Friday, Jul. 10, 2009

Golf is family affair for Edwardsville grad Suhre

He shoots 3-over 73, trails leader by seven strokes

WILDWOOD, Mo. -- Allison Suhre is getting an early introduction to the sport of golf.

That is as one of her dad's biggest fans.

Just three months old, Allison and her mom, Mandy, were on hand to watch dad Mike Suhre card a 3-over-par 73 during Thursday's opening round of the fourth annual Metropolitan Open Championship on the Lewis and Clark Course at the Country Club at St. Albans.

"Alli has probably been out eight or nine times. She doesn't cry. Well the one time when I was playing match play and Steve Hausman made a putt on the 18th hole to beat me. She cried that time,'' said Mike Suhre, who is a 1995 graduate of Edwardsville High School. "It's great to have them out here. I told them if they don't come then I'm not coming either. We go together and have a great time."

Suhre, a PGA Professional playing out of Oak Brook Golf Course, had a so-so time during the opening round. His 73 left him seven shots in back of former Waterloo standout Collin Neeman, who fired a four-under-par 66.

St. Louis-area standouts Scott Langley and Craig Liddle are another stroke back with 67s in the unique event, which features both amateurs and professionals.

The 135-player event continues today with the low 40 players qualifying for the third and final round Saturday.

Neeman, who turned professional late last year and has been playing mini-tour events, began his round with four straight bogeys.

"I'm like what's going on here and why am I here,'' Neeman said, laughing. "Then I made eagle on my fifth hole and made a couple of nice birdie putts to make the turn even par.

"I had four birdies on the back side and so it turned out to be a very good round.''

Neeman, who plans on attending the PGA Tour qualifying school later this year, said life on the smaller tours can be tough.

"It's a grind. I'm basically living out of my car going from tournament to tournament,'' Neeman said. "It's nice to come home for a couple weeks. It's kind of like a vacation.''

Neeman's former Waterloo High School teammate Mitchell Gregson had the second best round of a local player with a 72, followed by Suhre and another Edwardsville native in Chris Brant (75).

Gregson, who will be a senior at Kansas State University this fall, carded a 2-over-par 72.

Gregson got off to a tough start and was 4-over par after his first five holes, but rebounded to play the final 13 holes at 2-under.

"I played well after the first five holes. I just hit a couple of bad shots early. I made a double bogey on No. 11 when my ball got lodged under rock,'' Gregson said. "Hopefully tomorrow will be better.''

Suhre, who has played on several mini-tours as well as the Hooters Tour, said his round was just average.

"I didn't play poorly. I hit a couple bad irons, a couple bad tee shots and a couple bad putts. When you add them up it comes to 73,'' Suhre said. "I just didn't make anything. I had a couple putts come close, but didn't go in.''

Other local players with solid rounds included Steven Souchek (77), Gerald Mozur, playing out of Gateway National Golf Course, (78) and Steve Junge (81).

Junge plays out of Clinton Hill Golf Course.

Former Edwardsville standout Scott Yancy shot 82.

Souchek, in the midst of a hectic summer tournament slate that has already included 12 events, carded a seven-over 77 on the tricky Lewis and Clark layout.

The Gibault High School junior made just one major mistake Thursday -- making a triple bogey 7 on the 423-yard 17th hole. Otherwise it was a solid round of golf.

"Just one bad hole cost me. I tried to come back and did with a birdie and par the next two holes. I just tried to grind it out,'' Souchek said. "Playing in events like these with the best amateurs and professionals in the St. Louis-area does nothing but help get me ready for the high school season in the fall.''