Allen Peake, Gay McMichael still enjoying Peach Blossom tournament
Allen Peake remembers playing in the Peach Blossom Tournament for the first time when he was 17 years old and what a thrill it was to be playing against Middle Georgia’s best players.
Peake, at 55, is still at it, and along with his partner Gay McMichael, they estimate that they have played in the tournament nearly 70 times.
The team put together a strong first round of 2-under-par 70 on Friday.
“A 2 under is probably as good as we can do, said Peake, who won the tournament with Michael Standard in 2001. “The thrill of competing never goes away, but we know that we can’t win the tournament anymore. We hit the ball about 260 yards off the tee, and these guys now are 40 or 50 yards in front of us. But it is really a great opportunity to get out here and see everyone, and it’s great to still be able to play. I can play in the senior tournaments now because I am 55, but this tournament and the distance is just a little too much for us these days.”
McMichael, who is 58, also has won the tournament, but that was in 1998 when he won a rain shortened event with Jim Stuart. McMichael said he used to play up to three times per week, but he is down to usually once per week.
“I still love the game and the camaraderie is really why I am out here playing,” McMichael said. “Allen and I are good friends, and we have a good time seeing everyone, but really, we felt like 2 or 3 over would be a good round for us. It’s not so much about the competition anymore, but the friends make it worthwhile.
“I come out here and eat breakfast and lunch with a bunch of friends, and it turns out to be a pretty good day.”
Peake was quick to remember his win in 2001.
“We went into the fourth playoff hole, and I chipped in for birdie on No. 12 to win the tournament,” Peake said. “It was a huge thrill for me because I was never really good enough to win a tournament like this. That is still a very special memory for me. I haven’t played much lately, but now that I can play the senior tournaments, where the course isn’t quite as long, I feel like I am rejuvenated.”
Peake and McMichael have no thoughts of contending for the championship this year.
“We might come out and shoot 80 (on Saturday),” McMichael said with a hint of a smile. “Of course, we don’t want to do that, but at our age, we might both start hitting it sideways on Saturday. But we will still enjoy playing in a great tournament like this.”
Scores
Team Score
Shawn Hodge/Stan Gann 63
Brooks Colquitt/Joshua Klipstein 64
Justin Broussard/Shannon Folsom 65
Adam Cooper/Bubba Gallops 65
Chad Branton/Justin Johnson 66
Coleman Tidwell, Jr./Rob Butler 66
Sam Hogan/Hiland Sanders 66
Joe Young/Daniel Thursby 67
Ryan Blackburn/Austin Weathington 67
Peter Persons/Jack Larkin 67
Allen Peake/Gay McMichael 68
Kevin Glaser/Tim Arnoult 68
Kyle Stiles/Ryan Ruggiere 68
Jamie Felder/Brandon Shaver 68
Bobby Brent III/Jared Garrity 68
Justin Pyron/Brad Harden 69
Matt Servies/Andrew Frandsen 69
Hal Lamb/Tre Lamb 69
Chris Waters/Jonathan Christie 69
Michael Standard/Rick Cloninger 69
Blair Scurlock/Will Dennis 69
Jared Macky/Dann Standard 69
Scott Reid/Jeremy Elliott 69
Donny Phillips/Chris Hall 69
Jason Coolik/Derek Griffin 69
Jay Spivey/Luke Dasher 69
Chad Wilson/Clay Stephenson 70
Nick Stiles/Doug Stiles 70
Mark Sweeney/Larry Harris 70
Charles Stroud/Wesley Hanson 70
Adam Cochran/Dave Maddox 70
Walker Jamison/David Dougherty 71
Ryan Emory/Mitch Greer 71
Scott Clark/Jay Blackburn 71
Mac Butler/Josh Williams 71
Timo Treilobs/John Calhoun 71
Ryan Ferrell/Jason Webster 71
Michael Brown/Jessee Smith 71
Jason Ondriezek/Jacob Hitt 71
Conner Albright/Thomas Night 72
Mike Combs/Jeff Combs 72
Mike Cromer/Terry Cromer 72
Ryan Steelman/Cal Johnson 72
Stan Copelan/Hal Greer 72
Alan Hampton/Mike Zito 72
Jason Myers/Daniel Cobb 72
Keith Wood/Walter Bridges 72
Victor Andress/Wilson Andress 72
Brent Pugh/Josh Barcomb 73
Tom Price/Michael Morris 73
Michael Kerbelis/Trevor Balliet 73
Greg Brock/Matt Oxford 73
Hayes Brown/Bill Bazzel 73
Mace Green/Michael Lewis 73
John Walker IV/Steve Welsh 73
Paul Chandler/Ell Hall 73
Keith Holmes/David Holmes 73
Brad Keller/Richie Taylor 74
Kyle Collins/Ryan Peters 74
Bayley Craig/Taylor Smith 74
Mark Hurt/Poli Medrano 74
Jeff Brown/Lanne Lawson 74
Phil Hardin/Hal Johnson 74
John Lastinger/David Dukes 74
Bill Paiter/Stephen Snipes 75
Alex Thigpin/Payne Clubb 75
Todd Kohout/Shawn Leveto 76
Jon Heard/Chris Robinson 77
Shaw Blackmon/David Werner 77
Ramsey Merrill/George Warwick 78
Erik Bagwell/Holt Redding 80
J.L. King/Chad McDaniel 82
This story was originally published April 29, 2016 at 4:42 PM with the headline "Allen Peake, Gay McMichael still enjoying Peach Blossom tournament."