The 68-year-old McCord won’t have Sadlowski’s golf bag on his shoulder for 36 holes. He’ll be “driving” a push cart carrying the clubs. He’ll be there more for his expertise than his muscle.
Sadlowski, a 27-year-old former ice hockey player from St. Paul, Alberta, Canada, has plenty of muscle on his 5-foot-11, 165-pound frame. He can absolutely punish golf balls with his amazing club-head speed.
He is no stranger to those who participated in the First Tee Pro-Am at Dayton Country Club in 2014 and 2015. He put on amazing “power golf” exhibitions both years – driving balls through watermelons and 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch sheets of plywood when he wasn’t bashing them 390-406 feet. He socked a 300-yard drive with a putter.
The man McCord calls “Crankenstein” has driven golf balls an incredible 450 yards. He has traveled the world doing his shtick, but what he really wants to do is play on the PGA Tour. His immediate goal is to qualify for the U.S. Open at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club on June 16-19.
Sadlowski advanced to the Sectional by posting a 65 that earned medalist honors in the local qualifier at The Country Club at DC Ranch in Scottsdale, Ariz., on May 16.
McCord, who has played golf with Sadlowski at Whisper Rock Golf Club in Scottsdale, caddied for him in the local qualifier and promised to assist him again if he advanced. So they’ll be on Springfield’s first tee together at 7:36 a.m. on Monday.
Don’t expect Sadlowski to be hitting many 400 yard drives at Springfield. He used his driver only three times in the local qualifier. He chose his 3-iron on most holes. He can hit that club 300 yards.
One of Sadlowski’s two playing partners is Tony Finau, who advanced out of Springfield last year.
Three golfers with Miami valley ties are among the other Springfield contestants. They are: Ben Hogenkamp, Caleb Wolters and Nicolas Paxson. Nick Scott of Xenia is competing in Columbus.
Randy Leen, formerly of Kettering, is playing in the sectional at Jacksonville, Fla., not far from his home in Port Saint Lucie. The Alter High School grad, a three-time Big Ten player of the year while at Indiana University, was low amateur in the 1996 U.S. Open.
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