Wind plagues Class D tourney; Gorsuch, Godfrey in top 40 after first round

Somewhere over the thick blanket of clouds that hung over Kearney yesterday, there must have been long-dead lads of old Scotland snickering gleefully over American teenagers struggling with the game which they had wrought.

With relentless and cool winds blowing between 20-25 mph and gusts exceeding 30, the 2013 Boys Class D State Golf Tournament opened yesterday at the par-71 Meadowlark Hills Golf Course. Like the name says, Meadowlark Hills is full of rolling hills and several elevation changes to challenge the competitors.

Two locals players, Lane Godfrey of Creek Valley and Kyle Gorsuch of Potter-Dix, qualified to undertake this stern test of their skills.

While neither was satisfield with the results, few in the field likely were. Scores were generally high with the leader, Garrett Ring of Alma, coming in at 78.

Godfrey scored 93, which places him in a tie for 26th in the field of 104. Gorsuch was one-stroke back at 94 in a tie for 33rd. In addition to the cold and wind, Gorsuch and Golfrey played rounds that took nearly six hours to complete.

Despite the conditions, both looked toward themselves for answers rather than giddy Scots in the sky.

“I couldn’t get off the tee box all day long,” said Godfrey. “I was hitting five-wood off the tees.”

Said Gorsuch who, like Godfrey, was playing the course for just the second time, “I like the course here, but you have to hit good shots or you get in big trouble.

“I putted well today but I just didn’t hit many good shots,” he concluded.

Godfrey, who routinely scored in the high 70’s to low 80’s in competition this year, had a round that was several times stung by a big number. After a routine par on the first, he had just three other pars the rest of the round. But it wasn’t the 10 bogey’s that derailed his round. It was the two doubles and two “others.”

On 13, Godfrey found the water off the tee which resulted in a double-bogey six. On 17 he also made double. But the round killer was clearly the eighth where Godfrey took a nine. On his last hole he made a beautiful pitch shot to about two feet. He missed the putt though and made triple bogey.

“If I could get off the tee and make closer approach shots for tomorrow maybe I could get some one putts,” Godfrey said. “That would make a big difference.”

As for his tee-box issues, Godfrey said his previous driver developed a crack in the shaft and he doesn’t hit the replacement driver well. He is also not comfortable with his three-wood.

Gorsuch’s biggest issues came early in the round. Generally a good bet to break 90 with room to spare, Gorsuch began his round with three double bogeys in his first five holes. Overall, his round was sidetracked by four doubles and a quadruple bogey on his front nine. He ended up shooting a very uncharacteristic 50.

“Going six over for two hole stretches, I just can’t do that,” said Gorsuch.

He didn’t do that on the back nine. Though he twice hit the water on the back nine, Gorsuch began to play more solid shots. On 13 he showed he wasn’t quite ready to give up. Despite hitting his tee shot in the water he salvaged a bogey with a solid approach shot and a one-putt green.

“Tomorrow is a big day. I have to forget about today,” Gorsuch said. “I’m going to get a good night sleep and look forward to having a good time tomorrow.”

In the final round players will go off the front and back nine in foursomes. Gorsuch will go off at 10:10 a.m. Godfrey will follow in the very next group at 10:20 a.m.

Scores for all the players are updated regularly on the NSAA website.