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Peter Jensen of Boyne City plays from a greenside bunker on No. 4 Wednesday during the second round of the Michigan Amateur at the Heather in Harbor Springs. (STEVE FOLEY/NEWS-REVIEW) |
HARBOR SPRINGS -- Peter Jensen of Boyne City plays on.
Phil Harrison of Harbor Springs will not.
And the 13-year-old from Lake Orion likely will get his shot.
Jensen shot a 3-over 75 Wednesday during the second and final round of stroke play in the 100th Michigan Amateur Championship on the Heather at Boyne Highlands. That score, coupled with his 4-over 76 in Tuesday's opening round, leaves him with a 151 total and a spot in match play, which is scheduled to begin today, Thursday.
Harrison, at 63 the oldest player in the 168-man field, shot an 8-over 80 on the rain-soaked Heather on Wednesday to finish stroke play with a 155 total.
And it appeared Wednesday night that Harrison would finish two shots out of a playoff for the 64th and final spot in match play.
A two-hour, 20-minute mid-afternoon rain delay set the tournament schedule back, resulting in play being suspended by darkness at 9:15 p.m. Nine players remained on the course at the time, and they were scheduled to complete their rounds early Thursday morning.
With all but those nine scores posted, the cut line was estimated to be 153, and 13-year-old Brandon Barrows was on that number.
Barrows, the youngest player ever to qualify for the Amateur, shot himself back into the tournament with a 1-over 73 on Wednesday after his opening-round 81.
Barrows played his first five holes in 3-over par on Wednesday, but carded back-to-back birdies on Nos. 6 and 7 to get to 1-over.
Then, the rains came, and the youngster's momentum was washed away.
"I was hitting good shots then it started raining," Barrows said.
A bogey on No. 9 left him 2-over at the turn, but he displayed poise -- and game -- beyond his years on the back nine as he birdied 11 and 15 to get back to even par. He missed a 3-foot par putt on 18. The bogey left him with a 153 total.
If 153 is indeed the cut line, Barrows will be in a playoff for the 64th and final spot in match play. That playoff was scheduled to take place on Thursday morning after the nine players complete their second round of stroke play.
"I was nervous, I just made a bad putt," Barrows said of his bogey on 18. "I knew I had to play good. I was sort of nervous at the end. I just wanted to finish even par."
Jensen, 22, is playing in his second Amateur. His 151 total was three shots higher than his goal entering the tournament, but he'll happily take his spot in match play and go from there.
"I'm just going to play my game," Jensen said. "I think I've got a good game for match play because I'm really consistent."
Jensen said he doesn't have much experience to speak of in match play, but he played the format with a pair of buddies, Eric Lilleboe of Okemos and Kyle Roman of Brutus, frequently in the weeks leading up to the tournament. Lilleboe was runner-up in the Amateur last year to Petoskey's Joey Garber and finished stroke play Wednesday with a 142 total, two shots behind medalist Matt Thompson. Roman, an assistant professional at Hidden River Golf & Casting Club, is one of the state's top young club pros.
"I win some and lose some, which is good," said Jensen, who plays at Northwood (Fla.) University. "When you get down the stretch with those guys, you really feel like you're in the middle of a tournament."
Phil Harrison of Harbor Springs will not.
And the 13-year-old from Lake Orion likely will get his shot.
Jensen shot a 3-over 75 Wednesday during the second and final round of stroke play in the 100th Michigan Amateur Championship on the Heather at Boyne Highlands. That score, coupled with his 4-over 76 in Tuesday's opening round, leaves him with a 151 total and a spot in match play, which is scheduled to begin today, Thursday.
Harrison, at 63 the oldest player in the 168-man field, shot an 8-over 80 on the rain-soaked Heather on Wednesday to finish stroke play with a 155 total.
And it appeared Wednesday night that Harrison would finish two shots out of a playoff for the 64th and final spot in match play.
A two-hour, 20-minute mid-afternoon rain delay set the tournament schedule back, resulting in play being suspended by darkness at 9:15 p.m. Nine players remained on the course at the time, and they were scheduled to complete their rounds early Thursday morning.
With all but those nine scores posted, the cut line was estimated to be 153, and 13-year-old Brandon Barrows was on that number.
Barrows, the youngest player ever to qualify for the Amateur, shot himself back into the tournament with a 1-over 73 on Wednesday after his opening-round 81.
Barrows played his first five holes in 3-over par on Wednesday, but carded back-to-back birdies on Nos. 6 and 7 to get to 1-over.
Then, the rains came, and the youngster's momentum was washed away.
"I was hitting good shots then it started raining," Barrows said.
A bogey on No. 9 left him 2-over at the turn, but he displayed poise -- and game -- beyond his years on the back nine as he birdied 11 and 15 to get back to even par. He missed a 3-foot par putt on 18. The bogey left him with a 153 total.
If 153 is indeed the cut line, Barrows will be in a playoff for the 64th and final spot in match play. That playoff was scheduled to take place on Thursday morning after the nine players complete their second round of stroke play.
"I was nervous, I just made a bad putt," Barrows said of his bogey on 18. "I knew I had to play good. I was sort of nervous at the end. I just wanted to finish even par."
Jensen, 22, is playing in his second Amateur. His 151 total was three shots higher than his goal entering the tournament, but he'll happily take his spot in match play and go from there.
"I'm just going to play my game," Jensen said. "I think I've got a good game for match play because I'm really consistent."
Jensen said he doesn't have much experience to speak of in match play, but he played the format with a pair of buddies, Eric Lilleboe of Okemos and Kyle Roman of Brutus, frequently in the weeks leading up to the tournament. Lilleboe was runner-up in the Amateur last year to Petoskey's Joey Garber and finished stroke play Wednesday with a 142 total, two shots behind medalist Matt Thompson. Roman, an assistant professional at Hidden River Golf & Casting Club, is one of the state's top young club pros.
"I win some and lose some, which is good," said Jensen, who plays at Northwood (Fla.) University. "When you get down the stretch with those guys, you really feel like you're in the middle of a tournament."
