Mark Christopher Classic/Golf: October 2007 Archives
Talk about incongruence. The Nationwide Tour is full of Aussies, Welshmen, Mexicans, Canadians, Brits, all of whom came to this country to make a living as professional athletes, and what are the Americans in the grandstand watching?
There won't be room for this in tomorrow's paper, but I was nonetheless impressed with Brad Elder's scorecard Friday: 0 bogeys, 0 birdies, 18 pars. Elder, you might remember, won this tournament at Moreno Valley in 1999.
Looks like Chris Anderson, the surprise first-day leader and West Covina native, is going to finish tied for 9th place. He shot a 2-over today in weather that made me question if I was even in California anymore. I asked Chris Baryla, who could finish tied for first place at 9-under with another Canadian, Jon Mills, if it's any coincidence that a pair of Canucks knocked off a SoCal dude in such miserable weather: "Probably not."
Golf is a weird, fickle game. I write a preview for a Lakers game, I know to interview Kobe. I preview a Dodgers game, talk to ... uh ... the starting pitcher. The Chargers: Philip Rivers or LT. On Tuesday I made the curious mistake of interviewing the top two Nationwide Tour money leaders for the Mark Christopher preview, and both will finish hopelessly over par. Jason Day is on the course at 8-over through 11. Roland Churchill Thatcher IV is out at 4-over for the tournament and 9-over for the day. And the weather still bites.
Strange thing, this game called golf.
Hear me out on this one ...
Not to dampen your spirits, but this could get boring quick. Your leader Jon Mills turned in his scorecard a few minutes ago with a two-round total of 9-under. Mills is the hottest golfer on the Nationwide Tour – he won last week's event – and turned in one of the lowest rounds so far today. Don't take my word for it. Said Mills: "Some people say (these are) boring rounds, but I love 'em."
It is WINDY out here. Cloudy, too. So much for yesterday's afternoon group having the advantage in the morning calm. Online, it says the wind is blowing 12 mph to the southwest, but that must be an average. When it picks up, it's probably been over 20 mph. Anyway, the top scores aren't getting considerably lower. Your predictable leader, Jon Mills, is 2-under through 15 (8-under total). Roland Thatcher is 4-over through 7 holes (!), leaving the Nationwide Tour money leader with virtually no chance of making the cut. And Kenny G ... is 4-over for the day, 11-over total, but had a nice birdie on the par-5 18th.
The jazz saxophonist, who according to guitarist Pat Matheny is "not anywhere near a great player," is even through four holes at the Mark Christopher Charity Classic in Rancho Cucamonga.
We have confirmation that he hasn't shaved his ponytail for the Nationwide Tour event.
It does if you're Spencer Levin, and a reporter is watching.
About J.P.
J.P. Hoornstra has been covering the Anaheim Ducks since 2007. Eight months after the University of Wisconsin won its third NCAA hockey championship, he was born in a frigid Madison winter. He betrayed his blue-blooded beginnings by graduating from UCLA in 2003, and welcomes any and all dialogue on the finer points of hockey.
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