Two players break par after 2 rounds
Mini-tour regulars hold top 2 spots in $200,000 event
The first two rounds of the $ 200,000 Frank B. Fuhrer Invitational were completed as scheduled, even though the start of the three-day, 72-hole tournament at Pittsburgh Field Club was delayed 2½ hours by a morning storm.
The softened greens, though, did little to help most of the 40-man field because just two players — T.J. Howe and Dan Obremski Jr., both minitour players — were under par after 36 holes.
That’s just the way the tournament host likes it. And most of the competitors as well.
That’s not the way it was at the recently completed U.S. Open in Wisconsin.
“To me that’s not an Open course,” groused Fuhrer, who has been staging his tournament for 19 years. “You can’t make fairways 60 yards wide. You have to make fairways narrow and rough deep. That was a farce.”
In the more than 24 hours since Brooks Koepka won the U.S. Open at Erin Hills with a record-tying score of 16 under, there has been much complaining that what transpired for four days in Erin, Wis., was very un-U.S. Open like.
That included Justin Thomas shooting a record 9-under 63 Saturday — the Woods in 2000 and Rory lowest score in relation to McIlroy in 2011. par in U.S. Open history — “To me, of the four majors, and five rounds of 65 or the U.S. Open is the lower. mental, grinding one,”
That’s not what most said club professional people are accustomed to Dennis Dolci of Buhland seeing — or wanting to see Golf Course in Sharon. “I — in a U.S. Open. didn’t like seeing that.”
“That was ridiculous,” “I liked seeing Brooks said former PGA Tour win, I didn’t like that,” player Bob Friend, who has said mini- tour player played in several U.S. Spencer Mellon of Oakmont, Opens and shot 5-over 145 who shot 75-74. “I Monday in the 36-hole marathon like to see 5 over win.” at Pittsburgh Field “I hated it,” said Bradshaw, Club. That left him 11 shots the defending twotime behind the lead held by Fuhrer champion Howe, a former Penn State who birdied the final four player, heading into today holes in the afternoon to for the third round. ‘’That shoot 142. “They say the was the Greater Milwaukee U.S. Open is the toughest Open. They need to test in golf. That wasn’t stop taking the Open to the toughest test.” these public courses.” Howe almost got to experience
Obremski, a mini-tour the U.S. Open player who played at firsthand. He was second Penn-Trafford High alternate from a sectional School and Coastal Carolina qualifier and even played University, looked as several of the practice if he was playing at Erin rounds last week at Erin Hills. He shot 67-69 to stay Hills, waiting and hoping within two shots of Howe for a player to withdraw. It after 36 holes. never happened.
The fast start is nothing Sean Knapp, who won new for Obremski. He shot the Tri-State Open two 67-65 in the first t wo weeks ago, is one of two rounds a year ago at Pittsburgh amateurs in the field. He Field Club before opened the first round losing to David Bradshaw. with 70 that included a
“I like to see it really holed cut hybrid from 185 hard because that’s my yards for eagle at the 442style,” Obremski said. yard eighth and shot 145.
Each of the four rounds “When you look at the at Erin Hills produced a U.S. Open, historically it’s record number of players an examination of the under par. The final tally driver, your wedges and was 31 players who broke your putter,” Knapp said. par for 72 holes. Seven “And it’s an examination players finished 10 under mentally. I’m not sure the or better. examination was all that
In the history of the U.S. when you’re driving it 350.” Open, only five players ever reached 10 under. Only two ever finished at 10 under or better — Tiger