Alabama Crimson Tide: Surprises ahead of and at ‘The Open’

Former Alabama Crimson Tide golfer, Trey Mullinax is not likely to win The Open. ‘The Open’ is taking place this week at golf’s most revered course – the Old Course in St. Andrews, situated about 30 miles northeast of Edinburgh, Scotland.

This week’s tournament is also known by some as the British Open. By either name, it is golf’s oldest tournament dating back to 1860. Not just in geographic distance, it is a long way from Gardendale, AL.

Gardendale is the hometown of former Alabama Crimson Tide golfer, Trey Mullinax. Alabama golf fans will remember him for the heroics seen below.

The second of the two video clips shows Mullinax winning his first PGA Tour event in the Barbosal Championship. The birdie putt, made last Sunday, gave Mullinax a one-shot victory.

The victory qualified him to compete in The Open this week. The win also qualified him to play in an additional Major next season, the PGA Championship.

Alabama Crimson Tide Golf National Championships

Success in professional golf has not come quickly or easily to Trey Mullinax. When he left Tuscaloosa after the 2013 and 2014 Alabama Crimson Tide National Championships, he was a longshot to succeed professionally. Not that he wasn’t an outstanding college golfer. He was, but far more college golfers fail than succeed after turning pro.

Asked early in his professional career, what he would do if he failed, Trey purportedly said he would return to Gardendale and work on cars. He will be a full-time member of the PGA Tour next season, with no time to perform car repairs.

Before Sunday’s Barbosal win, Mullinax had two other professional wins, on the Web.com and Korn Ferry tours. His experience in Majors is two U.S. Opens, with a tied for a ninth finish in 2017 and a missed cut in 2018.

Mullinax has two other noteworthy golfing events. In a Wednesday Pro-Am in May 2019, Trey was hit in the head from a shot by an amateur playing partner. After a medical checkup, he competed in the event, but in it and multiple tournaments that followed, he suffered headaches and other symptoms causing poor play. Eventually, he was diagnosed as having a severe concussion.

After weeks of recovery and months of adversity, Mullinax returned to golf but could not retain his PGA Tour status.

More on his injury and recovery Golf.com story.

All that is behind him now and on Thursday, Mullinax and his good friend Justin Thomas will proudly represent the Alabama Crimson Tide in golf’s oldest and what many believe to be, golf’s greatest tournament.

The other noteworthy event for Mullinax can be seen in the video below when he saved par from a hospitality tent during a PGA Tour event.

https://twitter.com/ValsparChamp/status/972296197812744192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E972296197812744192%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fgolfweek.usatoday.com%2F2018%2F03%2F10%2Ftrey-mullinax-makes-unbelievable-par-from-hospitality-tent-at-valspar-championship%2F

Surely that shot brought out a “Roll Tide” from someone. Maybe Trey will have another surprise at The Open.