Jun 15, 2005 By Jim Downey 4 min read

BELLE VERNON – Every golfer has had one of those “coulda, shoulda, woulda” rounds where what might have been comes back to haunt them. Uniontown graduate Greg Franko Jr. had, unfortunately, such a round Tuesday on the first 18 of 36 holes in the USGA Men’s Amateur Public Links Championship sectional qualifier played at Cedarbrook Golf Course’s Golf Course.

Franko opened the day with a respectable round of 4-over 76, a round that included three double bogeys. His game really came together in his second 18 holes of the day with an even-par 72 to finish with a two-round total of 148.

A pleasing round for a golfer who hasn’t played a round of competitive golf since last fall, a round good enough for one of the four alternate spots into next month’s USGA Amateur Public Links Championship.

The “couldas” came as Franko remembered his trio of double bogeys.

Bogey golf on the three bad holes would have put Franko at 145, the medallist score posted by qualifiers Michelle Wie and Artie Fink Jr.

“I’m kicking myself for my double bogeys,” Franko said after he completed his rain-interrupted second round. “I’d be tied for the lead with bogeys.”

Franko was one-over in his second 18 with three holes to go when the rain stopped play, but he finished strong with a par-birdie-par for a round of 72. He had only two birdies in the first round, but counted six in his final round.

The disappointment of what might have been was tempered with an appreciation of two good rounds of golf.

“I gave myself good chances all day,” said Franko. “I wanted to go put nice numbers out there. I’m happy (with the way I played).”

He hasn’t had the best relationship with the Gold Course. The course has given him fits in the past.

“I love to play here, but it doesn’t seem to reciprocate,” said Franko with a wry smile. “I was more relaxed. It’s my first tournament in a while.”

Franko opened his freshman year in 2004 at Gardner-Webb, but transferred to California University of Pa. for the spring semester. He hopes to be on the ground floor of the resurrection of the university’s golf program.

“I’ll miss the weather (of North Carolina), but I like to be close to home. It will be nice,” said Franko.

ROUNDING INTO SHAPE: Uniontown native and Geibel Catholic and Indiana (Pa.) graduate Marshall Biddington left golf while he took a turn at driving racecars at Jennerstown Speedway and, in his words, “growing up.”

Biddington saw the sectional qualifier as a steppingstone for his return to competitive golf. He had a rough start with an 87 in the first 18 holes, but had the second-best turnaround of the day with a 74 in his second round for a two-round total of 161.

“I was a lot better concerning hitting the ball in the second 18,” said Biddington. “I got the tempo back. I was hitting the ball solid.

“My short game was consistent. I was close enough in the second 18 to get up and down. I was chipping for par (in the first 18) as opposed to chipping for birdie. There’s your 13 strokes.

“That’s golf.”

A bit of unconventional approach helped his game, adding, “I starting thinking more about fundamentals. I stopped thinking and starting making birdies.”

As for the folks gathered around Michelle Wie, Biddington said, “I did better on the holes where her gallery was around. The focus was there.”

OTHER FINISHERS: Belle Vernon’s Jason Scaramucci had the biggest turnaround of the day, unfortunately. He opened with the only 100 of the day, finishing with an 85 for a 15-stroke turn around.

California graduate Justin Schaum (82) and Mount Pleasant’s Josh Coccagna (86) had first-rounds in the 80s, finishing off the pace in the two-round tournament.