Shelby County cattle farmer wins $10,000 with hole-in-one at Alabama Veteran golf tournament
A 55-year-old cattle rancher from Shelby County won $10,000 Sunday by hitting a hole in one at the Alabama Veteran War on the Greens golf tournament at the Robert Trent Jones Oxmoor Valley golf course.
Juan Fernandez of Sterrett knocked in the hole-in-one shot on the 16th hole of the Valley course after joking with his son, Mason, that he was going to do it.
“I have only been playing golf for two years,” Fernandez said. “I don’t know much about golf.”
His son, who plays on the golf team at Jefferson State Community College, recommended he use a 7 iron for the shot, which was 165 yards and into the wind. Seven was the lucky number.
“I hit a lucky shot, and I got it in there,” Fernandez said. “I hit it a little bit long, and it spun, then it started rolling, and it rolled and rolled, and it went in the hole. My son jumped up in the air about 5 feet. He was more excited than I was.”
Fernandez said he doesn’t know how much of the $10,000 he will get to keep after taxes or how he will use it. “Probably to pay bills or save it,” he said.
He, his son and two other guys made up one of 29 teams that were in the War on the Greens tournament, which was a fundraiser for the Alabama Veteran nonprofit group, which helps veterans reengage in society after leaving the military by meeting their social, fitness, recreational and other needs.
More than 115 golfers hit the links at the Oxmoor Valley courses between 8:30 and 9 a.m. Together, the golfers and sponsors raised more than $36,000 with the tournament to support veterans’ needs, tournament director Chris Montz said.
That’s the most golfers ever to play in the tournament, which is in its fourth year, and the most money raised, Montz said. He especially thanked all the sponsors who stepped up to help in a rough year.
Just before rolling out, the Alabama Veteran group honored the late Birmingham police Sgt. Wytasha Carter, an Air Force veteran from Shelby County who was shot to death in the line of duty in January 2019.
Leaders in the organization presented Carter’s family and friends with a framed certificate and U.S. flag. Receiving it were his wife, Tiphaney Carter, children Taelen and DeShe Carter, parents Ronald and Brenda Carter, brother Wikio Carter, sister-in-law Korliss Carter and friends from the Birmingham alumni chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
In past years, Alabama Veteran has held a gala the same weekend as the golf tournament, but this time, the gala will be held Feb. 13 at the Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa. More information about the gala will be available at a later date at alabamaveteran.org.