Par hard to beat in opening round of City Golf Qualifier

Par was a tough ask at Cascades on Saturday.

Ike Martin was happy to see that development as the defending Super Senior champ and City Golf Tournament veteran watched some of the golfers roll through No. 9 during the annual City Golf Qualifier.

He holds the Men's all-time low qualifying score of 131 and will most likely carry that distinction for yet another year. A blistering 65 and several other scores in the 60s during the final round of the Medalist at Cascades suggested it might be in jeopardy, either from new blood or a few returning regulars.

A dry spell has hardened the fairways a bit, leading to plenty of roll off the tee, but it's also left some chips more delicate than usual. The greens are firm and true. But if there was an advantage to be had, it never developed as a trend on a muggy afternoon.

Logan Vernon, heading into his senior year on the golf team at St. Mary's of the Woods, is the first round leader in the Men's Championship flight with a three-under 68. He leads by one shot with a 72 the next best score.

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"They kind of had a few tricky pins in some spots," Vernon said. "But for the most part, I was just golfing my ball. Hitting shots where I wanted to and getting up and down and just making a lot of putts.

"All that contributed to a pretty good score."

Just the top 15 in each division (Men's Senior, Super Senior) will make the Championship flights with all three defending champs back in Jace Day, Jim Alexander and Martin, respectively.

Vernon, with three other family members scattered among the Senior and Super Senior qualifying tourneys, had a quiet round with four birdies and one bogey.

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Off the tee, he let the course do some of the work he might normally put on his driver.

"I told myself I don't need swing super hard, just keep it straight, it's going to have enough distance," Vernon said.

Around the greens, he leaned on the short game work he's been putting in.

"They're doing such a good job with the course," Vernon said. "There are a lot more shots where you've got to be a lot more delicate now. You've got to focus and hit a pretty touchy shot."

Vernon was the Pomeroys' top finisher at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association's national championships last October, shooting a 72-74—146 to tie for second and lead SMWC to second as a team.

SMWC has made the move to NAIA and the River States Conference, so he'll be facing a better level of competition in his last season.

"I had a pretty good fall season," Vernon said. "It built my confidence up and I've spent more time practicing, trying to dial in my short game, especially for out here."

Doak Henry, the 2019 City champ and a semifinalist last year, came in at 69 and has a three-shot cushion over Harrison Carmichael.

"I just felt like I was making a lot of par saves for the most part," Henry said. "I bogeyed the first hole and played pretty solid after that and threw in a birdie every once in a while and made a bunch of pars on the back nine."

"It's playing firm. You get closer to greens off the tee. At the same time, with chipping putting, it's a little firmer. The greens rolled really well. Speed-wise they were pretty good."

Brian Muehlhaus, Darrin Fuller, Chad Osborne and 2020 match play winner and 2021 runner-up Nick Burris all had 73s. Brad McLaughlin had a 74, Jason Bannister, author of that 65 during the Medalist, had a 75 to tie with Charles Osborne.

Bannister, a teammate of defending champ Day's at Southern Indiana, had five birdies, but also a ton of trouble on No. 3 that led to a quadruple bogey.

There was a tie for 15th at 79.

The final group that tees off at 11 will have a definite Bloomington North feel to it with Muehlhaus and Carmichael the Cougars' girls and boys coaches, respectively, along with former North players Henry and Vernon.

Neubecker leads Super Seniors

Dan Neubecker continued his hot run of late with the day's best round, a four-under 67, to take a four-shot lead in the Super Senior qualifying tourney.

Neubecker, winner in extra holes of the Medalist Tournament two weekends ago, hammered out six birdies and was three-under on the back nine.

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"I'm just kind of peaking at the right time," said Neubecker, an 11th seed last year who lost a tough 1-up battle vs. George Finley in his match play opener. "It was steady. Only had a couple bad holes."

Neubecker enjoys a three-shot lead over 2020 champion Ron Shiflet (70), with Jeff Smith in at 71 and Rory Brown and Dave Devitt next at 73. Four-time Super Senior champ Finley is sixth at 74. Mike Vernon, Don Chastain and Robin Harper all had 75s.

There's a tie for 15th at 85.

Tight group atop Seniors

Nobody broke par in this group but it's no surprise that four-time champ Gary EuDaly finds himself in front with a 73. That said, it's just a one stroke lead over Mark Chestnutwood.

EuDaly had five birdies to put himself in the top spot.

Todd May, who took eventual champ Jim Alexander to an extra hole in the first round of match play last year, is next at 75, tied with Steve Sims. Tim Gillespie had a 76 and is fifth.

An 87 currently sits 15th.

BLOOMINGTON CITY GOLF QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT

First round

MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP

Logan Vernon 68; Doak Henry 69; Harrison Carmichael 72; Brian Muehlhaus 73; Darren Fuller 73; Chad Osborne 73; Nick Burris 73; Brad McLaughlin 74; Charles Osborne 75; Jason Bannister 75; Mitch Oard 76; Justin Fox 76; Darin Woodley 78; Sam Wise 78; Tyler Jordan 79; Matt Newman 79; George Adams 80; Jeremy Wise 81; Jordan Santa 81; Simon Deliyannis 81; Matt Jacobs 82; Hunter Desilets 83; Jason Storm 83; Nick Zwissler 83; Matthew Seifers 83; Brian Wise 83; Greg Granger 83; Robert Wise 84; Brad Scroggins 85; Cole Parker 86; Joe Stratton 87; Jim Southern 87; Dillon Donovan 96; David Tiwari 112; Bailey Howard, WD; Jake Miller, WD; Austin Render, WD; Scout Robbins, WD

SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

Gary EuDaly 73; Mark Chestnutwood 74; Todd May 75; Steve Sims 75; Tim Gillespie 76; *Jim Alexander 77; Lance Ringler 78; Brad Leach 79; Charles Combs 80; John Kaser 80; Matt Till 81; Chuck Vernon 82; Gary Walls 83; Gary Blackwell 86; Ross Grimes 86; Brett Daniels 87; Matthew Grubb 88; Burke Geene 88; KwangRok Kim 90; Jan Bond 92; Dan Smith 97; Rick Scherer 101.

*Returning champ, not required to qualify

SUPER SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

Dan Neubecker 67; Ron Shiflet 70; Jeff Smith 71; David Devitt 73; Rory Brown 73; George Finley 74; Mike Vernon 75; Don Chastain 75; Robin Harper 75; Rick Miracle 76; Joe Beane 78; Dick Meacham 79; Fred Cooksey 82; Kirby Gann 82; John Cantwell 85; Rob Vernon 85; Marty Hutsell 86; Brian Werth 86; Doak Henry Sr. 88; Sam Jantaraweragul 89.

Sunday Tee Times

SENIORS CHAMPIONSHIP

7:30 a.m.: Jan Bond; Rick Scherer, Dan Smith

7:40: Burke Geene; Matthew Grubb; KwangRok Kim

7:50: Gary Blackwell; Brett Daniels; Ross Grimes; Gary Walls

8:00: Charles Combs; John Kaser; Matt Till; Chuck Vernon

8:10: Jim Alexander; Tim Gillespie; Brad Leach; Lance Ringler

8:20: Mark Chestnutwood; Gary EuDaly; Todd May; Steve Sims

SUPER SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

8:40: Doak Henry Sr.; Marty Hutsell; Sam Jantaraweragul; Brian Werth

8:50: John Cantwell; Fred Cooksey; Kirby Gann; Rob Vernon

9:00: Joe Beane; Robin Harper; Dick Meacham; Rick Miracle

9:10: Rory Brown; Don Chastain; George Finley; Mike Vernon

9:20: David Devitt; Dan Neubecker; Ron Shiflet; Jeff Smith

MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP

9:40: Dillon Donovan; Jim Southern; David Tiwari

9:50: Cole Parker; Brad Scroggins; Joe Stratton

10:00: Greg Granger; Matthew Seifers; Brian Wise; Robert Wise

10:10: Hunter Desilets; Matt Jacobs; Jason Storm; Nick Zwissler

10:20: George Adams; Simon Deliyannis; Jordan Santa; Jeremy Wise

10:30: Tyler Jordan; Matt Newman; Sam Wise; Darin Woodley

10:40: Jason Bannister; Justin Fox; Mitch Oard; Charles Osborne

10:50: Nick Burris; Darren Fuller; Brad McLaughlin; Chad Osborne

11:00: Harrison Carmichael; Doak Henry; Brian Muehlhaus; Logan Vernon

Contact Jim Gordillo at jgordillo@heraldt.com and follow on Twitter @JimGordillo.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Par hard to beat in opening round of City Golf Qualifier