By Mike Blum
Nationwide Tour officials would like to return to Athens next year after holding a tournament there the last four years.
But there are a few issues that have to be resolved before the tour makes its fifth appearance in northeast Georgia next Spring.
The first order of business will be to secure a title sponsor, a difficult endeavor considering the current state of the economy.
Athens Regional Medical Center has been the primary sponsor of the tournament, but its future role will be more as a beneficiary, leaving tour officials to find a company to step in and support the event financially.
There is also some question about Jennings Mill Country Club, which has hosted the tournament since its inception in 2006. The course is highly regarded by the players who have competed there and the club has been a quality host, but its ownership situation has created the possibility that if the event returns to Athens, it will do so at a different facility, most likely the University of Georgia course.
The Nationwide Tour’s schedule is typically not finalized until late in the year, which leaves tournament officials some time to find a sponsor for 2010.
EARLY SUNDAY START: After three days of beautiful weather, there was a forecast for rain the final day of the tournament, with the tee times moved up several hours and golfers teeing off both nines.
As it turned out, the early start was unnecessary. After a few very light sprinkles during the late morning, the skies cleared late in the afternoon after the conclusion of play. The early start and forecast of rain had a negative impact on the crowd, with a smaller than usual number of spectators witnessing what turned out to be an exciting finish.
GEORGIA RESULTS: Of the approximately 20 players in the field with ties to Georgia, only seven made the cut, and one of them was unable to compete over the weekend.
Blake Adams, who started his college golf career in Athens before transferring to Georgia Southern, had the best finish among the Georgia contingent, tying for 11th at 279. Adams, who was playing on a sponsor exemption, shot 66 in the second round and finished with back-to-back scores of 70 to narrowly miss a top 10 finish.
“My back was a little stiff,” Adams said after the final round. He had back problems at the end of last year, but has gotten off to a solid start in 2009 with a runner-up finish on the Tar Heel Tour prior to his solid effort in Athens.
“It warmed up at about the fifth or sixth hole and I fought through it.”
Adams said he was appreciative of the sponsor exemption, and thanks to his strong showing, “I hope I made them feel like it was a good pick.”
With his tie for 11th, Adams earned $13,200, which put him in good position when the Nationwide Tour re-shuffled its non-exempt players after the tournament in Valdosta the following week.
“This takes a lot of the added pressure off,” said Adams, who was near the bottom of the list of non-exempt players on the tour after narrowly finishing in the top 100 on the money list last year.
Adams played as a non-exempt player on the Nationwide Tour in 2007, but finished well down the money list and lost his status for 2008. Thanks to a strong showing in Valdosta in his first start of the season, he played in enough events to regain status on the tour this year, and his play in Athens should get him into a number of tournaments later in the ’09 season.
“This takes a lot of added pressure off,” Adams said. “I’m lucky to have the chance to play my first two weeks where I know the courses well.”
Adams enjoyed an outstanding week statistically, but was not able to make enough putts to take advantage of his play from tee to green.
“I drove the ball well and stayed out of trouble but I didn’t make any putts. I think I only made one putt over eight feet all week.”
Adams finished the week third in driving distance (320) yards, and tied for fourth in driving accuracy, hitting 51 of 56 fairways, including 14 of 14 the first day when he shot 73 with a double bogey and four bogeys. He made only four bogeys the rest of the tournament, playing his final 54 holes in 10-under.
Kevin Kisner, a former Georgia Bulldog also received a sponsor exemption and tied for 15th at 281. Kisner shared the first round lead with a 66, and after struggling with a second round 75, played solidly over the final two rounds with scores of 70. Also tying for 15th was Michael Sims, like Kisner a St. Simons Island resident. He was in contention late in the third round, but the second of two double bogeys he made on the day knocked him out of contention. Sims previously tied for ninth in his first Nationwide Tour start of the season.
Former Georgia Tech golfer Bryce Molder, a PGA Tour member this year, tied for 30th at 284, stumbling down the stretch after getting off to fast starts in the second and fourth rounds.
Kris Blanks, who is also playing on the PGA Tour this year, opened with a 68, but was 1-over the final three rounds and ended up tied for 32nd at 285. Blanks, a Warner Robins native, won several Georgia PGA tournaments while he was an assistant at The Landings in Savannah. Blanks has struggled on the PGA Tour, making just one of his first six cuts, but managed a top-20 finish in a Nationwide event in Louisiana.
The biggest news in the tournament was generated by ex-Bulldog standout Brendan Todd, who is a rookie on the PGA Tour, but like Molder and Blanks did not get into the field for that week’s event at Hilton Head.
Todd got plenty of notice on Golf Channel and other broadcast and internet outlets, making back-to-back aces on the 17th hole Thursday and Friday. It was believed to be the first time that has happened in a PGA Tour-sanctioned tournament, and after rounds of 68-71-70 and a pair of early birdies in his final round, Todd was among the tournament leaders.
But he played his next eight holes in 9-over par and staggered in with a 79 to finish tied for 50th at 288. Todd was among the tournament leaders in driving accuracy and putting, but was last among players who made the cut in greens in regulation despite missing only six fairways for the tournament.
Roswell’s Justin Bolli, who has gone back and forth between the PGA and Nationwide Tour the past few years, made the cut at 141, but had to withdraw after requiring an emergency appendectomy following Friday’s second round.
Former Clarkesville resident Major Manning, who played on the Augusta State golf team, missed the cut by one shot at 145, with third-year Nationwide Tour player John Kimbell of LaFayette and Georgia PGA member Shawn Koch missing by two at 146.
Koch, an instructor at Country Club of the South who has three wins in recent years in Georgia PGA events, was done by one bad hole the second round. He was 3-under after 14 holes in the opening round before closing with a pair of bogeys, and was even for 12 holes in the second round and under the cut line, but suffered a triple bogey on the par-4 fourth hole at Jennings Mill. Koch’s opening 71 was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 14th.
Greg Lee, a Georgia PGA professional at Chicopee Woods and multiple Section tournament winner, shot 74-73 and missed the cut by three shots. After shooting 40 on his first nine, he holed a wedge shot for eagle at the par-5 18th. He was just one shot over the cut line with six holes to play Friday, but made three bogeys coming in.
Matt Peterson, the head pro at the University course and a former Nationwide Tour player, was even par after 14 holes in his opening round, but a double bogey at the 15th led to a 75. He was even par again the next day after 13 holes, but was 4-over from there and shot 76.
Atlanta native Ned Micheals played his way into the field a qualifier with a 67 at Chicopee Woods, but shot 76 in the first round and missed the cut at 147. Atlanta rookie pro Tim Schaetzel, shot 66 at Achasta GC to earn one of seven spots there along with Sims. He shot 77-77 at Jennings Mill.
Also missing the cut were veteran tour players Michael Clark of Dalton (149) and Duluth’s Scott Dunlap (150) along with fifth year Nationwide Tour player Josh Broadaway of Albany (149) and Athens native Keith Guest (149), who played on the Augusta State golf team and is currently an assistant coach there.
It took scores of 66 at Achasta and 67 at Chicopee Woods to get into playoffs for the last of seven qualifying spots from each site. Georgians Chris Kirk, Luke List, David Denham and Jay Mundy all shot 67 at Achasta, with Scott Parel posting a 68 and Reid Edstrom a 69. At Chicopee Woods, David Robinson shot 68 and Will Claxton shot 69.
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