While none of the seven golfers with GCRO ties made it out of Monday’s Open qualifier for this week’s John Deere Classic, there are still players competing with strings attached to Hunters Ridge Golf Course.
Led by 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson, three former winners of the GCRO will compete beginning Thursday, July 12 at the TPC Deere Run in the John Deere Classic at Silvis, Ill.
Along with Johnson, who won the GCRO in 2001, will be two-time champ Derek Lamely, who won in 2005 and 2008, and Englishman Gary Christian, who won the 2004 title.
Johnson tees off at 7:30 a.m. off the 10th tee Thursday and Lamely is two groups behind at 7:50. Christian opens first-round play at 2:50 p.m. off the first tee.
Lamely, by the way, has stayed good friend with Hunters Ridge residents Gregg and Carol Klocke. Lamely stayed with the Klockes when playing in the GCRO. In fact, Carol texted Lamely Monday night while sitting in the Hunters Ridge clubhouse and got an immediate response.
In Monday’s Open qualifier for the JDC, four golfers advanced out of a field of 79. Brown Deer Golf Course head pro Sean McCarty posted the best round of the seven golfers with some GCRO background, shooting a 3-under-par 68 at Pinnacle Country Club in Milan, Ill. Two golfers at 6-under 65 tied for the last two qualifying spots and 8-under won the tournament. McCarty, the 2009 GCRO champ, tied for 17th. He was looking for his fifth appearance in the JDC.
Patrick Duffy of Appleton, Wis., shot a 2-under 69 in the qualifier and tied for 23rd. Duffy tied for seventh in last year’s rain-shortened GCRO.
Asian Tour player Jason Knutzon of Altoona, Iowa, tied for 33rd with 1-under. Knutzon finished second to Christian in a playoff for the 2004 GCRO. NGA Tour player Ryan Blaum tied for 38th at even par and 2011 GCRO champ Brock Mulder tied for 45th along with Jonathan Feldick of Coralville at 1-over. Jon Mansfield of Clearwater, Fla., tied for 55th.
All but Knutzon are scheduled to compete in this year’s GCRO, to be held July 27-29 at Hunters Ridge.
For more information on the JDC go to their website.
Top Iowa club pro Bermel in U.S. Senior Open
John Bermel, who is entered in both the Open and Senior divisions for this year’s GCRO, has a little more important work ahead of him first.
Among the top teaching pros in Iowa who turned 50 Sunday, Bermel will tee it up Thursday, July 12 in the opening round of the U.S. Senior Open at Indianwood Golf and Country Club in Lake Orion, Mich. The tournament runs through July 15.
The head pro at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls and the men’s and women’s golf coach at the University of Northern Iowa for the past 18 years, Bermel was named “Best Teacher” of golf in the state of Iowa by Golf Digest in 2009.
Bermel, who was born in Iowa City but calls Cedar Falls home now, advanced through Sectional play by surviving a three-man playoff for the final qualifying spot. Bermel is also scheduled to play in the Waterloo Open, July 21-22. Read more about Bermel by using the following links. U.S. Senior Open Player Bios
Don Wojciechowski resides in the Hunters Ridge Golf Course community and plays the course on a regular basis. He’s a former sports editor for a suburban Chicago daily newspaper and an avid golf fan.