Chandler champions Patriot Golf

Austin Chandler won an Alabama Junior Golf Association (AJGO) tournament in summer 2015. CONTRIBUTED

Athlete of the Week

MADISON – In 2014, Austin Chandler was one of only two golfers from 7A North Sub State (Birmingham North) to qualify for the state tournament in Mobile.

To advance to Mobile, he shot a 73.

Chandler, a junior at Bob Jones High School, won an Alabama Junior Golf Association (AJGO) tournament in summer 2015. He shot a 68 at Twin Bridges in Gadsden and made an eagle on the last hole from 137 yards out to clinch the win.

Golf is his sport of choice because Chandler enjoys competing both as a team member and as an individual. Cory Wright coaches boys’ golf at Bob Jones.

Along with the varsity golf team at Bob Jones, he participates in the Spurs basketball team in the 18U league of Basketball Association of Madison (BAM). He is a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the youth group at Mount Zion Baptist Church.

Austin’s parents are Jeff and Jennifer Chandler. Jeff works as a pharmaceutical executive with Johnson and Johnson. Jennifer teaches math at Bob Jones. Austin’s brother Grant is a sophomore at Jacksonville State University and pitcher on the JSU baseball team. Grant also played baseball for Bob Jones.

Austin hopes to play golf in college after graduating from Bob Jones in 2017.

Q & A

Q: What Madison restaurants do you like?

A: Applebee’s Grill & Bar and Moe’s Southwest Grill

Q: What’s your favorite food?

A: Steak.

Q: What are your favorite sports teams?

A: Alabama Crimson Tide and Carolina Panthers in NFL.

Q: What’s your favorite sports memory?

A: In the last golf season in 2015, Bob Jones won sectionals as a team by shooting a combined 307, Austin said.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: Austin likes to “fish, play video games, hang out with family and friends and just spend time outdoors.”