“With two days left, it’s still anybody’s race,” Small said. “Even one of those guys who are a few more strokes back could have a real good round (today) and be right back in the hunt.”
Matt Leugers and defending city champ Jim Zettler sit atop the leaderboard after shooting even-par 69s Friday afternoon, while Ed McCoy is just one stroke back at 70.
“I didn’t hit it solid all day,” Leugers said. “This is just what I shoot on my league nights — par. I just hacked it around.”
Leugers three-putted on No. 6 for bogey, and he followed that up with a bogey on No. 7. But he got back to even with birdies on Nos. 14 and 16.
Zettler, meanwhile, got off to a great start with birdies on the first two holes and another one on No. 6, but he wouldn’t record another one until No. 18 to finish his up-and-down round with four birdies and four bogeys.
“I thought the scores were pretty good today,” Small said. “I know there were some of them who weren’t real happy with what they shot, but you’re always going to have that.”
Eddie Baker, who sits tied for fourth with two-time city champ Dan Smith following a round of 2-over 71, said he was both happy and unhappy with his day.
“Yes I was happy because it’s a good score, but no I wasn’t happy because it could’ve been a lot lower,” Baker said. “This is probably the first time in 12 years that I’ve played Potter’s and didn’t have a birdie.”
Baker had bogeys on Nos. 1 and 5 and finished with 13 consecutive pars in his quest for his first city championship.
“The last six or seven months I’ve really been concentrating a lot more on golf and not so much on the night life,” Baker said.
Playing a group in front of the leaders, Baker said he will be right where he wants to be today and won’t pay any attention to what Leugers, Zettler and McCoy are doing.
Likewise, Leugers said he won’t be paying attention to what Baker and the others ahead of him are doing.
“I never play against anybody, I just hack it around myself,” Leugers said. “I have a number in my head that I try to play, and par would be the worst. Everything else is gravy.”
Marvin Flynn (72), Ron Nichting (74), Jeff Leshner (74), Joe Brannon (75), Brian Lawson (75) and Kyle DeBord (75) round out the top 11 heading into today’s action, which begins at 10:30 a.m.
The leaders tee off at 11:40.
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2193 or jmorrison@coxohio.com.
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