Playing at just over 5,900 yards the Tippecanoe Lake Country Club layout seems anything but intimidating. And, past history would dictate that someone, if not several competitors, in the IGA Mid-Amateur Championship would take advantage of relatively short course to post red numbers.
Such was not the case in this years’ first round. Of the 100 players to tee it up today a mere two were able to break par. New Haven’s Brian Gottwald and 2012 Mid-Amateur Champion Brian Harris, Carmel, are tied at 1-under-par.
Harris, of Carmel, was 2-over par after three holes before posting three birdies on the remaining 15 holes. Gottwald posted two bogeys and three birdies to match Harris’ total.
Harris, a veteran Mid-Amateur participant and no stranger to the Tippecanoe Lake course said that the windy conditions contributed to the higher than normal scores.
“I made some putts”, Harris said. Harris credited the tournament sponsor Bio Mech with his solid first round performance. “Todd Palmer and John Cunningham of gave me some help at Sagamore the other day and it really helped.”
The lack of any low scores means that 12 players enter tomorrow’s final round within two shots of the lead. Included in that group are ’11 Champion Sean Rowen (70), ’13 and ’14 Champion Brett Widner (71), defending and 2-time Champion Todd Palmer (71) and 2015 runner up Mike Williams (71).
The final round of the 2016 IGA Mid-Amateur, presented by Bio Mech, will begin at 8:30 Friday morning.
