed across five divisions, with the Mid-Am Net and Senior Net games running alongside, and the theme of the day was ending droughts — four of the five division winners returned to the Winners Circle for the first time in over a year.
TP Country Club, which opened in 1980, is framed hole after hole by mature pines and shaped by significant elevation changes, with water in play and undulating bent grass greens that are famously hard to read. Soft greens were protected by heavy rough and by the need for accurately placed shots, and the result was very few low scores anywhere on the property. The par-4 6th gave up no birdies all day and played nearly a shot and a half over par. The par-5 14th was the one hole that gave something back, surrendering five birdies and the day’s only eagle, to Kenny Smith.
A brisk morning turned into an ideal day for golf, with the sun arriving for every group on the back nine.
In Division 1, Jay Hayes of Sumiton, AL used a solid front side to hold on for his first win since 2025. Hayes turned in even-par 36 with birdies at the par-5 1st and the par-4 11th, and his 4-over 76 was the low round of the day and good for a one-shot victory. Max Faure of Decatur, AL took runner-up honors at 5-over 77, three birdies on his card and a closing six holes played in even par after he had drifted six back through twelve. Tyler Berry of Hartselle, AL also signed for 5-over 77, closing with a birdie at the par-5 18th. Eleven of the thirteen players in the division finished within seven of Hayes.
Division 2 needed extra holes, and Greyson Howard of Hartselle, AL made a birdie on the first hole of the playoff for the win. It came in Howard’s first tournament in his new division, another step in a steady climb. He had trailed Joseph Lacy and Lucas McCullar by three after six holes before coming home in 3-over 39, with a birdie at the par-5 18th, for 10-over 82. Karl Jung of Chelsea, AL matched him at 10-over 82 with birdies at the par-3 8th and the par-5 14th. Lacy and McCullar shared third at 11-over 83.
Division 3 belonged to Phil Lambert of Pelham, AL, who won in his return to the APT. Lambert birdied the par-4 3rd, went out in 4-over 40 and posted 9-over 81 for a four-shot win. Rusty Martin of Chelsea, AL closed to within two through twelve before settling for runner-up honors at 13-over 85. Blake Elkins of Madison, AL and Kyle Hudson of Birmingham, AL tied for third at 17-over 89.
Phillip Laye of Carbon Hill, AL claimed Division 4 and his first win since 2024. Andrew Aderholt of Pinson, AL was a shot clear of him after six, but Laye birdied the par-3 12th and never let the lead go, signing for 18-over 90 and a five-stroke win. Aderholt and Danny Daniel of Pike Road, AL shared second at 23-over 95.
Division 5 went to Cody Doles of Winfield, AL, competing out of the Memphis chapter, for his first win since 2025. Doles was three back of Walter Jones after six holes, then flipped the switch after the turn, coming home in 9-over 45 for 23-over 95 and a three-shot win. Jones, of Hoover, AL, and Leon Goodson of Parrish, AL tied for second at 26-over 98.
Mid-Am Net finished in a three-way tie at net 3-over 75, with Howard, Jung and Martin sharing the points and the purse. Howard’s net number completed the double-dip on a day he had already won his division.
Hayes made it two as well, taking Senior Net with net 1-under 71, the only number under par in either net game, by two shots. Lambert and Laye tied for second at net 1-over 73, each adding a net result to a strong day in their gross division.
Next up in the Birmingham chapter — the BHM/NSH Fairways to Fame Classic at RTJ The Shoals on Saturday, October 31. Space is limited and registration closes October 26. The Steel City Invitational at RTJ Oxmoor Valley follows on Saturday, November 14, with registration closing November 9.
