TUESDAY: WARD BEATS SCHNICK BY ONE

Last week Bill Schnick beat Jon Hawkins by one shot. This week Schnick was beat by one shot by Ken (long drive) Ward. Schnick shot one over par 36 on the front with a birdie on nine and followed that with a 38 on the back with a birdie on 15. Ward turned the corner with a birdie of his own on the par three second for 37. He followed that up on the back with an even better round of one under par 36 with birdies on eleven and fifteen for medalist honors with 73 nudging Schnick by one shot. Nice rounds guys! The other battle for the day was from the back tees between Andrew Yeh and Jon Hawkins. Both players made the turn with four over par 39’s. Hawkins would record eight out of the back side nine holes with fours. Hawkins would take a one shot lead after 13 but Yeh would retake the lead with a par and birdie on the 15th hole. Yeh took a three shot lead when Hawkins double bogeyed the par five sixteenth. But Yeh would double bogey 17 and 18 to lose the match by one shot, 79-78. Don Mannon (80) and net 65 won first place low net. Pat Smitty (82), net 66 won second low net with a par on 13 and Russ Clark (90) took third with a double bogey on the same hole. Terry Gardner (82) and net 68 won 4th. Tom Durenberger (84) net 71 grabbed the 5th spot with his par on 13 which moved Jim Barfknecht (90, net 71 to 6th when he bogey the same hole. Because Ray Rodgers (91) net 71 double bogeyed thirteen he was out of the money. The shot of the day was turned in by Tom Durenberger on the 10th hole. After hitting the top half of the ball his follow through, leading with his left hand, his three metal flew up the fairway some 40 yds. It didn’t go as far as Rory McIlroy’s 3 iron but it was close to the water. Tom was able to get up and down for his par.
THURSDAY: HOYT WINS HIS FIRST MMGA MEDALIST HONOR
New member Jeff Hoyt has been trying for weeks to win his first low gross round. Thursday, at the Palms, he did just that. Aided with three birdies including back to back birds on 12 and 13 and a very nice even par round of 36 on the back nine he shot 76 to beat Andrew Yeh by three shots. Yeh (79), had five birdies himself but a triple and double were his undoing. Jon Hawkins , with a triple bogey, took the day off. Dennis Simmons with rounds of 45-40-85 ran away with low net with a 65. Four shots back was Don Mannon at 69 even though he had nice rounds of 39 and 43 for his 82. Pat Smitty (86) enjoyed his second straight day finishing in the top three at third place with his net 71. Tied for fourth net 71 were Ed Hoepfer (83), Ken Ward (84) and Willie Nelson (92). Hoepfner’s par on the 4th hole won him 4th. Nelson went bogey, bogey for fifth leaving Ward taking the last spot . The shot of the day was recorded by Joel Reilly on the par ;fourth 13th from 70yds out. He hit his gap wedge onto the green where it rolled in for a “sweet” eagle two. Great shot Joel!. And yes, he got a skin for that, actually he got two for the day.
The next scheduled play is Tuesday, March 24th at Falcon Ridge at 7:00 and Thursday Mar 26th at the Casa Blanca at 7:30. Always check your sign up sheets for any corrected times or places. Anyone interested in joining the MMGA can call 346-6363. Also check out our website at www.mesquitemensgolf.com.