Alabama golfer comes out on top at Alexandria All Pro Tour tournament

Melinda Martinez, Alexandria Town Talk
Updated ·2 min read
Will Cannon (second from left) of Birmingham, Ala., is the champion of the 21st annual Coca-Cola Dr. Pepper Open held over the last four days at Links on the Bayou golf course. With Cannon are Joey Wancewicz (far left), head golf pro at Links on the Bayou, local All Pro Tour chair Teresa Slater (third from right), APT Tournament manager Taylor Delke and Manna House executive director Jessica Viator.

After going neck and neck all day, Will Cannon of Birmingham, Ala., edged out Jake Doggett of Hutto, Texas, to win the Coca-Cola Dr. Pepper Open golf tournament, part of the four-day All-Pro Tour held at Links on the Bayou in Alexandria.

“It was great. It was a lot of fun, It was great to be in contention every day. In the lead every day,” said Cannon.

But it was also nerve-wracking for him.

“I felt a lot of pressure, but it was a blast being out there and trying to win a great tournament,” he said.

He shot 66 for 18 under winning a $20,000 purse.

Cannon played in the tournament about four or fives times when it was held at Oak Wing Golf Club and simultaneously at Links on the Bayou but this is his first time playing in the tournament when it was only at Links.

“The back nine, really both sides are a great test, especially when it’s like this,” he said. “It’s always fun to just kind of test your game in these conditions and play on a really good golf course with a really good setup.”

The Walker Ford Pro-Am / Coca-Cola Dr. Pepper APT Pro Golf Tournament is the signature fundraiser for the Manna House, a local non-profit that provides free nutritious meals to those in need.

“People here are so fun, so nice. We always love coming back,” said Cannon. “I couldn’t think of a better organization to benefit than the Manna House. For the fact that it ties into such a great cause just means so much more.”

On Monday, golfers on the APT Tour and its staff were able to help out at the Manna House to see the service that the non-profit provides to the community.

“This is the 21st year that we have brought the tournament here,” said local APT chair Teresa Slater. “I started it years ago and we’re still here. And I couldn’t think of a better organization for it to benefit than the Manna House.

The weather has been perfect throughout the tournament except for one day and the golfers didn’t let that stop them, she said.

Manna House executive director Jessica Viator said that they are grateful for all the sponsors and the support the local non-profit gets from the tournament.

Viator said the tournament has a $500,000 economic impact for Alexandria. Golfers, their families, the KG Sports Team that’s part of the APT Tour, the volunteers and others stay in the local hotels, eat at local restaurants and shop.

Over 132 golfers played in the tournament that is a part of the PGA Tour.

This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Alabama golfer comes out on top at Alexandria All Pro Tour tournament