Sports

He’s back!

• Former two-time Albany Amateur champ Brandon Anthony adds a third to his trophy case Sunday, regaining the title he lost one year ago.

Derek Barichello

ALBANY — Brandon Anthony expects perfection.

Period.

The former Darton College standout won his third Albany Amateur City Championship in four years Sunday but admitted the 79 he fired in the final round at Grand Island Golf Club was far from his best.

“It was terrible,” Anthony told fellow golfers in the clubhouse.

That frustration lasted only until Anthony held the championship trophy in his hands.

At that moment, he lit up the roomat Grand Island Golf Club with a big smile as the dismal rain-soaked round seemed to fade away.

And that’s when it hit him: He was once again city champion.

“It feels really good,” said Anthony, who played on the first Darton national championship team four years ago. “I shouldn’t have won. I got a little lucky. I threw up on myself out there (Sunday). I couldn’t catch a rhythm and my shots were bad. But I brought home the title and that’s all that matters.”

However, Anthony was not the only one to struggle Sunday.

Anthony came into the final round with a three-shot lead on Blake Clanton thanks to a tournament-low 68 on Flint River Golf Course on Saturday.

Clanton, who recorded back-to-back 72s to open the event, carded an 80 and finished with the second-best score overall, five strokes behind Anthony.

Clanton drew as close as two strokes on No. 11 — the closest of any golfer — but double bogeyed the hole and never threatened the lead again.

“I couldn’t putt (Sunday),” Clanton said. “I got it down to two but my putting caught up to me.”

Since Clanton was listed in the first flight, his score won that flight’s title. As a result, Deerfield-Windsor baseball coach Rod Murray tied with last year’s champion Mike Cooper for second place and five strokes from Anthony in the championship flight as Murray recorded a 76 at his home course and Cooper notched a 74.

Seven strokes off the title was Lee County’s Nate Gahman, who finished in fourth after a 77 at his home course.

“We took note of (Anthony struggling),” said Murray, who shared the lead with Anthony after the first day but entered Day 3 eight strokes behind.

“But everyone else was struggling right there with him. So we weren’t able to put much pressure on him.”

For defending champion Cooper, who turned in the best round at Grand Island in his flight, a bad Saturday ruined any chances of a repeat.

“I let it get away from me on the back nine at Flint River (on Saturday),” said Cooper, who started the day 10 strokes off the lead. “Other than that, I felt I played some pretty good golf.”

While Cooper’s late charge earned him second place, it was Anthony who finished runner-up to him last year.

Anthony admitted two practice sessions after the first two rounds helped make the difference.

“I knew I had to keep at it,” said Anthony, referring to his drives to his home course at Stonebridge Golf and Country Club to practice. “I just fought as hard as I could to keep it.”

More Sports>>