Published: October 02, 2006 11:32 pm      

CBGC Tight Lies tees up

A week-long slate of tournament-related activities ranging from golf to barbeque to poker got under way Monday. But the main event in the Community Bank Golf Classic gets cranked up Wednesday.

That’s when more than 100 professionals and amateurs are expected to hit the course at Northwood Country Club for the CBGC — Meridian’s stop on the Adams Golf Tight Lies Tour.

A purse in the neighborhood of $100,000 will be up for grabs this week, and a host of up-and-coming golfing professionals are in the field.

“At present, 22 of the top 30 on the money list will be competing,” Tight Lies Tour media director Sharon Largent said. “The field is strong and you will be seeing some great golf throughout the week.”

A handful of local golfers will be on hand, as well. As of Monday, Briarwood Country Club pro Rob McGraw was entered in the tournament, as was Robert Ammon of Union and Scott Morgan of Meridian — who will play as an amateur.

Another in the field whose name is familiar to most area golfers is Rett Crowder of Madison. Crowder had a dominating stretch of amateur golf in Mississippi and has played in 12 events on the Tight Lies Tour this year. He ranks 20th overall on the TLT money list.

The men who rank first and second on that list will also be on hand.

Jaxon Brigman of Frisco, Texas, has earned more than $59,000 on the TLT this year and owns first-place wins in the Capital One Classic in Houston and the Rising Star Texarkana Open.

Scott Sterling of Baton Rouge, La. is also in the field. Sterling is No. 2 on the money list with more than $58,000 in winnings — and in six less tournaments than Brigman. Sterling has wins in the Fore Kids Oklahoma Classic and the FINA Abilene Open.

Other tournament winners this season who have already signed up for the Community Bank Golf Classic, among others, are Scott Abbott, Richard Swift and Daniel Fox — who have combined for more than $137,000 in winnings.

A purse in the neighborhood of $100,000 will be up for grabs at Northwood this week — and proceeds from the tournament will once again go to benefit Love’s Kitchen.

Tee times begin at 7:30 a.m. each day at Northwood, beginning Wednesday. Like the PGA, Nationwide and NGA Hooters tours, the Tight Lies Tour will make a cut of golfers after two days of competition.

The final round is set to begin at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, with the awards presentation scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Sponsors for the week include Parker and Associates, Van Zyverden, the Meridian/Lauderdale County Tourism and MDA, Xtra-Lite, Meyer and Rosenbaum, Glass, Inc., and Mitchell Distributing.