SARATOGA’S CROWLEY CARDS LOW ROUND IN SII QUALIFER
ALTAMONT, N.Y. >> The scorecards weren’t burning up in the back pockets of 30 Section 2 golfers vying for a chance to qualify for the New York State tournament in June Tuesday at Orchard Creek Golf Club, but a score of 85 and better advanced 20 golfers to Friday’s final round.
Saratoga Springs golfer Nolan Crowley carded a 75 to tie Guilderland’s Aidan Seery and Ichabod Crane’s Trevor Wolfe for the low round and was joined by three other Blue Streaks taking the trip back to Orchard Creek Friday.
“The course was definitely playing harder than it usually does,” Nolan Crowley said. “I was really struggling with my sense of direction with the ball, I didn’t really miss in the right places, so it was a little higher than I would have wanted, but I’ll take it in these conditions today.”
The course fairways were soft, often causing drives to fall into the soft conditions and plug. The golfers were then challenged by quick greens on the sunny and breezy day on the apple tree lined course.
With Orchard Creek being dynamically different than his home McGregor Links course, Crowley was comfortable swinging his sticks in Altamont Tuesday.
“It’s kind of a straight, in front of you course, which I really like about it,” Crowley said. “It allows you to hit driver a lot, gives you a lot of decisions off the tee so you can do whatever you want and I really like that how it’s right in front you. It kind of gets the top nine kids (state qualifiers) deservedly.”
Crowley carded three birdies Tuesday, helping balance some of his miscues during
his round.
“I had a toe-shank of a chip, you know when you hit it so far off the toe and I made a 50-footer for par coming back,” Crowley said.
Shenendehowa’s Paul Goetz took advantage of the open space Tuesday, shooting a 76, along with Hoosick Falls’ Matt Smith for second-place on the leaderboard.
“I didn’t hit a lot of fairways on the back nine, but the course is really open so you get to miss it in a lot of places,” Paul Goetz said. “I hit it into 18 fairway from 13, almost made par, so it’s pretty open I’d say.
“The greens are so fast and if it doesn’t rain on Thursday they are going to cut them on Friday so it’ll be even faster. Chipping was tough too because you can’t hold it.”
Saratoga’s Will Braxton fired a 77, Shen’s Jack Manning a 78, Hoosick Falls’ Ryan Bloomer advanced with an 80 along with Blue Streak Anthony Cavotta and Galway’s Ryan Lovelass. Saratoga’s Clarkie Carroll and Shen’s Mike Westfall advanced with an 81 and Shen’s Luke Potter also moved on with an 83.
Greenwich’s Jake Owens claimed the final spot in Friday’s groupings, firing an 85 and then beating CBA teammates Chris Jorgensen and Greg Wyman in a playoff after all scores were reported.
The finals were moved from Thursday to Friday as the forecast calls for an inch of rain on Thursday and pushed the start time for the five groups to an 11 a.m. start at Orchard Creek.
Tuesday’s scores will follow the golfers into the next round with the top nine lowest rounds advancing to the New York State Tournament in June at Cornell University.
Crowley, Seery and Wolfe head in with the one-stroke advantage.
“I’d really like to win this tournament,” Crowley said. “It’s my third time coming here; it would be great if I could win this.
“A good goal to try and keep in mind would be to try to get myself back to even par for the tournament, just keep trying to make birdies and prevent the bogeys.”
Goetz plans to say loose heading into Friday and taking advantage of a softer course.
“I’ll probably find some time to putt somewhere, whether it’s at home, at the course (The Edison Club) hopefully, but just keep everything loose, keep the irons right,” Goetz said. “They were good today, keep the irons good, straighten everything out on Friday, not going to get much done on Thursday.
“Most of the back pins today you had to land short of because you couldn’t stop the ball unless you had a wedge in your hand. Friday it’ll play softer, make driving easier as well as hitting into the green, also putting will be easier because it will be a little slower. The course will play easier, so it’s going to take a real low score to really win it.” Follow Stan Hudy on Twitter @StanHudy