MOULTRIE – There will be 28 golf professionals and 120 amateurs competing in this week’s Pot o’ Gold Pro-am at Sunset Country Club.
But one of the event’s top performers in recent years will be relegated to a non-competing role this year.
Longtime Sunset player and assistant pro Aaron Elrod had brain surgery in January.
And while he is expected to make a full recovery, he will not swing a club this weekend.
As Sunset’s assistant pro, Elrod has led the host club’s foursomes to Pot o’ Gold championships in 2016, 2017 and 2021 and a tie for the title in 2019.
He will be on hand during the tournament as he continues his rehab and therapy and will contribute where he can.
“We miss him dearly,” said Mike Myszkowski, Sunset’s director of golf. “But while he’s on injured reserve, he’s still helping us with the Pot o’ Gold.
“He’s been a huge help.”
A member of Colquitt County High’s 2006 state championship team, a college and Satellite tour player, Elrod has helped run the tournament for a number of years while playing some outstanding golf at his home club.
But he had been suffering vertigo-like symptoms for some time and finally had an MRI done on January 24.
“I knew something was wrong,” he said. “My worst fears came true.”
A tumor was discovered and he underwent emergency brain surgery at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Fla., on January 25.
“The good news is that the tumor was benign and I should make a full recovery,” he said.
Sunset has enlisted Glen Arven assistant golf pro Chase Vande Zande and former Sunset and Ansley Golf Club pro Richard Hatcher to help run the club’s 70th annual four-man best-ball event.
And while Elrod’s sweet left-handed swing and putts will be missing, he has put together a pair of teams that could be in contention for what would be Sunset’s eighth championship of its signature event.
Elrod’s good friend Jacob Tilton of Ansley Golf Club will guide a trio of outstanding Sunset amateurs in what normally would be Sunset’s A team.
Brothers Andy and Kevin Blanton are successful veterans of both the Pot o’ Gold and Sunset’s Ramsey Pidcock Invitational.
And Michael Hall, the third amateur, was an All-State player for the Colquitt County golf team as a sophomore last year and is off to a promising start this year.
Elrod’s B-teamers Jonathan Bridges, Jared Bridges and Clarke Hendrick also are longtime veterans and familiar with Sunset’s fairways and greens.
They will play for professional Jake Greer.
The two foursomes will be among the 40 teams that will try to unseat defending champion Phil Taylor and his Ansley Golf Club team that includes Adam Mitchell, Michael Green and Alex Gaddy.
Taylor’s crew shot a 122 to win last year’s rain-shortened event.
Andy Blanton and Glen Arden’s J.D. Culbreth tied atop last year’s low amateur leaderboard with each turning in a 139.
Culbreth took the title with his 68 on the final day serving as the deciding factor.
Blanton has won the low amateur title three times.
Bull Creek’s Adam Cooper returns to defend his low pro championship.
Bob Windom, another Sunset professional who has led the host team to a championship, also will have a team in this year’s event.
His three amateurs are Paul Tynan, Jeff Neugebauer and longtime Sunset player Ernie Venet.
Other Colquitt County and Sunset amateurs who are playing this weekend are Wesley Rogers, Matt Key, Lee Wright, Tyler Key, Austin Baker, Cavin Hall, Chad Eunice, Zac Goodno, Tanner Brown, Eli Stripling, Von Stripling, Andrew Eunice, Hayden Willis, John Lee Redding, Craig Stevens, Peyton Clark, Reid Penuel and Pax Clark.
Myszkowski characterized the greens as “mint” and the fairways as “great.”
“And things are starting to green up,” he said.
Work on the course’s cart paths is 90-percent complete.
Myszkowski gave a shout-out to course superintendent Clint Hancock for his work in getting the course Pot o’ Gold-ready.
He also said the club is indebted to Colquitt Regional Medical Center and Pack Logistics, the event’s co-sponsors.
And while the renovations to the club’s kitchen will not be complete until around April 1, Myszkowski said players will be able to take advantage of three breakfasts, three dinners and the annual Friday night players’ banquet.
All meals will be catered.
Pot o’ Gold festivities start on Thursday with the annual long drive contest.
Players will tee off at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. for Sunday’s final round.
The completed list of club professionals and their amateurs includes:
• Scott Curiel, Heritage Golf Links; amateurs Wesley Rogers, Matt Key and Lee Wright.
• Mike Miller, Big Canoe Golf Club; amateurs, Shonn Weldon, Rudi Lee and Tony Autry.
• Jake Keen, Maple Creek Golf Club, amateurs, Zac Shellnutt, Cason Hammock and Daniel Davis.
• Brad Thornton, amateurs Steve Wilson, Josh Lampley and Brett Parker.
• Lacey Fears, Houston Lake, amateurs Bobby Chaney, Payne Sells and Nick Kishugian.
• Bill Hassell, Marietta Country Club; amateurs Justin Harris, Alden Hudson and Lynn Stephens.
• Byron McCall, Chimney Oaks Golf Club; amateurs, Kevin Kim, Zach Pritchard and David Coker.
• David Ford; amateurs, Greg Waters, Jacob Baker and Nick Brown.
• Henry Westmoreland, Kinderlou Forest Golf Club No. 1; Josh Burk, Cole Davis and Elijah Peebles.
• Henry Westmoreland, Kinderlou Forest Golf Club No. 2; amateurs, Reb Benton, Trace Carter and Eb Stonestreet.
• Bill Connally, Glen Arven Country Club No. 1; amateurs, J.D. Culbreth, Mason Howell and Shep Davis.
• Bill Connally, Glen Arven Country Club No. 2; amateurs, Tyler Key, Austin Baker and Cavin Hall.
• Jimmy Gillam, Glen Arven Country Club No. 3; amateurs, Josh Cone, Hinson Arwood and Grant Sutliff.
• Jimmy Gillam, Glen Arven Country Club No. 4; amateurs, Sam Straka, Collin Ho and David Matthews.
• Tommy Burns, Prattville Country Club No. 1; amateurs, Casey O’Toole, Beau Boyd and Wes Porter.
• Tommy Burns, Prattville Country Club No. 2; amateurs, Clark Burns, Stan Burns and Wren Burns.
• Adam Cooper, Bull Creek Golf Club No. 1; amateurs, Chad Eunice, Zac Goodno and Tanner Brown.
• Adam Cooper, Bull Creek Golf Club No. 2; amateurs, Eli Stripling, Von Stripling and Andrew Eunice.
• Tim Weinhart, Heritage Golf Links No. 1; amateurs, Michael Standard, Chris Busbee and Dave Maddox.
• Tim Weinhart, Heritage Golf Links, No. 2; Hayden Willis, John Lee Redding and Craig Stevens.
• Phil Taylor, Ansley Country Club No. 1; amateurs, Adam Mitchell, Michael Green and Alex Gaddy.
• Phil Taylor, Ansley Country Club No. 2; amateurs, Mark Schultz, Mark Shay and Ryan Parnell.
• Glen Herrell, Savannah Quarters Country Club; amateurs, Nate Gahman, Roy Steinberg and Chase McLain.
• Glen Herrell, Savannah Quarters Country Club; amateurs, Will Sharpe, Thad Wheeler and Seth Williams.
• Avery Owens, Saugahatchee Country Club; amateurs, Walker Jamison, Josh Moore and Tyler Smith.
• Robert Long, Twin City Country Club; amateurs, Jay Sanders, Poli Medrano and Lane Singleton.
• Chris Murman; amateurs, Scott Palmer, Jonathan Terry and John Follett.
• Paul Reid, Indian Hills Golf Club; amateurs, Elliott Jones, Edward Hubbard and Phillip Weaver.
• Todd Ormsby, Canongate Golf Club No. 1; amateurs, Jamey Jackson, Chase Wood and John Lee Richter.
• Todd Ormsby, Canongate Golf Club No. 2; Rob Simpson, Allen Crawford and Bo Bradford.
• Jake Greer, Inverness Country Club No. 1; amateurs, Blair Hollan, Blake Kelley, Allen Oakes.
• Jake Greer, Inverness Country Club No. 2; amateurs, Jonathan Bridges, Jared Bridges and Clarke Hendrick.
• Bob Windom, Circlestone Golf Club; amateurs, Ernie Venet, Paul Tynan and Jeff Neugebauer.
• Kevin Klein, Dothan Country Club; amateurs, Matt Johnson, Heath West and Dalton Humphrey.
• Troy Raybon, Tiger Point Golf Club; amateurs, Andrew Gladden, Jon Hunt and Sam Mango.
• Jacob Tilton, Ansley Golf Club No. 3; amateurs, Andy Blanton, Kevin Blanton and Michael Hall.
• Jacob Tilton, Ansley Golf Club No. 4; Martin Connell, Chad Howard and Nick Sarkisian.
• Brian Dixon, Fox Creek Golf Club; amateurs, Bob Royak, Alex Brueggemann and Scott Cunningham.
• Sonny Skinner, Spring Hill Country Club No. 1; amateurs, Rhett McGowan, Chase Rutledge and Hunter Pate.
• Sonny Skinner, Spring Hill Country Club No. 2; amateurs, Peyton Clark, Reid Penuel and Paxton Clark.