By Gary Lloyd
DECATUR — Another summer weekend, another golf tournament title for Pinson native John Michael O’Toole.
O’Toole, a rising senior at the University of Cincinnati, won the 47th annual Daikin Spirit of America Golf Classic at Burningtree Country Club in Decatur over the weekend.
O’Toole, a 2011 Pinson Valley High School graduate, took a three-shot lead into the final round Sunday, and won the tournament by the same margin, firing a 1-under 70 to finish at 10-under for the tournament.
Matt Gourgeot and Ole Miss’ Forrest Gamble finished at 7-under.
O’Toole will now play in the U.S. Amateur Sectional Qualifying tournament July 14 at Burningtree Country Club. The three top finishers from the one-day, 36-hole tournament qualify for the U.S. Amateur at Atlanta Athletic Club in August.
O’Toole won the Greystone Invitational last month after carding a final-round 7-under par 65 to finish at 13-under. O’Toole carded rounds of 69, 70, 71 and 65 to claim the championship by six strokes. There were 67 players who played the weekend after making the cut. The four-round tournament was played on the Founder’s Course at the Greystone Golf and Country Club in Birmingham.
O’Toole’s younger brother, Caleb, a rising sophomore at Pinson Valley High School, has been his caddy for both tournaments this summer.
As a senior at Pinson Valley High School in 2011, O’Toole won the Class 5A individual state championship at Magnolia Grove in Mobile. He shot 72 and 69 in the tournament, which Pinson Valley placed fifth in as a team.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.