Middletown golfers enjoying 4-course format

Mark Harden, Nick Miller take initial lead in 4-day Middletown tournament.


2010 MEN’S MIDDLETOWN

AMATEUR CITY GOLF

CHAMPIONSHIP

Thursday, June 17

First round

At Weatherwax Golf Course

Mark Harden 72

Nick Miller 72

Adam Lawson 73

Tim Sorrows 73

Brooks Curry 74

Mike Dalton 74

Conor O’Hea 75

Zach Harvey 75

Tal Selby 76

P.J. Smith 76

Michael Mosko 77

Don Cunningham 77

Kevin Flynn 78

Anthony Motley 78

Rob McGee 79

Gary Cobb 79

Aaron Clarey 80

Mike Gomia 80

Tim Proud 80

Doug Williams 80

John Parks 80

Phillip Harrison 80

Anthony Lococo 80

Jimmy Parks 81

Joey Richmond 81

T.J. Selby 81

Ed McConnell 81

Jeff Neeley 82

Michael Roberts 82

Josh Davenport 82

Craig Harden 83

Joel Cleghorn 83

Juan Muzquiz 83

Russell Cox 83

Terry Miller 83

Tim Wirtley 83

Nick Callsen 84

Jim Marcum 84

Jeremy Hollon 84

Jim Miller 84

Ben Meiner 85

Brandon Stanton 85

Mike Ubelhart 85

Todd Hatfield 85

Dave Chapman 85

Erik Gregory 85

Bill Zumbahlen 86

David Callsen 86

Joe Gallina 86

Ken Harney 86

Sam Nelson 86

Ryan Finney 87

Tom Grove 87

Ryan Stumpf 88

Kevin Puckett 88

Jerry McIntosh 88

Tim Potts 88

Jake Fletcher 89

Mark Haberstroh 89

Evan Wirtley 89

Jim Drury 89

Earl Esselman 91

Garrett Lebo 92

Mike Lawson 92

John Joseph 93

Luke Dotson 93

Dominic Williams 95

John Sanderman 95

Grady Cobb 96

Jake Williams 96

Dick Freeman 98

Bobby Puckett 99

Chad Williams 100

Harold Stephens 103

Brandon Wheeler 111

Aaron Longworth 131

Nick Proud WD

MIDDLETOWN — Adam Lawson was one of the first golfers to turn in his scorecard on Thursday, June 17, after playing in the first round of the Men’s Middletown Amateur city golf tournament at Weatherwax Golf Course.

The 2008 champion shot a 1-over-par 73, which led the clubhouse for much of the day, but Lawson said he felt the way the course was playing that there could be someone out there who could shoot a 68 or 69.

He was almost right.

Nick Miller and Mark Harden each carded even-par 72s a little later in the day to take the initial lead in the four-day tournament.

“It felt really good,” Harden said. “I thought someone might be able to break par, but the course played long today.”

Harden made eagle on No. 6 Meadows, a 480-yard par 5, as part of his front nine round. He also had back-to-back birdies on Nos. 4 and 5 Woodside on the back nine.

“I had a good drive, hit a 5-iron to the green and made a 25-foot putt for that eagle,” Harden said. “I haven’t played a lot of competitive golf in the last four or five years, and there are a lot of good golfers out here, but I think that gives me the confidence that I can still play.”

Harden is a 1989 graduate of Vandalia Butler High School and played collegiate golf at Mount Vernon Nazarene. He’s also a member at Brown’s Run, which made him eligible to play in the city tournament this year for the first time.

“I think it’s a really neat format,” Harden said. “You can’t find four courses that are this different just anywhere.

“Playing in a tournament is a lot different than playing with your buddies on a Saturday morning,” he continued. “It may sound cliché, but four rounds is an eternity. I just need to stay away from any big disasters and make a few more putts. These courses are so different that anything can happen on any given day.”

Two-time champion Tim Sorrows joins Lawson in a tie for second one shot back at 73.

“It was kind of a boring round,” said Lawson, adding that he only had two birdies for the entire round. “It felt like a 73. I hit a lot of fairways and greens.

“My goal every year is not to have any three-putts and no double bogeys,” he continued. “One round down and that goal is still intact.”

Brooks Curry and Mike Dalton are tied at 74, followed by Conor O’Hea and Zach Harvey each at 75.

“It’s important to shoot well in the first round,” Curry said. “I’m definitely where I need to be.”

The tournament moves to Wildwood Golf Club for today’s second round. Tee times begin at 8 a.m.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852 or sweaver@coxohio.com.

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