Somebody better tell this guy this is a golf course, not a shooting gallery.
Despite sitting through a two-hour delay because of weather, Paul Apyan was not deterred. The University of Southern Mississippi followed his 9-under par 63 from Thursday with a solid 7-under 65 on Friday and takes a huge six-shot lead into Saturday’s final round of the TrueNorth Greater Cedar Rapids Open, presented by Granite City Food & Brewery.
Apyan, who finished in a tie for 15th last week at the Waterloo Open, sits at 16-under par 128 after two rounds over Hunters Ridge Golf Course. The second round was delayed by inclement weather and was suspended due to darkness with 18 golfers still waiting to complete their rounds. That will take place Saturday morning with the top 50 and ties advancing to play in Saturday’s third and final round. Leaders are expected to go off at approximately 11:30. Apyan, a Chattanooga, Tennessee resident, might need all the advantage he has mustered considering who is chasing him.
Defending champ Mark Blakefield also posted a 7-under 65 and is tied with Joseph Juszczyk for second at 10-under par. Blakefield, the University of Kentucky grad who likes fishing, threw in the line and came out with seven birdies Friday. Not great for a fish fry, but pretty decent for a golf scorecard. It included three 2s. That matched Apyan, who also had seven birdies. Both Apyan and Blakefield have only one bogey each over the first 36 holes. Juszczyk, who has been a hot commodity in his home state recently, had a 3-under 69 Friday. This doesn’t really count in the money winnings, but Juszczyk did Apyan and Blakefield one better. He has not bogeyed a hole in 36 holes.
Former PGA Tour pro and two-time Web.com Tour winner Patrick Sheehan, 45, shot his second straight 4-under 68 and is tied for fourth with Brandon Cauldwell for fourth at 8-under par, eight shots off the pace. Cauldwell , from Ozark, Missouri, had a rather pedestrian 1-under 71, failing to really capitalize on his fourth-round 65.
One of the pre-tournament favorites, Eric Steger of Fishers, Ind., also couldn’t follow up a great first-round score. Steger had 65 on the first day but was even par Friday. He is tied at 7-under with Trent Sanders (Scottsdale, Arizona), Sam Osborne (Sarasota, Fla.), Adam Schenk (Vincennes, Indiana) and Linn-Mar High School golf coach Bill Hoefle. Hoefle is on his odd year and figures to do well. He finished T7 in 2011 and T5 in 2013. In 2010, ’12 and ’14 he did not finish in the top 20.
Thomas Buran (Milford, Ohio) and Brian Anderson (Palm City, Fla.) both started the second round at 7-under but are among those waiting to complete play.
Austin Quick, who posted an 8-under 64 on Thursday, had his problems Friday and finished with a 2-over 74.
Former champ Sean McCarty (2009) succumbed to the same fate he suffered last year and withdrew with back issues. Tournament play should conclude at approximately 4:30 p.m. followed by an awards ceremony.
Spectators are welcome and admission is free.