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Tuesday, September 1, 2009
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Izzy in hunt at The Pines MINNESOTA PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Sports Writer The next Greg Bisconti could be playing at Grand View Lodges' The Pines Golf Course.
The Joel Goldstrand design is the site of the Minnesota PGA Professional Championship. The two-round event, which started Monday and concludes Tuesday, saw eight players break par on the Lakes and Woods nine.
The only player to break 70 was David Tentis of Troy Burne in Wisconsin. The former tour player shot a 3-under 69 to lead by one stroke. Three players are tied at 2-under with four others carding 1-under 71.
The top eight players will advance to the 2010 PGA Professional Championship at French Lick Resort and Casino in French Lick, Ind.
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Jack Wawro, head PGA professional at Grand View Lodge's The Pines, fired an opening-round 78 Monday in the Minnesota PGA Championship at The Pines. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
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The top players from that tournament will play in the 92nd PGA Championship Aug. 9-15, 2010, at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis.
It was at this year's PGA Championship at Hazeltine National in Chaska, where Bisconti finished as the low club professional in the field.
Playing himself into contention Monday was The Vintage at Staples' head professional Bill Israelson. He shot a 1-over 73 to land in a tie for 12th with seven other players.
"This was the worst putting round I've ever had," said Israelson. "It was just horrible. Inside of six feet and it was almost a hint of where I've been. I've had trouble with those short ones."
Israelson shot 2-under on the par 3s, including birdies on the 212-yard ninth of the Lakes and 174-yard third hole on the Woods. The 52-year-old also birdied the par 4 sixth on the Woods, but bogeys on holes eight and nine of the Woods and two and three of the Lakes landed him four shots off the pace.
"I wasn't that confident just for the fact that the worst club in my bag right now is my driver," Israelson said. "That's really the whole setup for the course. It's a great driving course if you can hit it out of the chute into the fairway. Then you have good birdie chances. But that's the club I just haven't consistently found the fairway with at all."
Other area professionals in the field included Jack Wawro, head professional at The Pines. He shot 6-over 78.
"I played very passive," said Wawro. "I don't know if it was nervousness or the conditions. Every swing was thought out a little too much and it was just a passive swing."
Wawro's scorecard included birdies on hole 7 of the Lakes and hole 7 of the Woods, and two doubles and four bogeys.
This was Wawro's second championship. He said playing on his home course added to the nerves.
"The course was in perfect condition," said Wawro. "The greens were really tough and the wind kind of came up and made it about three or four strokes harder than it would normally play.
"For me, personally, I was very nervous, because I came into it thinking I had a pretty good chance. Being at home and knowing the course so well, it makes you think you're supposed to play well. It was a challenge."
Also playing his home course was Grand View Lodge director of golf Eric Peterson. He fired an 84, one shot behind Chuck Klecatsky of the Legacy Courses at Cragun's.
Klecatsky carded two birdies to fall into a tie for 80th.
Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge head professional Greg Snow endured an up-and-down round for an 86. He stands in a tie for 94th despite posting three birdies.
Mark Neva of Deacon's Lodge, playing in just his second event of the year, shot 91.
"The course was set up very reasonable today, but I have to think it will be a little tougher (Tuesday)," said Israelson. "If 69 is low and I was four shots back, I think I have a semi-chance. My biggest problem is myself right now. It's not trying to beat someone else in the field."
First-round Top 10
1-David Tentis, Troy Burne 69
2t-Aaron Jacobson, Rush Creek 70
2t-Jeff Kringen, Spring Hill 70
2t-Ty Armstrong, Glen Lake 70
5t-Mike Zinni, Mankato 71
5t-Brad Pluth, Halla Greens 71
5t-Kris Kroetsch, Fargo 71
5t-Dale Jones, Mendakota 71
9t-Brent Snyder, Troy Burne 72
9t-Jeff Sorenson, Columbia Golf 72
9t-Craig Brischke, Tanners Brook 72
Players of note
12t-Don Berry, Edinburgh 73
12t-Bill Israelson, Vintage at Staples 73
23t-Mike Barge, Hazeltine National 75
39t-Jack Wawro, The Pines 78
80t-Chuck Klecatsky, Legacy at Cragun's 83
83t-Eric Peterson, The Pines 84
94t-Greg Snow, Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge 86
109t-Mark Neva, Deacon's Lodge 91
JEREMY MILLSOP may be reached at jeremy.millsop@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5856.
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