CALERA &8212; Dixie PGA&8217;s Pro-Junior scramble was not only a success, but also gave a lift to the spirits of a local country club that took home first place at Timberline Golf Course Thursday.

June was a tough month for the Inverness Country Club, which saw its clubhouse burned down in a June 11 arson incident.

&8220;It&8217;s kind of a nice little boost for the club,&8221; said Paul Whitman, a pro from Inverness who took home the first-place trophy and $300.

Whitman was joined by juniors John Alford, Justin McElderry and Cody Tumlin.

McElderry, 13, sank a 10-foot putt for birdie to clinch the competition for his team, which managed 16 birdies, two pars and no bogeys. The group&8217;s official score was a 16-under par 55 to edge Wynlakes Club by a stroke.

Asked if the fire was in the back of the juniors&8217; minds when playing, Whitman said, &8220;They mentioned it after the win. They were pleased that they could do something to lift everybody&8217;s spirits a little bit.&8221;

The event matched local club pros with junior amateurs from Shelby and Jefferson counties.

Timberline club pro Joe Kruse said the golfers started at different holes and would then play the best shot from each turn.

&8220;We have players from all over, as far away as Birmingham,&8221; Kruse said. Kruse&8217;s group, including Jake Dishman, Taylor Freeman and Connor Slane, finished ninth out of 20 teams of four.

Montevallo pro Ed Davis was joined by Eddie Davis, Forrest Gamble and Justin Richardson to shoot a 57 for a three-way tie for third.

In eighth place, Jeffrey Copeland&8217;s Altadena Valley Country Club team included junior golfers Kyle Carpenter, Zach Gentry and Gabe Hyde.

Russell Redford of Greystone Country Club teamed up with Max Goozee, Andrew Hans and Matthew Belling to finish 10th.

Sports Editor Chris Megginson contributed to this story