Three-time champ Sowards rallies to advance in PGA Match Play

 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Reigning PGA Professional Player of the Year Bob Sowards of Dublin, Ohio, knocked home a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole Tuesday, to close a hard-earned 2-up first-round victory over John Francisco of Westminster, Maryland, in the 52nd PGA Match Play Championship presented by Premier Golf and GOLF ADVISOR.

 

Sowards, a three-time PGA Match Play Champion, saw his two-hole advantage erased after bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes of the Dye Course at PGA Golf Club. The match turned just as quickly one hole later when Francisco, a PGA Director of Instruction at Pine Branch Golf & Country Club in Upperco, Maryland, three-putted the 17th green. 

 

A field of 59 PGA Professionals opened play, taking advantage of preferred lies in the fairway after nearly two inches of rain saturated the course Monday night.  

 

Kyle Higgins of Massapequa, New York, overcame a two-hole deficit to edge fellow Metropolitan PGA member Ben Polland of Manhasset, New York, 1 up, in 19 holes. Two other matches went into extra holes, with David Carich of Noblesville, Indiana slipping past Brett Leon of Highland Park, Illinois, 1 up; and Roy Vucinich of Moon Township, Pennsylvania downing Mark Faulkner of Marion, Illinois, 1 up.

 

Rick Schuller, the 2009 Champion, downed Patrick Steffes of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1 up.  Kirk Stauffer of Bradford, Pennsylvania, defeated Ashley Grier of Hagerstown, Maryland, the only woman entrant, 1 up; and 1999 Champion Jerry Tucker of Stuart, Florida, eased past Mike Demakos of Siasconset, Massachusetts, 5 and 4.  

 

“My ball striking today was actually pretty gross; I only hit four greens,” said Sowards, a PGA Teaching Professional at New Albany Country Club. “That makes things pretty difficult on the Dye Course. You have to aim for the middle of the greens or face some very tough chips.”

 

Sowards, who won the Championship in 2005, ‘12 and ‘13, faces co-medalist Jake Pleczkowski of Siasconset, Massachusetts, in Wednesday’s second round at 7:30 a.m.

 

Higgins, a PGA Assistant Professional at Inwood (New York) Country Club, got life when Polland bogeyed the 17th hole. Higgins then made a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-4, 18th hole, while Polland three-putted from 30 feet to level the match.

 

Their duel shifted to the par-3 13th hole, where Higgins hit a 5-iron left of the green, and Polland’s tee shot landed just over the green, from where he failed to get up and down for par. Higgins closed the match by pitching to six feet and sinking his par putt.

 

“You never know what you’re going to get in match play,” said Higgins. “Ben is a friend I’ve played with several times in the Met Section. He led most of the way. I just grinded it out.” 

 

In addition to co-medalists Charles Raulerson of Fleming Island, Florida, and Jake Pleczkowski of Siasconset, Massachusetts, first-round byes went to JC Anderson of O’Fallon, Missouri; Jeff Sorenson of Blaine, Minnesota; and Dwayne Randall of Clymer, New York.

    

The PGA Match Play Championship continues Wednesday with second-round matches followed by third round and quarterfinal matches Thursday. Semifinals and Championship matches will be played Friday. The field is competing for a $23,500 total purse.

 

52nd PGA Match Play Championship

Presented by Premier Golf & GOLF ADVISOR

PGA Golf Club – Port St. Lucie, Florida

Dye Course – Par 72, 7,017 yards

First Round

 

Charles Raulerson, Fleming Island, Fla., bye

Brian Cairns, Walled Lake, Mich. def. Mo Guttman, Sarasota, Fla., 2 up

Kyle Baehler, Greenwich, Conn. def. Bill Stines, Columbus, Ohio, 4 and 3

Liam Friedman, Lackawanna, N.Y. def. R.J. Austin, Waitsfield, Vt., 2 and 1

Kevin Savage, Baldwinsville, N.Y. def. Andrew Hardin, Chevy Chase, Md., 6 and 4

Patrick Massi, Greenwich., Conn. def. Brett Melton, Washington, Ind., 5 and 3     

Jerry Tucker, Stuart, Fla. def. Mike Demakos, Port St. Lucie, Fla., 5 and 4

Michael O’Connor, Erie, Pa. def. Jamie Kilmer, East Williston, N.Y., 3 and 2

Jake Pleczkowski, Siasconset, Mass., bye

Bob Sowards, Dublin, Ohio def. John Francisco, Westminster, Md., 2 up

David Carich, Noblesville, Ind. def. Brett Leon, Highland Park, Ill., 1 up (20 holes)   

Rich Berberian, Derry, N.H. def. Kurtis Clement, Ormond Beach, Fla., 5 and 4

Josh Rackley, Jupiter, Fla., def. Ed Kelly, Westbury, N.Y. (default)

Matt McAdow, Woodmere, N.Y. def. Bobby Heins, Purchase, N.Y., 1 up

Greg McClimans, Clearwater, Fla. def. Adam Parisi, Holbrook, N.Y., 3 and 2

Kirk Stauffer, Bradford, Pa. def. Ashley Grier, Hagerstown, Md., 1 up

JC Anderson, O’Fallon, Mo., bye 

Rick Schuller, Chester, Va. def. Patrick Steffes, Milwaukee, Wis., 1 up

Roy Vucinich, Moon Township, Pa. def. Mark Faulkner, Marion, Ill., 1 up (19 holes)

Jason Martin, Wheeling, W.Va. def. Mark Tschetschot, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., 7 and 5

Grant Sturgeon, Port Chester, N.Y. def. Brian Giordano, Port Chester, N.Y., 5 and 3

Shawn Warren, Cape Elizabeth, Maine def. Chris Campbell, Vero Beach, Fla., 5 and 4

Pete Catanzaro, Hartsdale, N.Y. def. Alex Weir, Scottsville, N.Y., 4 and 3

Gary Trivisonno, Aurora, Ohio def. Kevin Ausserlechner, West Harrison, N.Y., 3 and 2

Jeff Sorenson, Blaine, Minn., bye

John Kerins, Hermitage, Pa. def. David Morano, Lancaster, Pa., 4 and 3

Ed Kirby, Wakefield, R.I. def. Matt Zdon, Lowell, Mass., 4 and 3

Adam Rainaud, South Hadley, Mass. def. Tony Frabizzio, Fairfield, Conn., 5 and 4

Dwayne Randall, Clymer, N.Y., bye

Ryan McClintock, Bettendorf, Iowa def. Paul Barnsley, Orange, Conn., 2 and 1

Kyle Higgins, Massapequa, N.Y. def. Ben Polland, Manhasset, N.Y., 1 up (19 holes)

Kirk Hanefeld, Acton, Mass. def. Andy Hardiman, Stuart, Fla., 6 and 4