GRANGER — Patience was indeed a virtue for 28-year-old rookie Kyle Meihofer in the second round of the 99th Greater South Bend Men’s Metro golf championship at the always challenging East Course of Knollwood Country Club.
Danger lurks almost everywhere you look on the par-72, 6,945-yard East Course designed by the late Ernie Schrock with its rolling, tree- and heather-lined fairways, its immense, undulating greens and its many challenging bunkers. And if all that didn’t cause most of the field to lose sleep before coming Sunday for the second round, Mother Nature made an appearance with a morning thunderstorm which caused a three-hour delay of the start.
Day 1: MSU golfer Satchel Pierce tops Men’s Metro leaderboard with opening, four-under 68 at Elbel
Meihofer, a former Valparaiso High and Illinois State standout now living in South Bend, working in Mishawaka and golfing for the most part at Blackthorn, kept his head securely fashioned for the most part in his first-ever look at the course. He felt Knollwood’s wrath early with a double-bogey 6 at the 433-yard third hole after a pair of opening birdies and then added bogeys at Nos. 5, 7 and 8 to turn in three-over 39. But Meihofer, who opened Saturday with a one-over-par 73 at Elbel Park, came home in two-under 34 with the help of an eagle 3 at the 552-yard 13th hole for a second straight one-over 73 that left him with a 36-hole total of two-over 146.
That total was later matched by his fellow Men’s Metro first-timer, Satchel Paige of Union, Mich., and Michigan State. The 20-year-old, left-handed Pierce, who opened with a four-under 68 at Elbel Park, soared to a 10-over 78 Sunday after making a double-bogey 6 at the 418-yard 12th and triple-bogey 6 at the par-3, 196-yard 14thth in a back-nine, five-over 41.
Meihofer and Pierce have a two-stroke lead over 27-year-old Austin Christner of Mishawaka heading into Saturday’s third round at Erskine Park. Christner, a former Fairfield High standout who has been a Men’s Metro contender the last two years, followed his opening one-under 71 with a five-over round of 77 at Knollwood East that included a double bogey and a triple bogey.
That 77 was matched by 2021 Men’s Metro champion Bazil Furry, who wasn’t immune from a home-course spanking (four bogeys and a double bogey) and was at seven-over 151, five strokes behind the co-leaders.
“The course was playing pretty tough — you knew there were some bogeys out there and you had to make as many pars as you could,” said Meihofer, who made nine to go along with three birdies in addition to the eagle. “I’m happy with the way I played. You have to pick the right spots off the tee to put yourself in a position to have a short iron in to convert. If you’re out of position just a little bit, it makes it a little more tough to make par.”
The 5-foot-8 Meihofer, who had his wife Ellen along as his caddy, said the thunderstorm delay wasn’t a problem. “I wanted to get out there and play, but at the same time I’m glad we didn’t play in the rain,” said Meihofer, who watched the rain-drenched final round of The Open Championship from Royal Liverpool won by Brian Harman of the United States.
Meihofer’s eagle at 13 came after a massive drive of 330 yards and a 5-iron approach from 220 yards to 10 feet. He also birdied the par-5 first and 16thth holes and birdied the par-3 second hole with a 35-foot putt after hitting an 8-iron tee shot on the 174-yard hole.
Pierce, who has a few rounds at Knollwood East under his belt, said his Sunday effort — four birdies, five bogeys, a double bogey and a triple bogey — was “pretty embarrassing.”
“I had a decent stretch on (holes) one through six (which he played in two-under) which I think is the hardest stretch out here,” Pierce said. But the former Edwardsburg High standout then finished his front nine with three straight bogeys. “Those played on my mind, and then everything went sideways on the back.”
Pierce bogeyed No. 11 and doubled the 418-yard 12th when he hit his tee shot into the high heather and then lost his second shot into thicker grass trying to escape. He reached the green in four and two-putted. He then birdied the par-5 13thth but then hit a 7-iron tee shot way left of the 196-yard 14th green on the way to the triple bogey.
“My goal today was to extend the lead,” said Pierce, who will be playing in the Northern Amateur this week at Sand Creek before next weekend’s final rounds at Erskine Park. “It looks like we’re going to have a nice match Saturday.”
Joining Meihofer and Pierce off Erskine’s No. 10 tee at 8:56 Saturday morning is Christner. “I thought I hit it a little bit better than Saturday,” he said. “I had two pretty bad holes (the double at No. 6 and the triple at No. 15) with bad swings (off the tee). I didn’t putt it as well and got some unfortunate breaks. That’s golf— sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it’s hard. The rain delay was draining. Those last four holes (played in three-over) the body was feeling it and mentally it was tough to stay engaged.”
Tied for fifth at eight-over 152 are Doug Fedore (who shot 75) and Ryan Szklarek (77). They were a stroke ahead of Brandon Thomas (76), Khris Merrill (79) and reigning Senior Men’s Metro champion Dan Tobin (78).
99TH GREATER SOUTH BEND MEN’S METRO GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS
GRANGER – Results after Sunday’s second round at the par-72 Knollwood Country Club East Course. The first score is from Saturday’s first round at the par-72 Elbel Park Golf Course:
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT (6,945 yards)
146 (+2): Kyle Meihofer 73-73, Satchel Pierce 68-78
148 (+4): Austin Christner 71-77
151 (+7): Basil Furry 74-77
152 (+8): Doug Fedore 77-75, Ryan Szklarek 75-77
153 (+9): Brandon Thomas 77-76, Khris Merrill 74-79, Dan Tobin 75-78
154 (+10): Brandon Gerlach 79-75, Jonah Kumfer 76-78
155 (+11): John Stack 79-76, Zach Hale 77-78
156 (+12): Chris Shaw 77-79, Tyler Ham 77-79
157 (+13): Justin Crook 81-76
162 (+18): Carter Goodson 83-79
163 (+19): Ryan Hahaj 84-79
158 (+14): David Counselor 78-80
164 (+20): Ben Szklarek 81-83
168 (+24): Zach Toole 82-86
179 (+35): Stan Gebo 88-91
187 (+43): Matthew Levine 96-91
193 (+49): Tom Butler 95-98
Others: Sam Dales 88-WD
A FLIGHT (6,614 yards)
158 (+14): Drew Kowalewski 78-80
159 (+15): Evan Smith 76-83
160 (+16): Jim Shaw 80-80
162 (+18): Mark Colpaert 84-78
163 (+19): Andrew Katona 81-82, Jeff Oltmanns 79-84
164 (+20): Kevin Kowalski 80-84
165 (+21): Andy Vavul 82-83
166 (+22): Alan Smith 81-85
167 (+23): Robert Rogers 85-82
168 (+24): Ryley Fitzsimmons 78-90
172 (+28): Nick Przygoda 82-90, Roger Sarasin Karr 86-86
174 (+30): Tyler Huyvaert 84-90
183 (+39): Taylor Urbanski 93-90
B FLIGHT (6,614 yards)
165 (+21): Kevin Swartz 82-83
167 (+23): Todd Plonski 86-81, Andy Williams 81-86
172 (+28): Craig Eggers 83-89, Jacob Padrnos 85-87, Mike Robinson 85-87
173 (+29): Carlos Loaiza 86-87
174 (+30): Nicholas Mark 86-88
176 (+32): Nick Bishop 91-85, Matt Potter 87-89
177 (+33): David Krizman 90-87, Eric Swaim 84-93
179 (+35): Matt Schiele 89-90
181 (+37): Carl Daniels 90-91
183 (+39): Don Bedock 92-91
184 (+40): Pete Vavul 90-94
189 (+45): Jason Quimby 96-93, Perry Richards 92-97
190 (+46): Michael Schicker 93-97
192 (+48): Matt McGraw 98-94
193 (+49): Kenny Bishop 92-101
Others: George Trey 96-96-192-WD
C FLIGHT (5,802 yards)
173 (+29): Walt Kroll 89-84
176 (+32): Gary May 89-87, Scott Tafelski 87-89, Rich Walag 91-85
177 (+33): Ricky Entzian 87-90
178 (+34): Joe Bradley 88-90
179 (+35): James Parker 90-89
182 (+38): Jeffrey Barouska 86-96
183 (+39): David Fulcher 90-93, Mark Swaim 89-94
184 (+40): Brian Carver 92-92
186 (+42): Bartolo Marquez 92-94
188 (+44): John Howard 94-94
189 (+45): Kevin Barry 94-95, Keith Hodgson 93-96
190 (+46): Alex Walters 96-94
193 (+49): Roger Moreno 95-98
195 (+51): Geoffrey Davidson 100-95
198 (+54): Jerry Barnette 106-92
200 (+56): Tim Buczynski 99-101
203 (+59): Donald Coddens 102-101
204 (+60): Joseph Watters 99-105
207 (+63): Justin Budinski 105-102
214 (+70): John Parakowski 106-108
221 (+77): Alex Sexton 113-108
This article originally appeared on the South Bend Tribune: Greater South Bend Men’s Metro Golf Tournament second round at Knollwood