Cody Godfrey, in purple, is in position to earn a bye in the first round of the Chattanooga TPC with a solid finish this weekend at the Brainerd Invitational.
Sport Allmond, in the bright colors, won the 2015 Chattanooga Men's Metro and will be competing this weekend in the Brainerd Invitational.
Taylor Lewis, in blue, broke through with a win at the Choo-Choo Invitational and is a favorite to contend for the Brainerd Invitational tournament Saturday and Sunday.Cody Godfrey is enjoying an incredible season on the Chattanooga TPC golf circuit.
He leads the Adman Cup points list and is position to earn a bye into the first round of the Chattanooga TPC tournament at the end of the year.
"I've played in everything, and played pretty well, so I should be up there," Godfrey said. "I've had a solid season, but I haven't had the putter working real well. I like the Brainerd because there isn't a scary hole out there."
He has confidence on one of Chattanooga's public courses, which will be the site of the 70th Brainerd Invitational this Saturday and Sunday.
But Brooks Thomas, Sport Allmond, Richard Spangler, Taylor Lewis, Winston Brown and Hunter Vest are right on his heels heading into a pivotal weekend.
Results from the Brainerd Invitational may determine the top four seeds as well as which players earn positions in the TPC tournament field at Council Fire.
"There always seems to be somebody who makes a move in this tournament who wouldn't have otherwise made the TPC tournament," TPC director Mike Jenkins said. "This tournament can have more impact on the TPC than any Brainerd Invitational ever before. The top four for the season get byes, and it also means they can't play each other in match play right out of the chute.
"There's a big reward."
The ongoing CDGA four-ball tournament - held on neutral sites across the area at times when all four players can participate - may also factor into the TPC seedings. But the Brainerd Invitational finishes first.
"I haven't worried about the TPC very much," said Allmond, who won the Men's Metro. "Playing well this weekend could be big for the TPC, but also because it could show that I'm not a one-hit wonder and I can compete with the guys even though I'm a kid."
Allmond, a Heritage High School senior who has committed to continue playing at Dalton State, defeated Spangler in a sudden-death playoff to win the Metro at Canyon Ridge. Allmond won with an eagle on the first hole while wearing an outfit bright enough to make Rickie Fowler jealous.
"I have a lot of confidence going into this weekend," Allmond said before heading out to practice. "My game plan is to just swing at it and hope for the best."
Taylor Lewis, a two-time Metro champion, earned the biggest victory of the year in a Chattanooga-based tournament when he won the Choo-Choo Invitational last week at Council Fire. Lewis, 30, was one of two in the field who were not playing for a college team this fall. He beat the limberbacks on his home course.
"I had a chance to win a whole bunch of tournaments this year, and then I went to the Choo-Choo and it all came together," Lewis said. "I always look forward to the Brainerd because it's there where I grew up and I know that course. I expect to play well because I've been playing well all summer and I just missed out on winning a couple other tournaments by a shot or two."
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP