close

Wydo leads seniors after first round

By Jim Downey jdowney@heraldstandard.Com 4 min read
1 / 2

Mason Fordyce of Farmington hits from the fairway on the fourth hole Saturday during the third round of the Fayette County Open at Duck Hollow Golf Club. Fordyce shot an even-par 72 to move into second place with a three-round total of 220.

Ed Cope

2 / 2

John Kingora, of Morgantown, W.Va., hits onto the second green Saturday during the third round of the Fayette County Open at Duck Hollow Golf Club. Kingora is alone in third place with a three-day total of 223.

The tournament within the tournament of the Fayette County Open began Saturday at Duck Hollow Golf Club with the first round of two of the seniors, and former champion Bernie Wydo is leading the way after shooting a 73.

Wydo, whose Albert Gallatin golf team calls Duck Hollow home, went out in 1-under 34 and then played the back nine in 2-over 39.

Steve Superick, playing in his first seniors tournament, is a shot off the pace in second place, while defending champion John Kingora is alone in third place after shooting a 4-over 76. Ed Jobes (79), Dave Smithburger (80), and Tom Battaglia (81) round out the top six.

Wydo, Superick, Kingora and Smithburger are also playing in the main draw.

NICE SHOOTIN’!: Harison Laskey and Marcus Ondra shared the best round on the front nine with a 2-under 33, while Kirby Manown and Mason Fordyce had the top score on the back nine at 2-under 37.

Laskey was the lone golfer to shoot under par with a 3-under 69 after coming back in 1-under 36. The third round was a strong turnaround for Laskey’s opening round of 90 at Pleasant Valley Country Club.

“I played well. I made a couple of needed par putts on the first four holes, and then I birdied Nos. 7 and 8,” said Laskey, who carded three birdies and 15 pars. “This was my first competitive round with no bogeys.

“I played well on the back. I had good pars on Nos. 10 and 11, and I had a two-putt for birdie on No. 13.”

When asked how he went from a 90 to a sub-par round, Laskey said, “My mental state, that’s what varies for me day-by-day.”

As with most golfers, Ondra felt his round could’ve been better.

“(The front nine) could’ve been 30. I couldn’t putt,” said Ondra. “Then, I bogeyed No. 13, the easiest hole on the course. It was all downhill after that.”

GATHERING CROWD: Ondra brought along his personal gallery to follow his group of Mike Revak and George Knapp.

“I need to get them to come on Thursday and Friday,” said Ondra, alluding to his strong round of 1-over 73. “I had good group to play with Mike and George.”

ROOKIE ON THE MOVE: Manown is playing in his first Fayette County Open. The Belle Vernon graduate was quite familiar with the layout of Duck Hollow Golf Club which helped him finish with a 1-over 73.

“My putter got hot. That helped a lot. I putted so bad the first two days. They finally started to fall,” said Manown, who played at Owens Community College last year. “I changed putters. There was a certain comfort level.

“I played (Duck Hollow) well in high school. It was almost my second home course.”

Manown had a surreal moment when he was paired with Bernie Wydo, longtime Albert Gallatin golf coach.

“He coached against me in high school, now I’m playing (in the Fayette County Open) with him. It was weird,” explained Manown.

Manown sits in a tie for ninth place with Bob Tajc at 232.

“I just want to put my name up there and finish strong,” said Manown.

INTERESTING PAIRING: Manown is paired with a couple of Brownsville natives, Ondra and Ryan Bashour, in the 10 a.m. tee time. The Fayette County Open might be in for an interesting 18 holes at Springdale Golf Club.

Ondra, whose flashy attire has been rather muted so far, threw out an interesting observation or two about his fellow Brownsville golfer as Bashour putted out on No. 18, bringing howls of laughter on the porch overlooking the final green.

Neither Ondra nor Bashour necessarily has a retiring personality, so Manown could be in for one of the most unusual rounds of golf he’s played in his young career.

GOOD GUY: Calvaresi made a point to compliment not only the play of Fordyce, but the way he carried himself, as well.

“He’s a classy guy and a good player,” praised Calvaresi.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $4.79/week.

Subscribe Today