You can’t say the field the Greater Cedar Rapids Open draws is second-rate, even on the scale of a “mini-tour” event, if you want to call it that.
While you’re waiting to see how Tiger does in his return at the World Golf Championship’s Bridgestone Invitational at historic Firestone Country Club, keep an eye out on the Nationwide Tour this week, too.
The Cox Classic in Omaha will feature some GCRO flavor, some recent, some not. But it certainly says something about the competition that makes its way to Hunters Ridge every year.
Chris Thompson – I’ve been bragging him up for a month now – finished in a tie for second at the rain-shortened GCRO last month. I can’t help but wonder what a final day it would have been with eventual champion Brock Mulder, Thompson and co-runner-up Tommy Bliefnick paired up and battling it out down the stretch. Mother Nature prevented that scenario and Mulder is a fine, deserving champion, but Thompson I’m sure would have had plenty to say about the outcome.
This week the 35-year-old from Lawrence, Kan., has another opportunity. A regular Nationwide Tour player about five years ago who now has family responsibilities, Thompson finished second in one of Omaha’s Monday qualifiers to earn his way into the tournament, where the winner’s share is $130,000.
He tees off today at Champions Run in Omaha and isn’t the only GCRO tie-in playing there.
Gary Christian, the 2004 GCRO winner, is also in the field. A Nationwide regular, he currently ranks 42nd in money winnings with just over $67,000.
Also in the field is Steve Friesen, who did everything but win in several stops at the GCRO, the most recent a third-place finish in 2010.
The tournament will be covered by the Golf Channel at different times all weekend, so tune in and see how some of “our boys” are doing. Or go to http://www.pgatour.com/h/
Mulder in contention in Kansas
Brock Mulder, the 2011 GCRO champion who spent last week with family in Waterloo and met a new nephew for the first to boot, still has his golf game intact.
Playing in the prestigious Southwest Kansas Pro-Am, Mulder shot a 4-under-par 67 Wednesday and is two shots behind defending champion Wil Collins in Garden City, Kan.
The 72-hole tournament has a unique format. It’s played over two courses and the pros play the first two rounds by themselves. The final two rounds are played with four-man amateur teams. For info go to http://agpts.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/agpts11/event/agpts1113/contest/1/leaderboard.htm