Golf: Making the turn + Chip Shots including two top six finishes by UL golfers

Dan McDonald, Daily Advertiser, June 13, 2012

Brian Rowell tees it up with the rest of the 156-player field tomorrow in our national championship, and the Lafayette resident knows how special the U.S. Open is.

He’s been on the verge of making the field for the world’s most democratic golf tournament before, having advanced to sectional play several times. But this year, he’s in the field when play begins Thursday at the esteemed Olympic Club in San Francisco.

"I’m trying not to get too excited about it," he said, "but it’s really nice to know that after everything we’ve been through that we’re finally there."

To realize how special it is, all one has to do is look at the list of players who didn’t make it through the qualifying. Former U.S. Open winner Tom Kite, former Masters champion Zach Johnson, Ryder Cupper J. B. Holmes, former British Open winner Ben Curtis and tour regulars Fred Funk, Kevin Stadler, Jhonattan Vegas, Johnson Wagner, Tommy Gainey, Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Ricky Barnes, Charley Hoffman, Rocco Mediate, Camilo Villegas, Lee Janzen, Heath Slocum, Justin Leonard and Woody Austin are just some of golf’s "name" players who won’t hit a shot at Olympic this week.

But Rowell will. He’s in the last group off the No. 1 tee at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, teeing off at 2:57 p.m. local time (4:57 p.m. Central) in a threesome with fellow Americans Brian Gaffney and amateur Alberto Sanchez. He’ll follow with a 9:12 a.m. (11:12 a.m. Central) tee time on Friday off the No. 10 tee.

They and the other Open qualifiers will be taking on an Olympic course that has been lengthened 373 yards from the last time the legendary San Francisco layout hosted an Open. It’s far from the longest to host the Open at 7,170 yards for the par-70, but it is the epitome of a shotmaker’s course — especially with the setup that the USGA figures to have in play.

It’s also got some length teeth — the opening hole is a 520-yarder that will play as a par-four (with a fairway only 29 yards wide), the second hole is a monster 247-yard par-three that is well-bunkered and with a double-sloping green. And Olympic will also have the longest hole in Open history, with the par-five 16th measuring up to 670 yards.

Rowell has had several days to practice over the Olympic layout, a radical departure from the outings he has made on the PGA Tour. In those events, he’s had to go through Monday qualifying at a different facility, and then had only one day — Tuesday — to play the tournament course before the start of play on Thursday.

This time, he’s had access to the course every day since his arrival over the weekend, and that will help with the adjustment from the Bermuda grass courses he’s played regularly in the South. But at least this year, he won’t have to fight the poa annua grass that is so common to California courses that have hosted the Open (in this part of the country, poa annua is a weed and is anathema to course superintendents).

Olympic’s poa annua greens, which grew quickly during warm days and created bumpy greens for players who had late starts, have been replaced with a more consistent bent-grass surface. It’s still different from Bermuda, but it is at least a fairer test for players from start to finish.

Having a good putting tournament is a big key for Rowell, who readily credits his putter with his success so far this season on the Adams Pro Tour. He currently leads the earnings list on that mini-tour through seven tournaments, two of which he’s won — the Victoria (Texas) Open in March and the Lions Club Open in Westlake in April. He also has three other top-five finishes including the Bay Oaks Open in Houston two weeks ago.

It was right after that Bay Oaks event that Rowell headed for the U.S. Open Sectional qualifying in Houston, where he claimed one of the three available spots — out of 58 hopefuls — at one of the 11 national sectional sites. His four-under 140 score for the two-round event tied him for second, and he was one of the two survivors in a four-way playoff for the final two spots.

An 8-iron within 10 feet on the first playoff hole, a 168-yard par-three, and the subsequent birdie putt put the 39-year-old transplanted Texan into his first major championship. It also gave the Acadiana area its second Open participant in two years, after Lafayette’s Michael Smith won top honors at a 2011 sectional in Dallas to claim a spot.

"It’s pretty exciting," he said. "Ever since the sectional, I’ve been trying to stay calm and keep the emotions under control. But it’s my first major "» I’ve been in some Tour events, but this is so much different."

"Making the Turn" appears each Wednesday. Clubs, courses and individuals with information about local golf events may email Dan McDonald, editorial director at Golfballs.com, at danmcdonald@cox.net, FAX to (337) 857-8763 or call (337) 857-8754 and leave a message with phone number. Listen to the "Making the Turn" radio show each Wednesday from 8-9 a.m. on ESPN ¬Sports Radio 1420.

STATE AM RESULTS: Two top-six finishes by members of UL’s golf team highlighted Acadiana-area performances in last week’s Louisiana Golf Association State Amateur Championships played at TPC Louisiana in Avondale.

Brandt Garon of Baton Rouge, a senior-to-be on the UL squad, tied for second in the rain-shortened event with a 69-71-73"”213 score after leading the tournament at the conclusion of Friday’s second day of play. Andrew Noto of Luling, who just completed his senior year with the Cajuns and made his second NCAA Tournament appearance, tied for sixth at 70-75-70"”215.
John Talley of St. Martinville, who was the tournament leader when the delayed second round was completed at 72-69-77, and B. C. Thibeaux of Lafayette at 74-70-74, tied for 11th at 218, while James Anderson of Lafayette tied for 18th at 219.
Matt Smith of Lafayette and Kenley Jones of Avery Island also had top-25 finishes, tying for 23rd at 220, while also finishing in the top 40 and earning an automatic berth in next year’s event without having to go through qualifying were Logan Lajack of Opelousas (t27th, 221) and Brad Landry of Scott (T35th, 223).
The State Amateur is one of eight tournaments the LGA hosts during the year. Next up is the Junior Amateur, scheduled for Wednesday-Friday, July 11-13, at Links on the Bayou in Alexandria. The final event on this year’s LGA calendar, the State Senior Four-Ball, will be played locally when Le Triomphe hosts that event Sept. 22-23.

AND AN LGA BONUS: Participants in that upcoming LGA Junior Amateur event will have a couple of opportunities to hear golf rules from one on the country’s leading authorities, and to learn how best to prepare themselves for potential collegiate golf careers.
At a hamburger cookout to be held July 10, the evening before play begins, LGA executive director Carr McCalla will conduct a short rules seminar for the tournament participants. McCalla has worked as a rules official at several national USGA and professional events and is recognized as an authority on the rules of the game nationwide.
This year, though, players will also get to hear from several state collegiate coaches in a panel discussion held after the rules seminar, advising them on what steps they should take to prepare for possible collegiate play. UL coach Theo Sliman will be part of that panel, and parents of participants are also invited to participate.
Only Junior Amateur participants may take part, and entries for that tournament are open through July 3. Information is available at www.lgagolf.org or at (337) 265-3938.

HALL OF FAME GOLF: Only one week remains for local golfers and state sports fans to get entries in for a special golf outing held during Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction activities. The Encana Hall of Fame Celebrity Pro-Am scramble is set for Friday, June 22, at Oak Wing in Alexandria, and deadline for entries is the end of this week.
Dozens of Hall of Famers, including this year’s induction class of Deuce McAllister, Warrick Dunn, Terry Robiskie, Roger Carr, Pete Richardson, Aaron James, Eddy Furniss and record-holding Lafayette jockey Mark Guidry, will take part in the scramble that has registration and lunch at 11:30 a.m. and a 1 p.m. shotgun start.
Entry fee is $150 which includes tee gifts and Hall of Fame apparel, food and beverages and pairing with at least one Louisiana sports figure as celebrity captain. Individual entries or teams of five are available, and more information is available online at www.lasportshall.com.

ACES: Jerald Vidrine of Ville Platte has been playing golf for only five years at age 64, but he already has a hole-in-one to his credit. Vidrine used a TaylorMade Burner 6-iron and a TopFlite ball to ace the 162-yard seventh hole at The Farm d’Allie on Thursday, playing in a twosome with Clarence Beard.

MIKE OPEN: One of the area’s largest and most successful fundraiser events is now taking entries, with the annual "Mike Open" set for July 16-17 at Les Vieux Chenes. The event is hosted annually by district attorney Mike Harson, and is a major fundraiser for local charities and especially youth groups throughout the Acadiana area.
The event has both morning and afternoon tee times on both Monday and Tuesday and normally fills its 576-player capacity each year (144 players each for the four rounds), so players who plan to take part should submit entries as soon as possible. Tournament organizer Ken Franquez said the afternoon rounds, which are more popular, are already filling up.
Entry information is available at Les Vieux Chenes or from Franquez at kfranq@cox.net or at 207-4288.

USSSA AT LaTOUR: The USSSA Golf Junior Tour hosts its Norman Swanner Memorial meet on Saturday-Sunday, June 23-24, at LaTour in Matthews. The event is open to boys and girls age 9-18 with the 12-14 and 15-18 age groups playing 36 holes and the 9-11 age group playing 18 holes (nine daily).
Entry fee is $150 for the two older age groups and $75 for the youngest group. Players must be USSSA registered, and entries are available online at www.usssa.com or from Robert Boudreaux at (337) 278-8431.

ACADIAN VILLAGE: A fundraiser tournament to raise support for LARC and the Acadian Village is scheduled next Friday, June 22, at Hebert Municipal.
The four-person scramble has a 1 p.m. shotgun start following check-in at 11:30 a.m. Entry fee is $125 which includes food and drink on the course, and entry deadline is noon on June 21. Entries and more information are available from Ken Franquez at kfranq@cox.net or at 207-4288.

PENTECOSTAL GOLF: The Pentecostals of Lafayette will stage their inaugural TPOL Classic on Saturday, June 30, at Abbeville Country Club. The four-person scramble has an 8 a.m. shogtun start with registration beginning at 7 a.m. and prizes to the winning team, long drive and closest to the hole. Information and registrations are available at www.tpolchurch.com, from tyler@tpolchurch.com or by calling 981-9300.

LAGNIAPPE: Eleven players who took part in the Nationwide Tour’s Chitimacha Louisiana Open at Le Triomphe in March are entered in this week’s U.S. Open "» The monthly Vieux Chenes Men’s Senior Golf Association tournament is set tomorrow at Les Vieux Chenes. The event is open to all senior players, and information is available at the club or by calling 837-1159 "» The Gulf States PGA Section’s Junior Championship wraps up today at Lakewood in New Orleans. The boys and girls champions each qualify for the Junior PGA National Championship July 31-Aug. 3 at Sycamore Hills in Fort Wayne, Ind. "» Cart staff and part-time outside operations positions are currently available immediately at Les Vieux Chenes. Applicants may come by the club or call Todd Robertson or Bane Luquette at 837-1159.