By Staff
Brewton native and T.R. Miller graduate Robbie Cotten did more than win last weekend's Montgomery Country Club Invitational. He did it in record fashion.
The 40-year-old Cotten finished the tournament with a score of 13-under-par 197. That was one shot better than the old mark of 12-under-par 198 set by Talbert Griffin in 1984.
While Cotten won the tournament by a fairly comfortable four-stroke margin over Stephen Groover, who finished at 201, it took a sizzling round by Cotten in the final day of competition to set the record.
Cotten responded to a bogey on the opening hole with seven birdies en route to a final round of 67. Those birdies included a string of four in a row on the front nine when he shot a two-under-par 33. Cotten had to save par on the last hole to get the record by a stroke.
The outcome of the tournament was never in much doubt. Cotten entered the final day of play with a four-stroke lead over Gator Todd. Todd pretty much took himself out of competition for the title when he missed three birdie putts, all of which were within 15 feet, over the first three holes. Todd
eventually finished six strokes back. Cotten's four birdies on the front nine in the final round gave him even more breathing room and increased his lead up to five strokes.
Cotten said he felt some early tense moments Sunday.
The championship marks the second for Cotten at the Montgomery Country Club Invitational. He also won the crown back in 1992.
Winning is nothing new to Cotten, who won the Alabama Golf Association State Mid-Amateur championship last fall at the Country Club of Brewton. Cotten will try to defend that crown next month at Mobile.