Top 25 finish on the minds of many

With a trip to the 86th PGA Championship hanging in the balance, those players close to making the top 25 at the PGA Club Professional Championship enter Sunday's final round trying to keep their focus squarely in the present. But it's not always easy.

NASHPORT, Ohio -- Without a doubt, the biggest perk of playing well at the PGA Club Professional Championship is a possible trip to the PGA Championship. The top 25 finishers at Longaberger Golf Club will earn a berth in the 86th PGA to be held Aug. 12-15 at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisc.

Needless to say, those close to making the magical cut are trying their best to keep their mind focused on the business at hand and not two months into the future.

"If I think safe and just try to get in the top 25, I'll probably miss it," said Mark Evenson, seemingly safe in a tie for sixth place at 4-under par overall after a third-round 71. "I need to think of trying to win this event. I've got to think one shot at a time, one hole at a time, don't look at leaderboards, do what I know I can do and just go from there.

"If that means I make, that's great. If it means I don't make it, that's OK as well because I've worked hard and there's nothing to be ashamed of."

After Saturday's third round, the top 25 places included those at even par or better, with all ties to enter a playoff to determine the low 25.

Evenson, a teaching professional at Suburban Club in Pikesville, Md., is playing in just his second PGA CPC, and has never made it to the big dance. Still, he will rely on his success in the Middle Atlantic Section, where he's won "about 40 times," to help him make the jump.

"Hopefully you've played enough competition where in order to be successful at the next level you've got to work off what you've done in the past," Evenson said. "I think I've done that, so I'm going to try and work off the success I've had in the past and see what happens."

Kevin Hayashi traveled the farthest to Longaberger Golf Club, leaving his position as a teaching professional at Mauna Kea Resort in Kohala Coast, Hawaii, to play in his first PGA CPC. He also arguably has the most to gain.

Hayashi, whose bio in the CPC Players' Guide is two sentences long -- one of which lists his tie for 15th in the 2003 Western PGA CPC, the other his position -- was tied for 10th at 3-under par after a shaky 74.

"Just make birdies," Hayashi said of his Sunday strategy. "For some reason I can't stop making bogeys, so I need to make about four or five birdies and I should be fine."

He would also find himself playing in a major championship for the first time.

"It would be awesome," Hayashi said. "I'm trying not to think about it. This is my first time (in the CPC), so I don't know how good these players are -- obviously they're very good judging from the scores -- from 20 to 25th place, so I'm just trying to play hole by hole."

Cary Hungate, the head professional at Kokomo Country Club in Kokomo, Ind., is a pretty safe bet to make it to Whisting Straits after his solid 2-under 70 left him tied for eighth place. An accomplished player who has appeared in four U.S. Opens and one PGA Championship, Hungate is itching to get back to his association's crowning event.

"I haven't been to a major since then," Hungate said of his appearance in the 1990 PGA at Shoal Creek. "I've played in five of them, so I'd like to go and let the guys at the country club go, so it would be fun."

Roy Biancalana, a teaching professional at St. Andrews Golf and Country Club in West Chicago, Ill., knows all about the pressure of trying to qualify. A former PGA Tour player from 1989-90, Biancalana has competed in five U.S. Opens but never the PGA.

"I want to finish as high as I can," Biancalana said. "I've played in five U.S. Opens, and it would be wonderful to play in the PGA. But I want to finish as high as I can finish in this tournament. Hopefully, I'll be looking forward and not backward."

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