Hooters Tour event tees off in Dothan

After weeks of hotel stays, the Dothan Classic is a welcomed sight for Andrew Medley and a few of his golf buddies.

“My grandmother lives in Headland,” Medley said. “Me and four other guys are staying there this week.”

Medley and his roommates for the week are competitors on the NGA Hooters Tour, which is the third largest men’s golf tour in the country behind the PGA and Nationwide Tours.

The four-round Dothan Classic begins this morning at Highland Oaks and will conclude Sunday afternoon. This marks the sixth straight year the developmental professional golf tour has made a stop in Dothan.

Medley, a native of Athens, is in his first full year on the circuit after graduating in the spring of 2007 from Auburn University, where he competed on the Tigers’ golf team.

He found success early, winning in his third Hooters Tour event last fall at Little River, S.C., where he pocketed $34,238 for the victory.

“That was huge,” Medley said. “It gave me a ton of confidence and a peace of mind that I can compete and win out here.”

But Medley said it didn’t give him any false illusions.

“It’s a sport you’re not going to win every week unless you’re Tiger Woods,” he quipped.

“I figured out quickly, to be competitive you’ve got to be at the top of your game.”

While Medley hasn’t won a tournament this year, he has been happy with his play.

“I’ve been really good this year, but I just feel like I haven’t put a whole week together,” Medley said. “I’ve been driving and putting really well, which is the two most important things out here.”

Medley has played the Highland Oaks course a number of times, and hopes that will work in his favor this week.

He also feels comfortable in the surroundings of Dothan, not only because of family in Headland, but from his years as a competitor in the Press Thornton Future Masters at the Dothan Country Club.

“I started when I was 9 or 10 years old and played in it for seven years,” Medley said of his Future Masters days. “I finished second in the 15-16 age group — that was my best finish.

“It’s scary to think that was about 10 years ago.”

Now he’s living his dream of playing golf as a profession.

“It’s weird, but I can’t even think of what I’d be doing if I wasn’t doing this,” Medley said.

Quick notes: The money leader on the tour this year, David Skinns of Lincoln, England, will tee off at 7 this morning. He’s earned $94,083 this season ... The lone Dothan golfer entered is Heath West, who will tee off in the last group today at 1:57 p.m. ... The Future Masters champs of 2002 (Mark Harrell) and 2003 (Joseph Sykora) will be competing. Both are former University of Alabama golfers.