Reigning champ early leader at Herdegen
Reigning two-time champion Lane shoots 69 to grab two-shot advantage
HIGHLAND, N.Y. » Two-time defending champion Justin Lane shot a 2-under 69 at Apple Greens that begged to be much better Friday as he took a first-round lead in the 68th Ulster County Men’s Amateur Golf tournament.
Lane leads the Herdegen by two strokes with a 36-33— 69. Jared Miller, who won the qualifier two weeks ago, is second with a 39-32–71. Devlin Walsh and Tom Sanford are three shots off, tied for third with 72. David Gil (74), Jake Hommel (75) and Denis Appleyard (75) are all within striking distance.
A strong first round was key for the competitors as they deal with the prospect of bad weather the next two days.
The second round is Saturday at the Lazy Swan Golf and Country Club in Saugerties and the final round — with the 58-man field reduced to the top 27 plus ties — at Wiltwyck Golf Club Sunday. There is a threat of thunderstorms both days.
“I’ll have the rain gear packed and ready to rock,” Walsh remarked.
Lane and Appleyard were
tied for the lead with par 36s on the front nine. Sanford was just a stroke back at the turn and his 72 made him the leader for more than an hour before Lane checked in.
“Justin’s obviously playing really well, so he’s going to be I think the man to keep up with,” Walsh said. “I’m just hoping to go out there and put up a couple of good numbers and stay in it.”
Lane, who was steady on the back nine with seven pars plus birdies on 10 and 14 for a 2-under 35, missed opportunities for a lower score and was harsher about his performance.
“I didn’t play well today, honestly,” Lane said. “I made a stupid bogey (on 4). The one that I had was just bone-headed. I didn’t make a lot of putts. The greens were a little slower. The putt on 18 I left that way short. It was kind of the story for today for putting.
“I didn’t hit off the tee very well. If I start hitting the ball better, be closer to the hole, be in better spots off the tee and make some more birdies ...” he said. “Tomorrow I think it will be a little bit harder of a course than it is today. Apple Greens doesn’t favor any player.
“It’s kind of short. It’s pretty open. You can spray it like I did today and kind of get away with it. Tomorrow
not so much.
“I’ve been playing pretty well, so I was disappointed with how I played. I scored alright, so I’m not going to complain about that,” said Lane, who noted his chipping — which he has been working on — went well.
Miller was 3-over on the front, but recovered with a 32 on the back that included birdies on 10, 11 and 14, plus an eagle on the par-5 16th.
“I hit the ball pretty good today. I found a few greens. I had a couple of mistakes,” said Walsh, who found the apple trees along the 18th hole. “but I had a couple of good saves out there to keep me in it.
“Overall, I was pretty happy with the round.”
Sanford, a veteran who placed in the top four in his first crack at the Herdegen back in the 1990s, was on his game.
“I could tell. I birdied the first hole, missed two short ones (inside five feet) on the next two for birds. I was playing pretty solid,” he said. “I hit a lot of greens, made a lot of putts. I did okay.”
Sanford was a Rondout Golf Club member, but that course is closed for renovation.
“I have been playing good. I just joined Wiltwyck, which is really coming around,” he said. “I enjoy playing over there. It’s a tough golf course. You have to get your game in line and it’s helped me. I know it has.”
The second round should benefit him, too.
“I live about two miles from Lazy Swan, so I’ve played there a lot. I know the golf course. I’m looking forward to it. That one I really enjoy playing.”
Hommel, who went from the Herdegen to his Kingston High graduation, had 14 pars.
”I had a triple (bogey) on 3, which was kind of tough, but bounced back and played the rest of the round one over,” he noted. “The back nine was good. I gave myself a lot of looks at birdie. I shot even,
“I haven’t played (Lazy Swan) since I played junior golf there probably three or four years ago, but it’s a nice golf course,” Hommel said. “I just got to go there and play my game and make some putts.”
FIRST ROUND At Apple Greens
Justin Lane ...................... 36-33—69 Jared Miller ..................... 39-32—71 Devlin Walsh ................... 38-34—72 Tom Sanford .................... 37-35—72 David Gil ........................... 38-36—74 Jake Hommel ................... 40-35—75 Denis Appleyard ............. 36-39—75 Brian Williams ................ 42-36—78 Scott Kleeschulte ............ 41-37—78 Chris Grady ..................... 38-40—78 John Hornbeck ................. 42-37—79 Donte Groppuso .............. 40-39–79 Matt Stokes ..................... 40-39—79 Tony Batista .................... 42-38—80 Andre Manginelli ............ 42-38—80 Scott Kozak .................... 40-40—80 Joe Redmond ................... 43-38—81 Johnny Garcia ................. 41-40—81 Ryan LaConture .............. 41-40—81 Martin Pennington ......... 41-40—81 Tony Rinaldi ..................... 39-42—81 Matt Teetsel .................... 39-42—81 Tim Rockett ..................... 44-38—82 Alan Coombe ................... 42-40—82 Brian MIlls ....................... 41-41—82 Nick Baker ....................... 39-43—82 Joey Puleo ....................... 39-43—82 Michael Gragg ................ 43-40—83 Nicholas Puleo ................ 43-40—83 Richard Eisinger ............ 39-44—83 George Feist ................... 44-40—84 Kevin Montanye .............. 43-41—84 Rick Taylor ....................... 43-41—84 Peter Weir ....................... 43-41—84 Rich Siegel ...................... 38-46—84 Kyle Bell ........................... 46-39—85 Zachary Boyce ............... 45-40—85 Daniel Gil ........................ 45-40—85 Kyle Hilliard ..................... 43-42—85 Brandon Kraft ................. 42-43—85 Duane Postupack ........... 42-44—86 Nicholas Schupp ............. 42-44—86 Timothy Smythe Jr . ........ 42-44—86 Paul Larios ...................... 40-46—86 Ori Grady ......................... 45-42—87 Charles Mataraza .......... 44-43—87 Charles Mataraza III ...... 43-44—87 Matthew Beesmer ......... 49-39—88 Liam Allred ...................... 46-42—88 Chris Pena ....................... 45-43—88 Dean Perry ...................... 45-43—88 Riley Gogg ....................... 46-45—91 Dean Myers ..................... 49-43—92 Troy Comerford .............. 46-47—93 Dean Palen ...................... 44-49—93 Jonny Harkins ................ 48-46—94 Jerry Maier ...................... 53-44—97 Zackary Murphy ............. 48-49—97 ——
TEE TIMES Second Round at Lazy Swan
9:00 — Daniel Gil, Chris Grady, Chris Pena 9:10 — Rick Taylor, David Gil, Joey Puleo 9:20 — Dean Palen, Brian Williams, Kyle Hilliard 9:30 — Nick Baker, Mattherw Beesmer, George Feist 9:40 — Dean Myers, Timothy Smythe, Tony Batista 9:50 — Ryan LaConture, Paul Larios, Nicholas Puleo 10:00 — Matt Stokes, Joe Redmond, Jerry Maier 10:10 — Duane Postupack, Troy Comerford, Zackary Murphy 10:20 — Donte Groppuso, Ori Grady, Zachary Boyce 10:30 — Devlin Walsh, Andre Manginelli, Riley Gogg 10:40 — Justin Lane, Jared Miller, Brandon Kraft 10:50 — John Hornbeck, Kevin Montanye, Tim Rockett 11:00 — Martin Pennington, Brian Mills, Alan Coombe 11:10 — Peter Weir, Kyle Bell, Jonny Harkins 11:20 — Denis Appleyard, Johnny Garcia, Michael Gragg 11:30— Rich Siegel, Scott Kozak, Tony Rinaldi 11:40 — Nicholas Schupp, Liam Allred, marker 11:50 — Tom Sanford, Richard Eisinger, Dean Perry 12:00 — Jake Hommel, Charles Mataraza III, Matt Teetsel 12:10 — Scott Kleeschulte, Charles Mataraza, marker