Trio tied for first-round lead at 76th Tom Hoover Ozark Invitational
By BRIAN ROSENER
Sports Editor
A windy Westwood Hills Country Club made for a long Saturday during the opening round of the 76th Tom Hoover Ozark Invitational.
Its playing tough, said Drake Stepter, who set tournament records to win the tournament last year.
The wind and the pins, theyre all tucked in a corner, its borderline impossible.
Stepter was one of only five players under par and will be in the final group to tee off in the second round Sunday.
Chad Niezing, the 2020 champion, David Strickland and Tod Rose all shared the first-round lead at 2-under-par 69.
Stepter and Poplar Bluffs Tyler Norton were a shot back while nobody shot even-par. Ryan Chandler and Ron Mangold are tied for sixth at 1-over 72 while 2018 champion Chance Holden is eighth at 73.
The five under-par rounds were the fewest on the opening day of the tournament since 2010.
Poplar Bluffs Bobby Godwin shot 2-under 69 to lead the Senior Division by three shots.
With the threat of severe weather Sunday afternoon, tee times were moved up with the first Senior Division group starting at 7:30 a.m. with a 9:40 a.m. start for the first group in the Championship Division.
Niezing, Strickland, Rose and Stepter will tee off at 12:30 p.m. in the final group of the day.
The tournament has been limited to one round due to weather four times in 75 years and in 2014 it was stopped after 27 holes.
I was really kind of expecting to have to go low today because the weather will be bad tomorrow, Stepter said. Im happy where Im at.
The 25-year-old from Paducah, Kentucky, trailed by three shots at the start of the second round last year playing in the final group.
Niezing, of Manchester, Missouri, was also tied for the lead at the midpoint of his 2020 championship with three others. He finished third last year at 7-under 135 after a second-round 65.
His round Saturday featured five birdies, 10 pars and three bogeys, all on par-4 holes. After a bogey-birdie start, Niezing got to 2-under before a bogey on No. 5. He made the turn even-par before a birdie on the par-3 12th and another on the par-5 14th. He ended the round with a bogey-birdie finish.
Strickland, of Fenton, Missouri, tied for 13th last year at 1-over 143 with a second-round 70.
He also made the turn at even-par after birdies on the par-4 sixth and the par-5 ninth, bouncing back from a bogey on No. 8, the longest par-3 that was playing into the wind. Strickland played the back 9 2-under with a birdie on the par-4 15th and another on 18.
Rose, from West Plains, Missouri, is making only his third Ozark appearance after finishing 14th in his 2019 debut.
His round featured four birdies, three on par-5 holes, with the other on the par-3 12th. Roses only two bogeys were on a pair of par-4 holes, Nos. 4 and 15, and he finished with three straight pars.
Rose and Norton were in the same group.
Norton, the defending club champion, opened with a bogey but bounced back with a birdie on the par-5 second. He got to 2-under at the turn with a birdie on Nos. 7 and 9 and reached 3-under with a birdie on the par-3 12th, the hole that eliminated him from the Ozark Shootout the previous day.
Norton had bogeys on the next two par-4 holes but finished his round with three straight pars.
It was Nortons best Ozark score since a 69 in the 2019 second round.
Norton will be in the second-to-last group with Chandler, Mangold and Holden.
Niezing and Stepter were in the same group that was the first to tee off Saturday in the Championship Division.
Stepters lone bogey came on the par-4 fifth but he got a birdie on the next hole and made the turn even-par. After seven straight pars he birdied the par-5 14th and finished with four more pars.
On 18, Stepters second shot sailed over the green but he was able to get up and down, saving par after backing away from a putt because of the wind.
Its putting where I struggle (with the wind) because just trying to get steady over it, Stepter said. If its in your face youre blowing back.
The wind, which had gusts of 32 mph, helpe dry out the course and made Westwoods already fast greens faster.
Its tough, Stepter said. Especially on greens going this fast.
Chandler, of Jackson, Tennessee, ended up with the best score on the front 9 Saturday at 4-under with four birdies over five holes. He ran into trouble on the par-4 11th and a bogey on the next hole and No. 14 put him back to even-par. After two more bogeys, Chandler ended his round with a birdie.
Mangold, who has 10 top-10 finishes in his last 13 appearances, made the turn at 2-under with three birdies but didnt get another until 18.
Holden tied Chandler and Chris Dale of St. Louis, with the most birdies in their round at five.
Holden finished birdie-birdie after four straight pars after a bogey-par-bogey start to the back 9.
Among the seven players tied for ninth at 3-over 74 were 1994 champion Antonio Serrano, 2016 champion Joshua Rhodes and Poplar Bluff players Ben Brumitt, Nathan Woolard and Chris Love.
The last Poplar Bluff player to win the Ozark was Carr Vernon in 2015.
The tournament is presented by Michelob Ultra.
76th TOM HOOVER OZARK INVITATIONAL
At Westwood Hills Country Club, Poplar Bluff. Yards: 6,315. Par: (36-35) 71
Championship Division
Chad Niezing, Manchester, Mo. | 36-33 69 |
David Strickland, Fenton, Mo. | 36-33 69 |
Tod Rose, West Plains, Mo. | 35-34 69 |
Drake Stepter, Paducah, Ky. | 36-34 70 |
Tyler Norton, Poplar Bluff | 34-36 70 |
Ryan Chandler, Jackson, Tenn. | 32-40 72 |
Ron Mangold, Pocahontas, Ark. | 34-38 72 |
Chance Holden, Dexter | 35-38 73 |
Ben Brumitt, Poplar Bluff | 39-35 74 |
Joshua Rhodes, Paducah, Ky. | 36-38 74 |
Tyler Stalker, Springfield, Mo. | 38-36 74 |
Nathan Woolard, Poplar Bluff | 38-36 74 |
Patrick Britt, St. Louis | 35-39 74 |
Chris Love, Poplar Bluff | 37-37 74 |
Antonio Serrano, Rogersville, Mo. | 38-36 74 |
Chris Dale, St. Louis | 36-39 75 |
Jeremy Tandoy, Broken Arrow, Okla. | 37-38 75 |
Colby Robertson, Poplar Bluff | 40-36 76 |
Brett McCauley, Poplar Bluff | 38-38 76 |
Greg Beale | 39-37 76 |
Caleb Peters, Johnston, Iowa | 37-39 76 |
Jaiden Chavez, Odessa, Texas | 41-35 76 |
Addison White, Springfield, Mo. | 39-37 76 |
Nick Woolard, Poplar Bluff | 39-37 76 |
Sam Bass, Doniphan | 37-39 76 |
Derek Rahlmann, Poplar Bluff | 37-39 76 |
Neil Pullum, Essex, Mo. | 35-41 76 |
Jarod Meyer, Branson, Mo. | 38-38 76 |
Luke Smith, Covington, Tenn. | 39-37 76 |
Matthew Scott, Paducah, Ky. | 40-36 76 |
Blake Heimburger, Wentsville, Mo. | 42-34 76 |
Lawson Barks, Poplar Bluff, Mo. | 39-37 76 |
Nate Frederick | 36-40 76 |
Alex Wiseman, Poplar Bluff | 39-38 77 |
Todd Obergoenner, Cape Girardeau, Mo. | 41-36 77 |
Brevin Giebler, Caper Girardeau, Mo. | 38-39 77 |
Ryan Ekelcamp, Washington, Mo. | 37-40 77 |
Case Englehart, Jackson, Mo. | 39-38 77 |
Mike Brown | 41-36 77 |
Hunter Pyland, Poplar Bluff | 38-39 77 |
Travis Simmons, Memphis, Tenn. | 40-37 77 |
Adam Ivie, Poplar Bluff | 37-41 78 |
Jesse Meeks | 37-41 78 |
Thomas Brockman, Springfield, Mo. | 39-39 78 |
Tom Wuennenberg, St. Louis | 39-39 78 |
Adam Friga, Oran, Mo. | 41-37 78 |
Brian Wagner, Park Hills, Mo. | 41-37 78 |
Bennett Tiefenbrunn, Washington, Mo. | 38-41 79 |
Walker Serrano | 41-38 79 |
Paul Innes, Poplar Bluff | 42-37 79 |
Jake Robertson, Poplar Bluff | 40-40 80 |
Beau Traxel, Cape Girardeau, Mo. | 40-40 80 |
Jason Goodyke, Paducah, Ky. | 38-42 80 |
Scott Kirchoff, Foristell, Mo. | 43-37 80 |
Mike Miller | 40-40 80 |
Terry Roof, Paducah, Ky. | 41-30 80 |
Zach Grendell | 43-38 81 |
Jerrod Murphy, Poplar Bluff | 43-39 82 |
Caden Ellis, Sullivan, Ill. | 43-39 82 |
Andrew Phelan | 41-41 82 |
Mike Pigg | 42-40 82 |
Ashley McMillian, Farmington, Mo. | 44-40 84 |
Jack Pierce, Poplar Bluff | 43-41 84 |
Les Anderson, Poplar Bluff | 41-43 84 |
Mike Fiehtner, Poplar Bluff | 38-46 84 |
Jeremy Felker, Paducah, Ky. | 40-45 85 |
Drew Brown, Greensboro, N.C. | 45-41 86 |
Zack Stricker, Poplar Bluff | 46-40 86 |
Deke Lape, Sikeston, Mo. | 42-45 87 |
Travis Gossett | 45-42 87 |
J. Dexter Busby | 44-44 88 |
Danny Andrews | 46-47 93 |
Drew Eaton, Quincy, Ill. | WD |
Senior Division
Bobby Godwin, Poplar Bluff | 37-32 69 |
Brian Lovett, St. Louis | 34-38 72 |
Sean McQueary, Springfield, Mo. | 38-34 72 |
Scott Whittaker, Scottsdale, Ariz. | 35-38 73 |
Steve Tricarico, Jonesboro, Ark. | 36-38 74 |
Jeff Eiserman, Springfield, Mo. | 37-37 74 |
Joe Malench, Edwardsville, Ill. | 37-37 74 |
Brian Hall, OFallon, Mo. | 39-35 74 |
Ed Brown, Independence, Mo. | 37-37 74 |
Tom Barry, St. Louis | 37-37 74 |
Wayne Frederick, Springfield, Mo. | 37-37 74 |
Don Hudson, Advance, Mo. | 37-38 75 |
Kevin Rome, Kansas City, Kan. | 39-36 75 |
Kyle Viehl, Maryville, Mo. | 39-37 76 |
Kirk Viehl, Edwardsville, Ill. | 40-36 76 |
Buddy Allen, Pevely, Mo. | 36-40 76 |
Mark Jones, Jonesboro, Ark. | 38-38 76 |
Brian Haskell, St. Joseph, Mo. | 37-39 76 |
Steve Groom, Raytown, Mo. | 38-39 77 |
Tony Nolfo, Festus, Mo. | 39-39 78 |
Brad Thielemier, Poplar Bluff | 41-37 78 |
David Pfeil, Eureka, Mo. | 39-40 79 |
John Shock, Poplar Bluff | 41-38 79 |
Mark Bolhofner, Cedar Hill, Mo. | 39-41 80 |
Mark Sissom, Scott City, Mo. | 39-41 80 |
Ben Cantrell, Cape Girardeau, Mo. | 42-38 80 |
Brian Scott, Fredericktown, Mo. | 42-38 80 |
Brett Allen, Columbia, Mo. | 39-41 80 |
Richard Williams, Eminence, Mo. | 40-41 81 |
Don Kuehn, Kansas City, Mo. | 40-41 81 |
David Babcock, Cape Girardeau, Mo. | 44-38 82 |
Jeff Spies, Springfield, Mo. | 40-42 82 |
Robert Trittler, Wentzville, Mo. | 40-43 83 |
Robert Meeh, Eureka, Mo. | 42-41 83 |
Eric Glidewell, Marshfield, Mo. | 41-42 83 |
Anthony Brown, St. Louis | 41-43 84 |
Troy Bell, Jackson, Mo. | 45-39 84 |
Marvin Whitson, Dexter | 43-41 84 |
Dan Kelley, Chesterfield, Mo. | 44-40 84 |
Tom Viers, Cape Girardeau, Mo. | 43-42 85 |
Larry Plunkett, Poplar Bluff | 43-42 85 |
Chuck Admire, Kansas City, Mo. | 42-43 85 |
Rob Long, Clarksville, Tenn. | 44-41 85 |
Les Palmer | 45-40 85 |
Andy Bartholomy, Springfield, Mo. | 45-41 86 |
E.J. Brumm, Weldon Springs, Mo. | 43-43 86 |
Mark Wethington, Bloomfield | 44-45 89 |
Ian Soutar, Cape Girardeau, Mo. | 47-42 89 |
Ross Roberts | 48-45 93 |
Darrin Pryor, Springfield, Mo. | 48-48 96 |
John Gaia, South Haven, Miss. | WD |
Pete Godwin, Omaha, Neb. | WD |
Tim Rinker, West Plains, Mo. | WD |
Brett Combs, Bradleyville, Mo. | NS |