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Hoskins leads by four at Hamilton golf tourney
By Brad Cameron/Gate City Sports Editor
HAMILTON, Ill. - Joe Hoskins didn't have his best day putting the ball, but the other fazes of his game were working well in the opening round of the Pepsi Little People's Golf Championships in the boys 18-19 age division.
Hoskins shot an even-par 72 at Deer Run Golf Course Tuesday and holds a four-shot lead heading into today's final round.
“I felt I did pretty good for not hitting a driver or putt very good,” Hoskins said. “All I could do was hit approach shots. I was just sticking everything, but I missed three or four birdie putts within five feet. My longest putt was probably seven feet that I made.”
Hoskins of Monmouth, Ill., missed a short birdie putt to start the day, but little else went wrong for him on the front nine. He shot a three-under par on the front and was one of only two golfers in the division to break par.
“I just had one bogey and four birdies because I stuck so many of my approach shots,” Hoskins said. “I missed a little four-foot birdie putt on No. 1, but I almost holed out for eagle on No. 2.”
The back nine played tough for everyone. Hoskins hit a shot on the par-3 No. 18 to within two feet of the hole and made the putt for his lone birdie on the back.
“It was tough,” Hoskins said of the back nine. “The pin placements were really tough. It's all about placement. You can't be hitting a driver - a lot of irons off the tee.”
Beau Brandt of Rock Island, Ill., shot a 37-39-76 to stand alone in second place heading into today's final round. Kenji Hernandez of Mexico is third with a 39-38-77, and Ryan Otten is fourth with a 35-43-78.
Boys 20-21
Brad Schwarz of River Forest, Ill., shot a solid round to take the first round lead in the Pepsi Little People's boys 20-21 age division at Deer Run Golf Course.
Schwarz fired a 76 and leads David Wilson by three strokes entering today's final round.
“I played the best I could,” Schwarz said. “ I did what I wanted to do. I made my putts. I played my shots correctly, and I had a good time as well.”
Schwarz was the lone player in the division to break par on the front nine. He was one-under at the turn.
“Everything was solid,” Schwarz said. “I was hitting my drives down the middle. I hit almost every single fairway on the front. I made every putt within five feet, so I was pretty proud of myself for that. I did the best I could and came out with a 35 on the front.”
Schwarz struggled a little bit on the back nine, but he wasn't alone. He tied for the low score in the division over the final nine holes with a 41.
“Anything within 100 yards was a little bit of a struggle,” Schwarz said. “My drives kind of went away the last few holes, but that's just golf.”
Dave Fudacz is third with an 80, and Mike Madden is fourth among the four golfers in the division with an 85.
Despite the lack of golfers in the boys 20-21 age group, Schwarz is glad to compete in the event.
“It's still a lot of fun even though there isn't a lot of competition,” Schwarz said. “I consider it a privilege to come out here and play. It's a fun event.”
Girls 18-19
Three shots separate the top six golfers in the Pepsi Little People's girls 18-19 age division at Deer Run Golf Course.
Molly Noser of Rochester, Minn., shot an 80 to take the opening round lead. Allie Pancake of Zionsville, Ind., is second with an 81. Lindsay Burry of Quincy, Ill., and Laura Cilek of Coralville are tied for third with an 82, and Catherine Dolan of Ballwin, Mo., and Jackie Leonard of Streator, Ill., are tied for fifth with an 83.
Burry and Nerissa Hetzel, both graduates of Keokuk High School, find themselves in striking distance for winning the tournament. Hetzel is tied for eighth after shooting an 87.
Burry struggled on the front nine, but she posted the low score on the back nine to put herself in contention heading into the final round.
“It was a solid round,” Burry said. “I thought I was hitting the ball well, but I just couldn't make in ups-and-downs. It could have been worse, so I'm not going to complain.”
Burry, a member of the University of Missouri women's golf team, said the key for today's final round is to keep the ball in play.
“I thought I did a good job of that today,” Burry said. “I got myself in trouble off the tee a little bit. If I can keep it in play and give myself a shot at the green I should be okay.”
Hetzel opened with a 41 on the front, but putting was her biggest problem on the day.
“My round was not as good as I was hoping,” Hetzel said. “My putter really failed me. I made a few good putts, but other than that I wasn't putting the ball well at all.”
Hetzel, a member of the Western Illinois University golf team, took away some positives from the round.
“I was hitting the ball great,” Hetzel said. “I was hitting a lot of greens, so I feel good about that.”
Hoskins shot an even-par 72 at Deer Run Golf Course Tuesday and holds a four-shot lead heading into today's final round.
“I felt I did pretty good for not hitting a driver or putt very good,” Hoskins said. “All I could do was hit approach shots. I was just sticking everything, but I missed three or four birdie putts within five feet. My longest putt was probably seven feet that I made.”
Hoskins of Monmouth, Ill., missed a short birdie putt to start the day, but little else went wrong for him on the front nine. He shot a three-under par on the front and was one of only two golfers in the division to break par.
“I just had one bogey and four birdies because I stuck so many of my approach shots,” Hoskins said. “I missed a little four-foot birdie putt on No. 1, but I almost holed out for eagle on No. 2.”
The back nine played tough for everyone. Hoskins hit a shot on the par-3 No. 18 to within two feet of the hole and made the putt for his lone birdie on the back.
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Beau Brandt of Rock Island, Ill., shot a 37-39-76 to stand alone in second place heading into today's final round. Kenji Hernandez of Mexico is third with a 39-38-77, and Ryan Otten is fourth with a 35-43-78.
Boys 20-21
Brad Schwarz of River Forest, Ill., shot a solid round to take the first round lead in the Pepsi Little People's boys 20-21 age division at Deer Run Golf Course.
Schwarz fired a 76 and leads David Wilson by three strokes entering today's final round.
“I played the best I could,” Schwarz said. “ I did what I wanted to do. I made my putts. I played my shots correctly, and I had a good time as well.”
Schwarz was the lone player in the division to break par on the front nine. He was one-under at the turn.
“Everything was solid,” Schwarz said. “I was hitting my drives down the middle. I hit almost every single fairway on the front. I made every putt within five feet, so I was pretty proud of myself for that. I did the best I could and came out with a 35 on the front.”
Schwarz struggled a little bit on the back nine, but he wasn't alone. He tied for the low score in the division over the final nine holes with a 41.
“Anything within 100 yards was a little bit of a struggle,” Schwarz said. “My drives kind of went away the last few holes, but that's just golf.”
Dave Fudacz is third with an 80, and Mike Madden is fourth among the four golfers in the division with an 85.
Despite the lack of golfers in the boys 20-21 age group, Schwarz is glad to compete in the event.
“It's still a lot of fun even though there isn't a lot of competition,” Schwarz said. “I consider it a privilege to come out here and play. It's a fun event.”
Girls 18-19
Three shots separate the top six golfers in the Pepsi Little People's girls 18-19 age division at Deer Run Golf Course.
Molly Noser of Rochester, Minn., shot an 80 to take the opening round lead. Allie Pancake of Zionsville, Ind., is second with an 81. Lindsay Burry of Quincy, Ill., and Laura Cilek of Coralville are tied for third with an 82, and Catherine Dolan of Ballwin, Mo., and Jackie Leonard of Streator, Ill., are tied for fifth with an 83.
Burry and Nerissa Hetzel, both graduates of Keokuk High School, find themselves in striking distance for winning the tournament. Hetzel is tied for eighth after shooting an 87.
Burry struggled on the front nine, but she posted the low score on the back nine to put herself in contention heading into the final round.
“It was a solid round,” Burry said. “I thought I was hitting the ball well, but I just couldn't make in ups-and-downs. It could have been worse, so I'm not going to complain.”
Burry, a member of the University of Missouri women's golf team, said the key for today's final round is to keep the ball in play.
“I thought I did a good job of that today,” Burry said. “I got myself in trouble off the tee a little bit. If I can keep it in play and give myself a shot at the green I should be okay.”
Hetzel opened with a 41 on the front, but putting was her biggest problem on the day.
“My round was not as good as I was hoping,” Hetzel said. “My putter really failed me. I made a few good putts, but other than that I wasn't putting the ball well at all.”
Hetzel, a member of the Western Illinois University golf team, took away some positives from the round.
“I was hitting the ball great,” Hetzel said. “I was hitting a lot of greens, so I feel good about that.”
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