SOUTH BEND – Nick Bienz knew patience would be a big virtue Tuesday in the second round of the 108th Indiana Open at Notre Dame’s Warren Golf Course.
On a day that started with firm, fast and windy conditions before a pair of weather delays totaling 95 minutes, the second round turned into a very long and trying day at the Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw masterpiece which hosted the US Senior Open in 2019.
Bienz, a 27-year-old mini-tour player and former IUPUI golfer from Hoagland, Ind., who led after the opening round with a five-under 66 Monday, crafted a Tuesday afternoon three-under 68 for an eight-under total of 134, three strokes better than Evansville amateur and University of Michigan golfer Ben Hoagland, who rode Tuesday’s roller-coaster afternoon to a one-under round of 70.
Day 1: Mini-tour pro Bienz opens Indiana Open with 5-under 66 to lead three others by one shot
“Today was going to be a long one; we knew that from the start that there was a chance of rain coming in,” Bienz said. “For the most part, it was a matter of staying patient, keeping your ball in play. Early in the round, it was super windy. Again, that meant hitting it a little lower. I made a couple of equipment tweaks because I knew it was going to be a little windier. Once the weather hit, it softened the course a little bit. Then the wind left, and we were able to be a little more aggressive towards the pins.”
Birdies on the fifth and eighth holes offset a bogey at No. 7 for a one-under 34 on the front nine for Bienz. He then birdied the 10ththbogeyed the 14thth and added birdies at Nos. 16 and 18 to complete his round 68, one of 15 sub-par rounds on the day.
“The pin positions were a little more difficult today than yesterday,” Bienz added. “For the most part, if you hit it in the fairway, you were still able to spin the ball well enough to get it into the right spots on the green. The rain softened things up. My tee shots weren’t rolling out on my last six holes as they were on my first 12. So, it was a matter of taking more club and being a little more aggressive.”
But Bienz also knows that patience will matter on Wednesday with more inclement weather expected for the 72 golfers who made the cut at eight-over 150. Tournament officials were planning to use both the first and 10th tees at 9 am to get the final 18 holes in.
“You have to stay as patient as you can, bring all the rain gear that you can,” Bienz said. “They are not going to call us off the course unless they have to.”
Hoagland, who opened with a 67 Monday, overcame a double-bogey 5 at the 121-yard fourth hole with four birdies (at Nos. 5, 8, 10 and 16) before he stumbled with a bogey at 18 in completing his afternoon round of 70 and two-day total of 137.
That left Hoagland a shot ahead of professionals Graham McAree of Fishers (69) and Blake Wheeler of New Castle (69). Michael Davan, a two-time Indiana Open champion, was a stroke back at 139 following his morning one-over 72.
Another nine golfers, including former Indiana Open champion Eric Steger of Noblesville, were at two-under 140. Included in that group was fifth-year Purdue senior Nicholas Dentino of Carmel, whose one-over 72 had its share of ups (five birdies) and downs (a pair of triple bogeys at Nos. 12 and 17).
“You just have to forget about it,” the 23-year-old Dentino said. “I had to deal with it. I could have let it get to me, but I just moved on.”
Former Penn High and current Bethel University golfer Jonah Kumfer led four Tribune-area golfers into the final round. He was tied for 22n.d at one-over 143 following a morning round of one-over 72. Joining him there was Fort Wayne amateur Justin Hicks, who had the day’s best round, a five-under 66, and Fairfield High standout Brayden Miller, who shot a morning 74 .
Warren assistant pro Alex Dutkowski made the cut after shooting a morning 73 and was tied for 32ndn.dat 145, a stroke behind a group that included former Indiana Open champion Michael Sharp, an amateur from Fort Wayne and the brother of Katie Sharp, another of Warren head professional Kyle Demeter’s staff. Stonehenge professional Craig Isabel was tied for 54th at 148 following a one-under 70.
108th INDIANA OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
SOUTH BEND – Results after Tuesday’s second round at the par-71, 6,920-yard Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame:
134 (-8): Nick Bienz, Hoagland, 66-68
137 (-5): a-Ben Hoagland, Evansville, 67-70
138 (-4): Graham McAree, Fishers, 69-69; Blake Wheeler, New Castle, 69-69
139 (-3): Michael Davan, Zionsville, 67-72
140 (-2): a-Carter Smith, Sellersburg, 68-72; Eric Steger, Noblesville, 68-72; a-Nicholas Dentino, Carmel, 68-72; a-Hunter Mefford, Hanover, 69-71; Austin Vukovits, Noblesville, 69-71; Gary Robison, Carmel, 68-72; Andy Winings, Fishers, 70-70; Jamie Broce, Indianapolis, 71-69; Matthew Meneghetti, Schererville, 70-70
141 (-1): a-Jacob Modleski, Noblesville, 69-72; Brady Wheeler, New Castle, 69-72; Anthony Bradley, Paoli, 70-71; a-Kash Bellar, Peru, 67-74; a-Cole Starnes, Fishers, 70-71; a-Kasey Lilly, Plainfield, 70-71
142 (E): Cal Elzey, Fort Wayne, 69-73
143 (+1): a-Jonah Kumfer, Mishawaka, 71-72; Mitch Davis, Bloomington, 75-68; a-Camron Jones, Indianapolis, 70-73; a-Justin Hicks, Fort Wayne, 77-66; a-Brayden Miller, Leesburg, 69-74
144 (+2): Brett Seward, Valparaiso, 68-76; a-Javan Johnson, Franklin, 73-71; a-Michael Sharp, Fort Wayne, 69-75; a-Caleb Wassmer, Poseyville, 71-73; a-Damon Dickey, Franklin, 70-74
145 (+3); Todd Sandow, North Manchester, 72-73; Joey Wiseman, Corydon, 72-73; Keegan McCullough, Greensburg, 70-75; a-Alec Cesare, Westfield, 73-72; a-Luke Prall, Carmel, 74-71; a-Sam Booth, Carmel, 76-69; Alec Dutkowski, Elkhart, 72-73
146 (+4): Carson Wattenbarger, Greenwood, 71-75; Timothy Wiseman, Corydon, 72-74; a-Jake Miller, Richmond, 76-70; a-Connor McNeely, Noblesville, 73-73; Matt Schiller, Carmel, 78-68; Zach Carrabine, Indianapolis, 72-74; Michael Asbell, Westfield, 76-70; a-Nic Hofman, Lafayette, 75-71; a-Garrett Willis, Fort Wayne, 70-76
147 (+5): a-Max French, Indianapolis, 75-72; Patrick Mudd, Crown Point, 72-75; a-Clay Stirsman, Carmel, 74-73; a-Noah Gillard, Greenwood, 75-72; Joey Ranieri, Zionsville, 74-73; a-Noah Ross, Upland, 72-75
148 (+6): a-Yianni Kostouros, Crown Point, 74-74; a-Carson Parker, Evansville, 76-72; a-Maverick Conaway, Tipton, 74-74; a-Griffin Hare, Tipton, 77-71; Michael Vandeventer, Columbus, 74-74; a-Peyton Snoeberger, Williamsport, 74-74; Craig Isabel, Warsaw, 78-70
149 (+7): a-Benjamin Keil, Lagrange, 72-77; a-Connor McMillan, Fishers, 73-76; Jordan Powell, Marion, 74-75; Vince Drahman, Fortville, 75-74; Andrew Sapp, West Lafayette, 75-74
150 (+8): a-Nick Holder, Fort Wayne, 77-73; a-Drew Shafer, Noblesville, 77-73; Grant Brettnacher, West Lafayette, 78-72; a-Caleb Schnarr, Jasper, 71-79; a-Matt Vogt, Indianapolis, 75-75; McCormick Clouser, Bluffton, 72-78; a-Lucas Beck, Carmel, 74-76
Did not qualify
151 (+9): Wyatt Larkin, Fort Wayne, 75-76; Brian Garrett, Anderson, 77-74; Colton Kuppler, Terre Haute, 76-75; a-Andrew Wall, Zionsville, 78-73; Ivan Foster, Auburn, 72-79; a-Gavin Hare, Tipton, 75-76; a-Preston Broce, Indianapolis, 71-80
152 (+10): a-Matt McCurry, Martinsville, 77-75; a-Rob Barber, Bloomington, 76-76; a-Will Schuitema, Indianapolis, 76-76; a-Evan Bone, Westfield, 77-75; a-Henry Ashley, Granger, 74-78; a-Brock Reschly, Middlebury, 74-78; a-Callen Hoskins, Warsaw, 75-77; Shawn Marshall, Seymour, 77-75; Eric Huther, Indianapolis, 75-77; Adam Wood, Indianapolis, 75-77
153 (+11): a-Kyle Grennes, Valparaiso, 77-76; Jay Williams, Sellersburg, 82-71
154 (+12): a-Brandon Heffner, Greenwood, 78-76; a-Nick Bellush, Bloomington, 80-74; a-Brandon Lemons, Bristol, 80-74; a-Ben McLochlin, Noblesville, 77-77; a-Carson Stohler, Fort Wayne, 77-77; Case Blodgett, Indianapolis, 84-70; a-Nolan Hall, Westfield, 77-77
155 (+13): a-Colin Nasser, Zionsville, 76-79; a-Augie Mann, Bluffton, 78-77; Mike O’Toole, Noblesville, 77-78; a-Owen Sander, Carmel, 80-75; Benjarong Murray, Fort Wayne, 75-80; a-Adam Mellier, Zionsville, 75-80
156 (+14): a-Jack Besner, Whiteland, 79-77; a-Cade Brouyette, Claypool, 77-79; a-Nicholas Gushrowski, Michigan City, 75-81; a-Earl Williams, Nappanee, 76-80
157 (+15): a-Caleb Bopp, Fishers, 83-74; a-Landon Smith, Henryville, 80-77; a-Jadden Ousley, Monticello, 77-80
158 (+16): a-Spencer Mortola, Howe, 83-75; a-Dean Williams, Quincy, 76-82; a-Chris Schweitzer, Auburn, 79-79; a-Adam Gruenig, Winamac, 78-80
159 (+17): Justin Holt, LaPorte, 79-80; Brandon Snell, Westfield, 80-79; a-Ian Harris, Indianapolis, 80-79
160 (+18): a-Stephen Kocerha, Carmel, 81-79; Blair rated Rolling Prairie, 85-75
161 (+19): a-Grant Norman, Fort Wayne, 84-77; a-Trevor Vietti, Logansport, 80-81; a-Wyatt Johnson, Churubusco, 80-81; a-Grant Germano, Indianapolis, 78-83; a-Ian Perry, Plainfield, 78-83
162 (+20): Kevin Cunningham, Crown Point, 78-84; a-Keenan Donze, Granger, 82-80; a-Taylor Imel, Bluffton, 75-87; a-Ian Weyer, Jasper, 79-83; a-Nate Olson, Greenwood, 83-79; a-Drake Devereux, Crown Point, 77-85
163 (+21): a-Matthew Shull, Westfield, 85-78; Matt Smith, Yorktown, 80-83; a-Daniel Kasten, Winamac, 75-88; a-Kadin Gibson, Franklin, 83-80; a-Drew Rowen, Greenwood, 80-83
166 (+24): Chad Robbins, Kokomo, 81-85; a-Austin Shelley, Greenwood, 80-86
167 (+25): Brian Ballard, Westfield, 82-85
168 (+26): a-Wes Opliger, Grabill, 83-85
170 (+28): a-Keaton Modleski, Noblesville, 82-88; Chance Bressler, Decatur, 84-86
171 (+29): Jason Niese, Westfield, 80-91; Gabe Rohleder, Evansville, 88-83
173 (+31): a-Bryce Conlee, Zionsville, 91-82; Rylan Porter, Indianapolis, 87-86
182 (+40): a-Garrison Barton, Scottsburg, 95-87
Others: Scott Nelson, Fishers, DQ; a-Aidan Gutierrez, Valparaiso, DQ; a-Brooks Snyder, West Lafayette, WD; Chad Ayres, Fort Wayne, WD; Bradley Murray, Carmel, WD; Blake Wolfe, Indianapolis, WD; a-David Cooke, Indianapolis, WD; a-Porter Dick, Frankfort, WD; a-Thomas Gormley, Indianapolis, WD; Brian Maurer, Richmond, WD
This article originally appeared on the South Bend Tribune: Bienz leads after second round of Indiana Open at Warren Golf Course