Round-one leader Lee Brannon choked on a piece of steak Saturday night, had to have the Heimlich maneuver performed on him by his brother-in-law and was later taken to the hospital where he wasn't released until around 11 p.m. A few hours later Brannon did anything but choke as he added a closing-round 69 Sunday to his opening-round 69 to win the R.P. Shapard Jr. Griffin City Championship by seven strokes at the Griffin City Golf Course.

"I played better than I thought I would," said Brannon, who became the tournament's first two-time winner in nine years, since Chris Rivers (2000 and 2003).

Brannon, who also won the tournament in 2008, started the final round tied for the lead with 2009 champion Joey Tinsley. But in a round where Tinsley didn't produce a single birdie, Brannon shot out of the gate with birdies at No. 2 and 3.

"I got off to a good start with birdies at 2 and 3 and that made a big difference," said Brannon.

Tinsley (69-76—145), who finished runner-up for the third time — 2005 and 2010 being the others — conceded, "I couldn't make any putts today."

The only other noise on the day came from K.P. Smith with an eagle on No. 1 and a birdie on No. 2. But Smith, who started the day three back at 73, gave it all back with bogeys at No. 3, 6 and 7 and was never a factor again.

Brannon, meanwhile, extended his lead over Tinsely to three shots when he parred and Tinsley bogeyed No. 8. Both players birdied No. 9, and Tinsley got a shot back at No. 10 when he parred and Brannon bogeyed.

"A three-shot (or two-shot) lead over a guy as good as Joey — he's a player — is nothing," said Brannon.

But Tinsly's run was short-lived as Brannon birdied No. 11 — the No. 1 handicapped hole — and Tinsley double bogeyed it and Brannon's lead grew to four shots. It went to five on No. 12 as Tinsley bogeyed the hole.

Tinsley had a chance to make up some ground when Brannon left back-to-back wedge shots short of the green on No. 14, but Tinsley missed a birdie putt and Brannon sunk a chip to half the hole.

"I was feeling pretty good then, but then you want to get it back to the house," said Brannon. "I kept waiting for him to make a run."

Tinsley never did as his putter remained cold in a round where he bogeyed No. 8, 11, 12, 17 and 18.

Meanwhile, Brannon continued to put distance between himself and the field with a birdie at No. 15 as his lead swelled to six strokes.

"I felt really good when I birdied 15," he said.

Going into No. 18 Brannon knew he had the lead.

"I just wasn't sure exactly how big it was," he conceded. "I knew when I put it in the fairway at 18, I was just thinking get it on the green and get it in the hole."



GRIFFIN CITY CHAMPIONS

Year |Player |Score

2012 |Lee Brannon |69-69—138

2011 |Henry Mabbett Jr. * |67-68—135

2010 |Corey Dinkins * |75-72—147

2009 |Joey Tinsley |70-74—144

2008 |Lee Brannon * |76-70—146

2007 |Ken Pullin |67-73—140

2006 |Rock Hutcheson |69-73—142

2005 |Adam Rogers |71-73—144

2004 |Josh Woods |73-74—147

2003 |Chris Rivers |69-75—144

2002 |Mike Rivers |72-70—142

2001 |Mickey Carver |70-74—144

2000 |Chris Rivers |71-76—147

1999 ||(no tourney)

1998 |Mike Rivers |71-69—140

1997 |Clarence Mack |72-72—144

1996 ||(no tourney)

1995 |Clarence Mack |74-71—145

1994 |Tim McBride |75-77-79—231

1993 |Mike Rivers |68-74-69—211

1992 |Wayne McBride |76-75-70—221

1991 ||(no tourney)

1990 |Wayne McBride |71-68—139

1989 |Mickey Carver |not available



*— Won in a sudden-death playoff