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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Sept 17, 2021 14:16:10 GMT -5
Event 35 - 1970 Greater Hartford Open Invitational at TPC River Highlands - Round 2
Although the wind was stronger today, the greens were more manageable - at least for most of the guests. Randy Grant was the exception, carding a poor 76, effectively ending his interest in this event. After his poor start in Round 1, Bob Fletcher staged something of a recovery by firing a very good 67, and although he still has no chance of winning, I'm sure he was pleased that his game didn't let him down again. Mark Lipping's second 69 of the tourney would have been so much better without the quadruple bogey he suffered on the 6th hole, but at halfway he is only 7 strokes behind the current leader and we know he can produce a stunning round out of the blue, so he can't be discounted as a contender just yet. The same can be said of Ian McKinley who is tied with Mark after he, too, repeating his opening round score of 69 today. Barney Buss is 5 shots off the pace after rounds of 67 and 69, while Olly Jose-Maria's pair of 67's has positioned him perfectly to mount a weekend charge in an attempt to wipe out the 3-shot deficit between him and the leader that exists at the moment. And that leader is still Hans Kunok, whose 66 today maintained his 1-stroke advantage over his nearest rival.
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Sept 19, 2021 5:17:16 GMT -5
Event 35 - 1970 Greater Hartford Open Invitational at TPC River Highlands - Round 3
The course was so soggy today even the very high winds couldn't dry it out much. So sluggish greens were the order of the day, which would suit some but not others. It appeared that one of the latter group was Randy Grant who recorded his second 76 of the event to remain rock bottom of the leaderboard. Bob Fletcher continued his climb towards respectability by firing the best 'guest' round of the day, a fine 68 considering the conditions. Bob is now only one stroke behind Mark Lipping who was disappointed with his level par 71, as he commented "there was no way to get close to almost any pins". Barney Buss was another to struggle today, as his 72 demonstrated. Ian McKinley is showing admirable consistency this week, shooting his third good 69 in as many rounds to currently lie tied 18th, but still far behind the pacesetter. In a share of 12th is Olly Jose-Maria who had an up and down 72, and he is one stroke clear of Ian. Our overnight leader, Hans Kunok, slipped up today when he could only muster a 73, leaving him six strokes adrift of the new leader, PGA pro Bob Murphy, so it is now looking like the 'guests' will be leaving River Highlands empty handed this week...
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Sept 20, 2021 13:29:30 GMT -5
Event 35 - 1970 Greater Hartford Open Invitational at TPC River Highlands - Round 4
The wind dropped substantially for this round but the greens were bone dry and treacherously quick, so good scoring was going to be possible with a little care. Randy Grant illustrated that perfectly. After struggling all week today he suddenly found some form to post a glowing 66, the joint best round of the day, and one that helped him move away from the foot of the leaderboard. Ian McKinley's week was the exact opposite to Randy's - he played well over the first three rounds but today could only limp in with a 74, leaving him tied 46th with, amongst others, Barney Buss, who signed off with a 73, his worst round of the event. Mark Lipping carded a 71, his second of the tourney, leaving him a stroke ahead of Ian and Barney and not in a rush to return to River Highlands. Bob Fletcher finished with a share of 23rd after he recorded his second 67 of the week, a very creditable performance considering his disastrous opening round. Olly Jose-Maria matched Bob's 67, his third of the event, and his reward was a share of 5th place, six strokes behind the eventual winner. Hans Kunok started the day six shots behind overnight leader Bob Murphy, and he found that deficit too big to close, although his 67 was low enough to claim a share of 2nd spot, four shots adrift of Murphy. River Highlands played very well I thought, the greens were particularly tough, but it's all part of the game hehe...
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Sept 23, 2021 4:52:10 GMT -5
Event 36 - 1970 Robinson Open Golf Classic at Cog Hill #4, Dubsdread - Round 1
It wasn't easy out there today, a challenging course and a tricky wind provided a good test. Randy Grant began the week with a solid, level par 71, and was helped by an eagle 2 on the 4th! Bob Fletcher was determined to make a good start and he did just that with a 70, placing him just behind Hans Kunok who managed a fine 69. So far the best 'guest' rounds have come from Ian McKinley and Barney Buss, their very good 68's leaving them with a share of 14th spot, just 3 strokes behind the early leader...
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Sept 24, 2021 4:28:14 GMT -5
Event 36 - 1970 Robinson Open Golf Classic at Cog Hill #4, Dubsdread - Round 2
The lack of wind today had the players licking their lips at the opportunity to score low, but they hadn't considered how difficult the lightning-quick greens would be. None of the guests managed to break par, and Randy Grant's 83 was a round he will have sleepless nights thinking about. Bob Fletcher also had a torrid time, and his 76 would have been worse if he hadn't sunk a 60-foot birdie putt on #18. Ian McKinley, who normally enjoys fast greens, didn't fare much better when he carded a 75, while Hans Kunok's creditworthy 72 keeps him under par for the event, albeit way back in a share of 38th spot. A 'guest' win is looking extremely unlikely at this point in the proceedings...
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Sept 26, 2021 9:15:30 GMT -5
Event 36 - 1970 Robinson Open Golf Classic at Cog Hill #4, Dubsdread - Round 3
We had breezy conditions today but the greens were at an optimal speed. The pin placements were the main obstacle to good scoring, as Bob Fletcher found out to his cost, four consecutive early bogeys setting the tone for his lacklustre round of 74. Randy Grant enjoyed his best round of the event so far, a 70, which leaves him with real hope that he can finish off the bottom of the leaderboard. Ian McKinley's fine 69 saw him move back under par for the tourney, but with no chance of tasting victory. The only guests with an outside chance of a win were Barney Buss and Hans Kunok, who are locked together in a tie for 15th, 6 strokes off the pace, after their respective rounds of 68 and 67. Can one of them produce a special final round...?!
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Sept 27, 2021 6:06:03 GMT -5
Event 36 - 1970 Robinson Open Golf Classic at Cog Hill #4, Dubsdread - Round 4
The players had to combat gusting winds and rain today so, judging by their scores, they did pretty well. Apart from Randy Grant that is, who completed a miserable week by carding a 75. Bob Fletcher finished in a lowly 77th spot after he shot a 70, equalling his opening day total, but the less said about his middle rounds the better. In a share of 37th place was Ian McKinley who broke par for the third time in the event, today firing a 69 as he did in Round 3. That score was matched by Hans Kunok who concluded the tournament in a respectable tie for 14th. Barney Buss began today's round facing a 6-stroke deficit and he made a tremendous effort to bridge that gap, shooting the equal best round of the week, a superb 63, but in the end he had to settle for a share of 3rd place, just 3 shots behind the top two players. They were professionals George Knudson and George Archer, and it was the former who prevailed in the play-off, eventually winning the trophy on the 4th extra hole.
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Sept 30, 2021 5:40:19 GMT -5
Event 37 - 1970 Green Island Open at Ford Plantation - Round 1
Today's weather is going to be the most favourable of the week, with the forecast predicting it will get drier, but windier, by the weekend, so the opportunity was there to "make hay while the sun shines" as the old proverb goes. Bob Fletcher and Hans Kunok both sneaked under par with a pair of 69's when really something lower was needed - and expected. At close of play Ian McKinley found himself one stroke off the lead after carding a fine 66, but our pacesetter is Randy Grant who recaptured the form that saw him win two back-to-back events not so long ago. Randy's impressive 65 is a good sign for his ambitions to add another title this week...
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Oct 1, 2021 5:04:35 GMT -5
Event 37 - 1970 Green Island Open at Ford Plantation - Round 2
Much windier today but still very manageable. Slower greens also lessened the chances of any putting disasters - in theory. Hans Kunok struggled out there and he could only post a 74, the same score as Barney Buss, but Barney is still just about in contention thanks to his excellent opening 65. Bob Fletcher had one of his better rounds, and actually improved on his first day score by shooting a fine 67 which left him four shots behind the halfway leader. Ian McKinley's 68 saw him two ahead of Bob in third spot, while Olly Jose-Maria is mounting a strong challenge after rounds of 66 and 67 placed him in the perfect position to make a charge at the weekend. Overnight leader leader Randy Grant maintained his one stroke lead by firing a 67 and it's finally looking good for a 'guest' player to win another event...
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Oct 3, 2021 8:46:48 GMT -5
Event 37 - 1970 Green Island Open at Ford Plantation - Round 3
We had a little less wind and faster greens today, but the opportunity to score well was still there if your game was good enough. Hans Kunok has found Ford Plantation relatively difficult all week and today was no exception as he notched up a 71 to remain in mid-leaderboard. Incredibly, the other five guest players all performed well enough to now occupy the top five positions. Ian McKinley shot a 69, his poorest round of the event, but it was still low enough to see him in 5th spot, although now with a seven-stroke gap between him and the leader. One shot in front of Ian, in a tie for 3rd, are Bob Fletcher and Barney Buss after their respective rounds of 66 (including a double-eagle on the 9th!) and 63, the latter being the tournaments lowest score so far. In 2nd we have Olly Jose-Maria after his 68 but, being five strokes adrift of the leader, even Olly has a lot of work to do if he is to grab another win. Randy Grant is showing no signs of cracking under the pressure, and that was demonstrated when he fired a 64 today to extend his lead. Who would bet against him claiming his third title of the season with only one round still to play...?!
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Oct 4, 2021 6:30:13 GMT -5
Event 37 - 1970 Green Island Open at Ford Plantation - Round 4
Very slick greens suit some players but not others. Bob Fletcher slots into the last category, as his woeful 78 today illustrated, but he still finished respectably in a tie for 11th. In a share of 21st was Hans Kunok who ended the event as he'd started it, with a 69, but he won't be sorry to see the back of Ford Plantation. Surprisingly Ian McKinley shot a 73, his only over-par round of the week, because he usually enjoys very fast greens, but he still finished tied 6th. Olly Jose-Maria also didn't find it easy out there and he had to settle for 4th spot after he carded a 72, also his worst round of the week. Barney Buss helped himself to 3rd place by shooting a 69, just one stroke behind late starter Roger Instell who recorded an even par 70 to claim the runner-up position. Our winner this week, and adding a third title of the season to his collection, was Randy Grant whose 69 confirmed his superiority over the rest of the field and made him the only player to shoot under par in all four rounds. The winning margin of five strokes did not flatter Randy, who must be looking for more trophies in the remaining six events...
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Oct 6, 2021 17:59:54 GMT -5
Event 38 - 1970 Azalea Open Invitational at Pinehurst No2 - Round 1
Last week's winner, Randy Grant, and Barney Buss didn't make as good a start as they'd hoped, only carding a pair of 70's. Mark Lipping, Ian McKinley and Bob Fletcher fared slightly better, all three coming in with a 69. Roger Instell obviously means business at Pinehurst, opening up with a fine 65, but not quite able to match Hans Kunok's even better 64 which leaves him one behind the leader, tour professional Deane Beman.
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Oct 7, 2021 18:39:10 GMT -5
Event 38 - 1970 Azalea Open Invitational at Pinehurst No2 - Round 2
The wind was at its strongest today but, surprisingly, the course didn't seem to play more difficult. Well, not for some anyway. Mark Lipping is back from a 2-week break and looked distinctly out of sorts on his way to a 75, leaving him firmly entrenched at the foot of the leaderboard. Olly Jose-Maria is also struggling, only being able to register a couple of 71's so far, while Ian McKinley improved on his opening round by shooting a pretty good 68. Randy Grant is a shot ahead of Ian after his fine 66 which leaves him six strokes off the pace. Bob Fletcher matched Randy's 66 to share 10th spot, five behind the co-leaders, while Hans Kunok's 69 has him well-placed in 4th, only three adrift of top spot. So far the in-form player is Roger Instell who recorded another super 65 to become a front-runner along with professional Bobby Mitchell who produced a stunning 64. Things are warming up nicely...
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Oct 10, 2021 5:00:26 GMT -5
Event 38 - 1970 Azalea Open Invitational at Pinehurst No2 - Round 3
High winds and faster greens were the order of the day. Mark Lipping was left still searching for his A-Game after a lacklustre 70 lifted him just a couple of places off the bottom of the standings. Bob Fletcher had a ragged round and a disappointing 74 was the result, effectively quashing any faint hopes he may have had of a win this week. Bob was joined in a share of 38th by Barney Buss who carded his best score of the event, a solid 69. Randy Grant recorded his second 70 of the tourney, and he now finds himself in a tie for 14th with Ian McKinley who shot his second 69 of the week. At the business end of the leaderboard Hans Kunok hung in there with a 70, his worst round so far, but good enough for a share of 4th spot. The form player this week is undoubtedly Roger Instell, the overnight co-leader, but who is now the outright leader after a superb 64. The relentless pressure he's exerted on the rest of the field has carved out a 4-shot lead going into the final round, and it's difficult to see who can stop him now, apart from perhaps himself...
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Oct 11, 2021 14:40:35 GMT -5
Event 38 - 1970 Azalea Open Invitational at Pinehurst No2 - Round 4
The wind dropped and the greens were super-quick for the tournament's climax. Mark Lipping completed a miserable week for him with a nondescript 73, but I think he won't be as poor next week. Hans Kunok didn't find the conditions to his liking either as he struggled in with a 75 to leave him in a tie for 27th with Bob Fletcher, whose hardworking 69 surprised even him. Ian McKinley's scoring was consistently good this week, and he thoroughly deserved his share of 9th place, signing off with his second 68 of the tourney. Roger Instell had hammered the opposition into submission over the first three rounds and although he could only card a 71 today, it was enough to give him the win by 4 strokes. This was Roger's third title of the season, having already won the Byron Nelson Classic in May and the Canadian Open in July. And if he keeps playing like this between now and the end of the season who's to say he won't be adding even more silverware to his growing collection...
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