Men's Golf Splits Win with Shelton State in Spring Classic
Decatur, AL – In a top-10 showdown on their home course, Calhoun men's golf delivered an impressive performance at the Calhoun Spring Classic, tying No. 5 Shelton State for first place before falling in a playoff at Burningtree Country Club.
The No. 9 ranked Warhawks matched Shelton State with a team score of +11 over the 56-hole event, setting up a playoff hole to determine the tournament champion. Despite a strong showing, the Buccaneers edged Calhoun in the playoff to claim the trophy. Both teams, however, earned equal points in the standings for the tie.
Calhoun fielded two full squads in the tournament, showcasing the program's depth across the lineup. The Warhawks' A team secured the tie for first, while the B team turned in an impressive performance of its own, finishing seventh out of 14 teams with a +41 total. The B squad placed ahead of several notable programs, including nationally ranked No. 20 Southern Union, LBW, and Northwest Mississippi.
Individually, the Warhawks produced a number of standout performances. AJ Bradford led the A team with an even-par finish, placing fifth overall. Jayce Hutchens followed with a 10th-place finish, while Reece Hardiman placed 16th.
On the B team, Drew Davidson delivered one of the top performances of the tournament, finishing 11th overall at +6. Michael Irons made a strong push in the final round, shooting a 1-under score to climb into a tie for 16th at +7.
Sammy Holmes also turned in an exceptional performance early in the event, posting rounds of 73 and 69 to sit in second place entering the final round. However, Holmes self-reported an incorrect scorecard and was removed from third-round scoring.
Davidson and Jackson Yeager each recorded impressive opening rounds of 69 for the B team, while Irons' 71 in the final round highlighted a strong finish for the group. Jesse Kilgore and Clark Hayes rounded out the Warhawks' competitors, each contributing to the team's overall success in a deep and competitive field.
Head coach Richard Morgan praised both the performance and the environment of the tournament while acknowledging the narrow playoff loss. "We had a great two days out here with excellent weather and really strong competition," Morgan said. "I'm thankful to Burningtree for hosting us and to everyone from the community and campus who came out to support our guys. Obviously, we would have loved to come away with the playoff win, but hats off to Shelton, they're a great team and had a great week. To go toe-to-toe in a top-10 matchup like that is huge for us as we head into the postseason."
Calhoun will now shift its focus to the ACCC/Region 22 Championship, set for April 6–7, where the Warhawks will look to build on their momentum from a strong regular season finish.